Visit Istanbul (伊斯坦布尔)

Have you given any thought to your next holiday? Istanbul should be at the t    1     of your list of cities to visit next! Istanbul, Turkey, is the world’s 20th largest city and Europe’s largest city. It’s on a piece of land in the shape of a horn(喇叭), known as the Golden Horn.

Istanbul is one of the world’s most interesting cities. In human history, Istanbul is important because the city l    2     in both Europe and in Asia. It was the easiest road for people to go from Europe to Asia. Like Xi’an, it was one of the m    3     cities on the Silk Road. Since 1461, Asians have taken their silk, tea and spices to Istanbul to sell to Europeans. They had a famous market at the Grand Bazaar, which is the most visited p    4     in the world today.

Imagine waking up in the middle of Istanbul. You’ll find many of the world’s most famous sights. You can walk to the Hagia Sofia, a church that was the world’s largest for over 1,000 years b    5     it was turned into a mosque (清真寺). Across the street is the Blue Mosque. Underground, you’ll find Roman-made “cisterns” (tanks to store water). These are part of the city’s freshwater system. Walk over to the Kumkapi district and have delicious fish that is s    6     in 50 seafood restaurants.

Istanbul is only 9 hours from Shanghai and Beijing. That’s h    7     a long journey! Flights leave daily, so don’t waste time—plan your trip to Istanbul soon!