18 metrolifeextra Tuesday, November 10, 2009 metro extralife OutofOfficeToadvertise call(01)6375979 Go where East meets West European Hotels Price: 24-hour sale 50 per cent off hotels across Europe Details: This Thursday, travel and lifestyle website lastminute.com will have a sale offering 50 per cent off four- and five-star hotels across Europe. Check out the five-star Langham Hotel, London, five-star Palazzo Gattini Luxury Hotel, Italy, the four-star NH Hotel in Berlin and the four-star Asset Torrejon Hotel in Madrid to name but a few... Contact: www.lastminute.com Getting There Turkish Airlines departs daily from Dublin to Istanbul and from Istanbul to many worldwide destinations. Contact your local travel agent and ask about tailor- made packages to Istanbul. Istanbul With a blend of old and new, east and west, Istanbul offers a feast for the senses with two fascinating worlds in one beautiful city lastminute.comhotels flights holidays citybreaks L ocated in the centre of the Old World, Istanbul is one of the worlds great cities, famous for its historical monuments and magnificent scenic beauties. It is the only city in the world which spreads over two continents: it lies at a point where Asia and Europe are separated by a narrow strait the Bosphorus. Istanbul has a 2,500-year-old history, and ever since its establishment on this strategic junction of lands and seas, the city has been a crucial trade centre. The historic city is situated on a peninsula flanked on three sides by the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. It has been the capital of three great empires the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman and for more than 1,600 years over 120 emperors and sultans ruled the world from here. No other city in the world can claim such a distinction. Istanbul has always been a city of tolerance, where mosques, churches and synagogues existed side by side. The city was adorned with a large number of dazzling and impressive works even during the period of decline of the Ottomans. If you only have a short time to visit the city, dont worry there are many ways to taste Istanbul. Daily excursions available throughout the year will give you the chance to visit the most important historical sites and museums, the famous Grand Bazaar and surroundings. Excursions departing from hotels of the port present to you the monuments in the historical peninsula in half- day tours. You get a chance to visit Ayasofya Museum, the Mosque of Sleyman The Magnificent, the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet (also known as Blue Mosque), Hippodrome and Topkapi Palace Museum. You may also participate in tours taking you on the Bosphorus or across to the Asian side of the water. Then, you will go back home with unforgettable and beautiful memories. The Roman fortifications, Chora (Kariye) Museum renowned for its late Byzantine period frescoes and mosaics, the Galata Tower for a splendid panorama of the city, Dolmabahe Palace on the Bosphorus the richest palace museum in the world, Archaeological Museums, Turkish-Islamic Arts Museum, the Spice Bazaar and others require three or four days. A ferry ride on the Bosphorus will be amongst the most unforgettable excursions. You may be carried away with the unparalleled beauty of the yali mansions lining the coasts, luxurious modern villas of the 20th century, the palaces of Dolmabahe, Beylerbeyi and Gksu, Rumeli and Anadolu Fortresses and remnants of the fishing villages. In the same day you can cool off in the waters of the Black Sea and then relax with a cup of coffee at a tea garden on the quiet coasts of the Sea of Marmara, enjoying the beauty of the Istanbul Straits. Istanbul is a place where the ancient meets the modern. For shopping there is a great variety of choices. The Grand Bazaar and the big reputable shops by it, the shopping malls of Ak Merkez, Galleria, Capitol and many more, the boutiques at Nisantasi and Beyoglu and in the Baghdad Street are at your service all through the year. The Grand Bazaar still retains the dreamlike atmosphere of the good old days, yet, it presents you with the newest choices of the modern world: eye-catching jewellery, copperwork, rugs, leatherwear, suede, and many more... Once caught by it, you may lose track of time strolling in the Grand Bazaar. Besides its historical importance and cultural heritage, the city is furbished with modern hotels, elegant restaurants, nightclubs, bars, historical bazaars and shops as well. tRAVEL DEAL OF tHE WEEK Once you step foot in this city, you will be able to experience for yourself this historical and natural beauty that words cant describe. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html