Denver to Istanbul Flights

  About Denver

Denver is one of those American cities where time passes slowly, and you can let go of all the stress of your otherwise hectic life. The Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the major highlights of the city. It is also known for its breweries and its outdoorsy culture. You will be amazed by the city's art, cuisine, culture and nature. It is the perfect place for all nature lovers to head to on vacation. You will also love the zoo in the city. Booking a hotel in Denver is quite easy, and it won't even burn a hole in your pocket if you book it at the right time. You can either sit back in your hotel and enjoy being idle or take off on an adventurous hike in the Mile High City. While you can head to Denver with your family, it is a much better destination to head to with your friends so you can make the most of the nightlife. It is also not one of the expensive cities in the United States of America.

Best Time to Visit Denver

April, May, September and October are considered to be the best months to head to Denver for a vacation. The climate is neither too hot nor too cold. It's pleasant to go sightseeing and opt for any outdoor activities in the city. April to May is the spring season, and even though it rains occasionally, it won't really put a damper in your sightseeing plans. Booking a hotel in Denver at an affordable price during this time is not very tough, but it is still recommended that you book in advance. There are quite a lot of events that you can attend in May like the Five Points JazzFest, Cinco de Mayo, Denver Arts Festival, Denver Day of Rock, TheBigWonderful and Colfax Marathon. Denver experiences autumn in September and October. This is an ideal time to visit the city if you are looking for a satisfying culinary experience. The temperature ranges from 2 to 24 degree Celsius. You can attend a lot of food-related events during this time like Oktoberfest on Larimer Square, Denver Beer Fest, Denver Food and Wine Festival, The Great American Beer Festival and A Taste of Colorado.

June to August is summer in Denver and is also high season in Denver. You will find a lot of tourists in the city during this time and will have to make sure that you book your flight tickets to Denver in advance, so you get a decent deal. You will also have to book your hotel in Denver well in advance. While June is quite hot, you will witness heavy rainfall in July. Summer is also when you will get to attend a lot of events in the city like Denver Comic Con, PrideFest, Juneteenth, Denver County Fair, Denver BBQ Festival, Colorado Shakespeare Festival and Cherry Creek Arts Festival. The temperature ranges from 11 to 31 degree Celsius. If you are planning a summer trip to Denver, make sure you are well-hydrated and carry extra sunblock, so you don't get sunburnt.

The city experiences winter from November to March, and it is the best time to go skiing or snowboarding near the Rocky Mountain slopes. The temperature ranges from -9 degree to 8 degree Celsius. You can attend events like the Denver Film Festival, Blossoms of Light and National Western Stock Show. While this is not the ideal time to visit Denver, you will find a lot of tourists in search of an adventurous holiday heading to the city. Make sure you pack all your warm clothes because you will witness heavy snowfall in the city in winter.

Places to Visit in Denver

Colorado State Capitol was built in the 1890s and is a replica of the United States Capitol. It is made of white granite, and it has a real gold leaf dome. It is a historic landmark, and you can take a guided tour of the building on weekdays if you are in the mood to go shopping, head over to the 16th Street Mall. You can also opt for a free shuttle service offered by the mall called the MallRide if you are tired of walking since it is a mile-long pedestrian mall. If you are an art lover, you can head over to the Denver Art Museum. The museum has a lot of permanent collections from all around the world and also hosts special exhibits. Do also check out the Hamilton Building in the museum designed by Daniel Libeskind. The Brown Palace is one of the oldest and grand hotels in Denver. It was built in 1892, and its speciality is that it has housed almost every President and a lot of famous dignitaries. It is known for its rejuvenating, top-notch spa and afternoon tea.

