Vacation rentals and Airbnbs in Istanbul

There are many reasons for a trip to Istanbul. You can choose to visit because it is a unique bridge across two cultures, a living link between Europe and Asia. You can also choose a trip to Istanbul because you are simply looking for a warm and sensual oriental atmosphere and you need to escape and run away from every day rational and boring routine in search for emotion and passion. But you can also choose Istanbul for spiritual reasons. Everybody knows that Istanbul was the ancient Byzantium, the new capital of the renewed Christian empire and obviously everyone is well aware of the importance of Muslim culture in Turkey today but not everyone is aware of the fact that Istanbul is also the home of the Mevlevi Order of Sufi Whirling Dervish Tourneurs, a half way identity mystical society composed by dancers priests. All along their dancing ceremony the Dervish Tourneurs can really spin themselves into a real and authentic trace that brings them close to the original strength that generated the universe. Their dance is a real religious ritual and Istanbul would deserve a visit only for a glimpse of the Dervish dance which brings men so close to the sphere of the divine. But whatever your motivation may be for a trip to Istanbul, always choose a holiday rental accommodation such as an apartment, a villa on the Bosphorus or a simple but cosy and friendly bed and breakfast.

Istanbul is an oriental dream

Istanbul is the homeland of steam Turkish baths and you cannot miss a visit to the 16th century old Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamam bath in Sultanahmet Square which was specifically built for the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and his beautiful wife Roxelana. Wonderful blue and turquoise colored tiles cover the incredible domes of this huge steam bath where you have to try the typical stunning body massage. Istanbul has a real tradition for steam baths and body healing and you can experience this reality paying a visit to the Cemberlitas baths or to the Galatasary and Sulemayne baths. Feel the magic of the town all along a cultural walk along its streets, through Sultanahmet reach St Sophia and the Blue Mosque before getting back to the very lively area of Eminomu and Beyoglu where the European lifestyle is most definitely western minded and oriented. Fashionable cafés and restaurants, clubs, there is indeed one Istanbul which lives at the same speed of a western capital. You cannot compare the calm and privacy of your own holiday apartment or your own vacation house in Istanbul to a crowded and noisy hotel where you will never feel at home. No need of long notice organization for your Istanbul trip, you will always find plenty of holiday accommodation possibilities with a last-minute booking whether you wish a low-cost holiday or you can afford the rental of an exclusive villa, vacation rentals in Istanbul will always supply you with a good opportunity for an unforgettable trip inside the heart of the bridge between Asia and Europe

Topkapi Palace and its sensual nights

Topkapi Palace in Sultanahmet is the sheerest and most fascinating jewel you could hope to discover in Istanbul. Home of sultans and their wives and concubines for more than four hundred years, Topkapi Palace overlooks the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and the Golden Horn from its wonderful courtyards, gardens and buildings. Four thousand persons used to live in the palace including the personnel staff and three hundred concubines with their own personal eunuchs in the six-floored harem, ready to please the sultan wishes. For your sensual holiday in Istanbul nothing compares a villa on the Bosphorus in front where you will breathe every evening from your own private oriental garden overlooking the waters of the channel and the courtyards of the palace the true smell of Topkapi ancient nights.

Shopping in Istanbul Bazaars

Shopaholics will just love spending a whole day in the colorful Old City Bazaar built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1461. Since then, this market covers a very wide area of Istanbul with its thousands of narrow and complicated laneways connected one to the other full of shops. You just have to get lost in this maze for an entire day and discover all the oriental handcraft objects and products you are looking for. The Spice Bazaar is another interesting visit for picking up not only oriental spices but also typical dried fruits, wonderful loukoums and very good Turkish coffee. A vacation rental in Istanbul will allow you to spend a unique holiday in this mysterious town where Oriental and Western cultures seem to blend together from one side to the other of the Bosphorus.