By the mid-19th century the Ottoman sultans were obsessed with all things Western and determined to move out of Topkapi Palace and into the Dolmabahce Palace on the southern shore of the Bosphorus.
No Istanbul trip is complete without this. Learn about the seat of Ottoman Power while exploring its design and structure. Don't miss the Imperial Treasure and make sure to visit all four courts.
The 6th-century church of Hagia Sophia that dominates the Istanbul skyline is one of the best known and most visited sites of the historic peninsula.