Larimer Square is another popular tourist spot in the city that you cannot miss. It is one of the best and most vibrant shopping areas in the city. You will also find a lot of famous restaurants in the city along with elite nightclubs and boutiques. If you are travelling with your family and want your kids to have an educational time as well on the trip, head over to the Denver Mint. It is the largest producer of coins in the world and has been minting money since 1906. You can opt for a guided tour of the mint to get to know more about history. If you are missing the wildlife and marine experience, you can visit the Downtown Aquarium. You must also attend the special Mystic Mermaid live show at the aquarium. The aquarium also has a restaurant that can seat up to 50,000 guests. You can also visit the Denver Zoo that has more than 4000 animals of 650 different species, and you can enjoy exhibits like Toyota Elephant Pagoda, Predator Ridge, Primate Panorama, Giraffe Encounter and many more here. If you want to add some adventure to your trip, head over to Mount Evans Scenic Byway or the Rocky Mountains.

Things to do in Denver

Sign up for a sightseeing tour of the museums in the city if art and history are what attracts you to the city. You can also explore the city on your own without a guide. However, if you are heading to the museums and historical landmarks, it is recommended that you hire a guide. If you are visiting the city in winter, do head to the snow-clad Rocky Mountains to indulge in snowboarding and skiing. You can also go on a hike to the mountains in the other seasons., but avoid it during heavy monsoon. Cherry Creek Shopping District and 16th Street Mall are two very popular tourist spots in the city for you to go on a shopping spree. Denver is known for hosting events throughout the year, and you must attend at least more than one event in the city. You can also sign up for a food tasting tour of the city or plan a trip to the city when there are festivals around culinary excellence happening in the city.

Foods and Restaurants

Denver used to be famous for its steak and Mexican cuisine, but the city now has cuisines from all over the world. Whether you are in the mood for Japanese cuisine or Mediterranean food, you will find everything that your taste buds crave for in Denver. You can also binge on the local specialities like their famous green chilli, stew and the Rocky Mountain oysters. You can either dine at high-end restaurants or try food from the local stalls. You will find a lot of options at Larimer Square, Uptown, LoDo and the Highlands. ELWAY'S is a very popular restaurant at Ritz-Carlton that you must try. You can also try El Taco De Mexico for authentic Mexican food. It also serves the best chilli in the city. If you are a beer lover, Denver is the right place for you. You can visit the Coors Brewery, Wynkoop Brewing Company and My Brother's Bar to grab the best beer along with lip-smacking delicacies.

How to reach Denver

Denver International Airport is the nearest one that serves the city and is the largest airport in North America. The flight connectivity to Denver from India is excellent. American Airlines, Lufthansa and United Airlines are some of the airlines that frequently fly to the city. There are constant layovers at Newark, London, Dallas and so on. If you book in advance, you will get cheap flight tickets to Denver. The Denver airport is well-equipped with WiFi, lounges, restaurants, cafes, shopping areas, smoking areas, children's play areas and a dedicated space for prayers, too. The airport also has an airport shuttle and car rental facilities for passengers and tourists. If you are travelling to the city in the offseason, you will come across great flight deals to Denver online. You can also check out the airport's website to know more about the facilities you can avail.

  About Istanbul

Istanbul is one of the popular cities in Turkey which has been split by the Bosphorus Strait to have parts of it in Europe as well as Asia. The old city is known for its rich Byzantine heritage, which can still be witnessed in a majority of the monuments and tourist attractions. Istanbul is the financial, economic, historical and cultural hub of Turkey and witnesses a great turnover of tourists every year, especially during peak seasons.

Aside from being one of the largest cities in the world, Istanbul's population is quite high for a European city. The city is always crowded and can often get overwhelming with the excess crowd. There are various ways to reach the city, such as flights to Istanbul and cruises to the city's port from the Mediterranean Sea.

As a tourist hub, the city witnesses tourists flocking over from all directions. While their airport is busy with a plethora of flights flying in and out of Istanbul, even their sea routes see the same fervour. Ships and cruise voyages are a big hit among tourists who have the luxury of time and who also enjoy the luxe lifestyle. Many cities such as Barcelona, Nice, Athens, Sardinia, and more, have regular cruises heading to the port of Istanbul.

Some of the major highlights of the city are the Byzantium structures such as the Basilica Cistern, Chora Museum, to name a few. Accommodation prices fluctuate depending on the travel season.

