Islam forbids consumption of alcohol, but you can find beer, wine and a special national alcoholic drink called Raki (*same as Uzo for the Greek, Arak for the Arabs - it is a 35C alcohol, which is deluded with water turning from transparent into a white drink. If you enjoy alcohol try it ! ).
I remind you Turkey is a laic country were religion and government do not walk together like some other Arabic countries. Turkish people enjoy eating, drinking and dancing. Turkish cuisine is very rich and millennial. Over the weekend you will see full bars and tea gardens with young and mature, women and man enjoying their tea, coffee or also beer and Raki.

Nights can be long and enjoyable in Istanbul. You just need to find out the right place that matches your wishes.

Was the official and primary residence in the city of the redirect-Ottoman Sultans for approximately 400 years (1465-1856) of their 624-year reign. The palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments and is a major tourist attraction today, containing the most holy relics of the Muslim world such as the Prophet Muhammed's cloak and sword. Topkapı Palace is among those monuments belonging to the "HisrtoricAreas of Istanbul" , which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and is described in Criterion iv as "the best example[s] of ensembles of palaces of the Ottoman period.

One of the most amazing palaces i've been to. The Topkapi Palace (Topkap ı Sarayı in Turkish) is a palace which was the official and primary residence in the city of the Ottoman Sultans, from 1465 to 1853. The palace was a setting for state occasions and royal entertainments and is a major tourist attraction toda y. Initial construction started in 1459, ordered by Sultan Mehmed II. At the height of its existence as a royal residence the palace was home to as many as 4,000 people. After the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1921, Topkap ı Palace was transformed by governm ent decree into a museum of the imperial era.

I easily get bored in museums, but Topkapi Palace has the benefit of having large open spaces between parts of the building complexes, where you can relax in the sun on a spot of grass. It is quite a busy place, but some of the rooms are impressive, I found the treasury rooms most interesting, and the circumcision room kind of surprising! A great mix of everything. Only issue was this is a fairly pricey attraction that can set you back 50 Turkish Lira or more if you pay the extra to visit the Harem and also pay for a audio tour.

From this palace you have an amazing view on the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. Nowadays you find here a collection of "things" the sultan used in his daily life, from clothes, jewelry to the glass he used to drink out of. The palace itself is huge so expect quite a walk and don't forget to pay (literally!) a visit to the harem, a must to see when you visit the palace!