Sultanahmet in Istanbul is a district of mighty mosques and gleaming minarets, street-sellers and shoe-shiners, cobbled streets and rich cultural heritage (writes Rebecca Burns). Despite its immense size, and a population of nearly 13 million, most tourists visiting Istanbul focus on Sultanahmet, which squeezes many of the city's top historical sights into a very compact area.

Amongst these are the amazing Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, and the Basilica Cistern. It's only a short walk from here to the mighty Bosphorus for a refreshing ferry trip, or to the Grand Bazaar for some shopping.

Of all the cities I've visited, Istanbul remains one of the most exciting and memorable. It's the only city in the world that spans two continents, Europe and Asia – and its strategic position on the Bosphorus Strait has made it an important east-west trading post since the Byzantine era, making it a target for many invasions that have each left their mark on the city.

Top sights

Topkapi Palace complex is definitely one of Istanbul's highlights – and there's plenty of competition. The main city residence of the Ottoman Sultans between 1465 and 1856, at its peak it housed as many as 4,000 people and included mosques, bakeries, a harem, a hospital and even a mint. It contains the holiest relics of the Muslim world, including Prophet Muhammed's cloak and sword, and all sorts of other treasures. You need at least half a day to explore, and the audio guide is well worth hiring – Topkapi Palace has many colourful tales to tell, and the audio guide reveals them better than most guide books.

Most famous for its massive dome, the Byzantine Hagia Sofia was a church which was later transformed into a mosque, and is now a museum. It's an awesome structure containing a blend of Christian architectural styles and Islamic features such as the mihrab (which shows the direction of Mecca) and the four tall minarets that were added to the exterior.

Nearby is the beautiful Sultan Ahmed Mosque, nicknamed the 'Blue Mosque' thanks to its huge blue-tiled interior. Built on the orders of Sultan Ahmed I between 1609-1616, it was designed to surpass the neighbouring Hagia Sophia in splendour, with six minarets rather than the more usual four.

Next to the Blue Mosque is the Roman Hippodrome, built in about 200 AD and used for chariot racing and other public events. Today it is a park displaying three of the columns that once lined the Hippodrome - including one carved Egyptian Obelisk created in about 1500 BC and brought from Luxor to the city by Constantinople.

The huge underground sixth century Basilica Cistern ('Sunken Palace'), about 500 feet west of Hagia Sofia, was used as a location for the 1963 James Bond film 'From Russia with Love'. Built during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, this damp, dark space is lit up so you can see the hundreds of marble columns holding up the ceiling, and the carvings of Medusa's head at the base of two of them.

Istanbul also has too many museums to list, but a few are right in the middle of Sultanahmet, and easy to squeeze in between seeing other sights – the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art and the Mosaics Museum are two worth visiting.

Grand Bazaar

Just a short stroll away from Hagia Sofia is Istanbul's famous covered bazaar, selling all sorts of goods from jewellery and clothing to spices and ceramics. The double domed building is impressive in itself, then you're faced with rows upon rows of fascinating shops. Be prepared to haggle to get a good price, and if you don't intend to buy go armed with the Turkish for 'No, thanks' ('Hayır teşekkürler').

Food

From stores stacked from floor to ceiling with every possible variety of Lokum (Turkish delight), to fresh barbecued fish sandwiches down by the Bosphorus, Istanbul is a great place for foodies.

You'll pass street sellers offering pretzels and roasted chestnuts, and in the Grand Bazaar you'll catch sight of colourful mounds of heaped spices. And virtually every street has either a café serving honey-drenched Baklava or a tea shop where you can sit and play Tavla (backgammon) for hours with the locals.

Istanbul is a vast city and has a young, modern face as well as all this historical heritage, with cool clubs and trendy neighbourhoods competing for backpackers' attention. Yet despite being overrun with tacky souvenirs and carpet shop traps, Sultanahmet has lost none of its charm and still offers an impressive architectural rollercoaster for any visitor.

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