ISTANBUL ( by plane )

Turkey remains the most popular summer destination for residents of cold Russia. Mediterranean resort of Antalya, Alanya, Kemer and other cities every summer, attracting thousands of visitors. The cultural capital of Turkey, Istanbul (Istanbul), is still a little bit away from the mass influx of tourists Russians, though worthy of close attention. Over its long history, Istanbul has visited the capital of two empires, who left behind a wealth of cultural monuments and sites of global significance. Traces of the earliest settlements in Istanbul dated the 4th millennium BC, and the first major state here was the Byzantine Empire. Then the city was called Constantinople - more than a thousand years it was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and one of the largest centers of Christianity on earth. The main monument of the period was the Hagia Sophia, still exists today. In 1453 the city was conquered by the Turks, and since then became the capital of the Ottoman Empire. Thus began the Islamic history page of Istanbul, is still ongoing. In 1923, after the proclamation of the Turkish Republic, the country's capital was the city of Ankara and Istanbul was a cultural, business and tourist center of Turkey. In combination with interesting monuments of history and unique geographical location - at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, on the banks of the Bosphorus Strait that connects the Black Sea and the Marmara - Istanbul deserves to spend on a trip to a whole week.