Best time to visit Istanbul

Istanbul witnesses the best climate between March to May and September to November. As the city faces tremendous humidity to the point of annoyance, the summers and winters are also not ideal for travelling to Istanbul. However, Istanbul still receives an extensive crowd between June to August, summer. Even with the temperatures soaring high, many folks from the cold countries flock over to enjoy the hot sun and humid weather. It might be taxing to the ones already living in hot and humid atmospheres. The demand for Istanbul's summers is surprisingly high. The peak season comes with high-priced tags on hotel rooms in Istanbul. Even flights to Istanbul during the summer months are expensive. However, if you're planning a trip from India, which already enjoy its share of hot and humid weather, summer is definitely not the best time for you.

Months leading to winter and summer though, they are really pleasant and favourable for travelling and engaging in touristy activities. September to November bring the city's temperatures down as the roads are blessed with a cold breeze and quaint environment. Even the flight tickets to Istanbul drop, and there are cheap and affordable flight deals that you can acquire. These months usually witness rain showers, due to which, the tourism is put at a standstill. For a budget-traveller though, it is the best time to visit. The accommodation prices drop exceptionally in the city during this season, paving way for booking hotels in Istanbul for cheap. Another perk of this season is how various cultural festivals take place. Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul International Puppet Festival, Istanbul Theatre Festival, Contemporary Istanbul and Akbank Jazz Festival, are some of the festivals organised by the city to entertain the locals as well as the tourists. The March to May months are just as pleasant before summer takes over. Despite the humidity in the air, the spring and fall season caters to the tourism industry by keeping the heat and stickiness at a bare minimum.

Places to visit in Istanbul

Istanbul exquisite palaces and ornate religious structures have always been a fancy for history enthusiasts and tourists driven by cultural relevance. The city's major tourist attractions are centrally located, making traversing to the place convenient. However, thanks to the proximity, this has led to the city of Istanbul being excessively noisy, crowded and chaotic. That shouldn't stop you from exploring the streets of the city though You should visit the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Museum. These two attractions are known to be the most important ones in Istanbul and should not be missed. Istanbul's Faith district's another pearl is the Süleymaniye Mosque, which is known to be one of the perfect architectural structure in Ottoman-style. The Bosphorus Strait of Istanbul is a natural wonder on its own with the strategic waterways that connect the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and simultaneously, dividing the city of Istanbul into two separate continents. This is easily one of the best sights and definitely worth checking out. You can even find fancy restaurants that overlook the strait.

The Basilica Cistern (also called Yerebatan Sarnici) is the largest Byzantine cistern that has managed to survive all through centuries. It is a beautiful site with an underground water reservoir, which is roughly calculated to be the size of two football fields. Another relic from the Byzantine period is the Chora Museum, which was originally a church from the old era. There are some modern structures too that add to Istanbul's charm with the Istanbul Modern museum being one of them. It is a private museum which collects and exhibits artwork that has contemporary significance.

Things to do in Istanbul

Located very close to the Blue Mosque is the Grand Bazaar, which is one of the oldest and massive shopping markets across the globe. With over 5,000 shops and 60 streets, the bazaar tends to overwhelm tourists with its colossal size. Not to mention how the place is constantly bustling with overzealous salesmen. The bazaar also has many quaint cafes and restaurants where you will find a lovely amalgam of cuisines ranging from the Mediterranean to Turkish to Middle Eastern. Many tourists have advocated that simply opting for a stroll around the city streets is the best kind of tourist activity one can indulge in when in Istanbul. Interacting with people and learning new stories about the place is definitely something people would enjoy. Plus, it would also be a good learning experience as you will have many more stories to return with from Istanbul.

Food and Restaurants in Istanbul

Istanbul's dreamy scenic landscapes and cityscapes are not the only marvels that would steal your heart. The city's lovely melange of cuisines from Turkish to the Mediterranean is quite impressive and will go down well with you. The fusion food from the Middle East and Asia further add to the charm of the exquisite delicacies sold on the streets of Istanbul. You will particularly enjoy their kebabs and mezes (tapas-like plates), a popular dish known across Turkey as well as other Middle Eastern countries. The cuisine comprises meat, beans, vegetables and nuts, which combine to make quite the flavour that to get your attention. Another important ingredient for the Turkish is yogurt, which is used as a companion for a majority of their meals. The street food is just as marvellous with döner and simit, to name a few staple dishes. Besides, if the food expedition gets too heavy and makes you conk off, you can also down some impeccable Turkish coffee and feel rejuvenated.

To experience some of the high-end luxe restaurants in Istanbul, visit Ulus 29 which faces the famed Bosphorus, Râna Meyhane for some lip-smacking Ottoman and Mediterranean cuisine. You can take this food expedition further by visiting Banyan to savour some Asian delicacies and St. Regis Brasserie to indulge in some French food. These places are fancy and have some of the best views of the city's Bosphorus Strait. To resort to a more fun and noisy backdrop, head to some meyhanes, located in every nook and corner of the city. Babel Cafe and Restaurant would give you one of the best Turkish dishes.

How to reach Istanbul (Transportation)

Istanbul's international airport, also known as Ataturk International Airport, is the city as well as Turkey's busiest airport. As a city that attracts a lot of tourists, the international airport is well-connected with several major cities in the world. Flight connectivity to Istanbul from India is exceptional. There are direct flights that fly to Istanbul from major cities in the country, including, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. Turkish Airlines, Oman Air, Aeroflot, Ukraine International Airlines are some of the major airlines that have services for direct flights to Istanbul from Indian cities. The distance from India to Turkey is quite decent and can be covered in about seven to ten hours. Depending on whether you choose a connecting flight or a flight with a layover, the duration to reach Istanbul from India would differ accordingly. Turkish Airlines offer direct flights without any layovers and connecting flight business from Mumbai, which takes only seven hours to reach. Direct flights come with a setback of burning a hole in your pocket.

As long as you don't mind paying extra money and spending less time on the flight, you can opt for direct flights. However, if you wish to snag cheap flight tickets to Istanbul, you will either have to pick the flights with longer durations or the ones with layovers. While booking your flight tickets, ensure to book your hotel room in Istanbul as well. You might receive some online flight deals for booking Istanbul flight and accommodation.

  About Istanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport is one of the biggest airports in Turkey and serves as an international airport. The airport is situated on the Arnavutköy district, which falls on the European side of the city. Istanbul Airport is reserved for passenger use and should not be confused with Istanbul Atatürk Airport. The airport previously served for commercial flight services. However, the passenger flights were shifted to Istanbul Airport. Istanbul Atatürk Airport is closed for passenger flights, and only Istanbul Airport serves to allow operations of commercial flights.

Istanbul Airport is currently working on expansion plans. Some of the phases of infrastructural development and upgradations are yet to be completed. In fact, the airport authorities have segregated the expansion plans into various stages to enable consistent work. The eventual aim is to accommodate a whopping number of 200 million passengers in a year.

Istanbul Airport has four runways with one terminal that caters to both domestic and international flight movement. While there is only one terminal, the airport as been divided into five concourses and lettered alphabetically, A, B, C, D, F and G. Further with respect to the airport security, they have about 3,500 security personnel. These include 1,850 police, 750 immigration officers, providing airport security.

About Airport Terminals

Currently, the Istanbul Airport has one functioning terminal which services domestic and international flight activities. There are four runways that are operational and made of asphalt. The terminal does have a total of five concourses lettered A, B, D, F and G along with 143 total boarding bridges for passengers alphabetically. Since the one terminal takes care of both, domestic and international flights, the concourses divide the passengers flying from within Turkey and internationally. The Istanbul Airport has 3,500 security personnel dedicated to keeping the vicinity safe. Not to mention how a total of 1,850 police along with 750 immigration officers who are expected to join the airport security. The Istanbul Airport does have extensive plans to expand the terminals from the functional ones. The main terminal is known to have the capacity of passenger 90 million annually. It poses a tough competition with Dubai International Airport Terminal 3, which also boasts a large floor area. Istanbul Airport's runways are quite large, with one of them being 4,100 metres long.

About Airport Authority

Istanbul Airport is owned by General Directorate of State Airports Authority. However, it is being operated by Istanbul Grand Airport. The General Directorate of State Airports Authority is primarily a Turkish government body that takes care of the smooth functioning of a majority of airports in Turkey. They are also responsible for the regulation and overseeing the air traffic in the airspace that falls under the Turkish territory. Although the authority takes care of operations of many airports, the exceptions include Istanbul Airport, Milas-Bodrum Airport, Antalya Airport and Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. The operations of Istanbul Airport are undertaken by Istanbul Grand Airport. They have been working extensively on enabling the airport to be one of the best in the world.

Much recently, the authority came up with a project called Istanbul Airport City, which is set to bring about an intriguing urban development design. The airport city's design has since been enhanced with provisions for world-class amenities to support the Istanbul Airport's functions. The Airport City's unique concept has been undertaken by Perkin+Will, a renowned international design company. Istanbul Airport City model's location is parallel to the Istanbul Airport. The best part about the project's design is how it resembles the city of Istanbul. IGA aims to make the Istanbul Airport City as the cultural and economic hub for Turkey. The Istanbul Airport City will have four main zones which would be directly connected to the core zone of Terminal 1. The Istanbul Airport City is also slated to have an aviation academy and university, retail, hotels, hospital facility and more. IGA is also planning on bringing sustainable practices to enable a positive approach to environmental management.

Top airlines flying from Istanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport is gifted with great airlines connection. There are many flights that fly to and from the Istanbul Airport and have dedicated park bays too. In fact, the airport also sees Indian airlines, IndiGo. It is the only Indian airline that is available at the Istanbul Airport. In fact, the airline has devoted direct flight to IndiGo. Along with the Indian airline though, the Istanbul Airport further sees a lot of international connections too. With Turkish Airlines taking the majority of air traffic, the airport does witness flights of airlines such as Aegean Airlines, Aeroflot, Air Albania, Air Astana, Air France, Air Moldova, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Iran Air, Jazeera Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Libyan Airlines, Oman Air, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, Tunisair, Sichuan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways. The Istanbul Airport does lack cargo operations as a majority of the operations are being taken up by Istanbul Atatürk Airport.

Facilities at the Istanbul Airport

ATM and foreign exchange - ATM kiosks and forex counters are available at regular intervals at the airport. In fact, you can find the forex counters at the arrivals section of all terminals. It would be best to go through the airport's website if you need to know the exact location of the forex counters. The information desk would also perfect place for you to visit.

Baggage - The airport offers a slew of baggage-related facilities such as baggage delivery, baggage wrapping, porter services and more. These services are perfect as they would help you with all your luggage woes.

Prayer rooms - Dedicated multi-faith rooms have been installed at the airport. They can be availed by visitors, and there are 44 rooms in total. Half of them serve men, and the other half serve women. You must know the ones that you can enter.

Restaurants and cafes - Food courts, establishments and upscale restaurants are also present at the airport terminals. You can find them at the departures and arrivals spaces. In fact, many of the lounges in the airport also cater to an exquisite culinary experience.

Lounges - The Istanbul Airport accommodates a slew of airline lounges, including VIP rooms and business conference halls. These make it convenient for the passengers who are travelling with first-class and business-class tickets. The lounge also has spas and upscale restaurants to make it a good experience for travellers.

Medical services - Medical services such as emergency teams and pharmacies are also available at the airport. You can visit the information desk to find out more about their paramedic services. Pharmacies are also present at the departures and arrivals sections of the terminals. This is to ensure that an emergency situation is catered to immediately.

Nursing rooms - For new mothers with infants, dedicated nursing rooms have also been installed. The rooms are perfectly hygienic and sanitized to ensure that the mothers feel safe about the environment. The area also has baby products and essentials such as baby powders and diapers.

Special assistance - Special assistance and porter services are also offered at the airport. In fact, you can inform your airlines about the services you require which need special assistance and the airport would provide you with the same.

Smoking zone - To keep the air of the airport fresh, they have restricted smoking in public. There are dedicated smoking rooms in the airport lounge that you can visit. In case you do not have any on you. Provisions to purchase the same is also available.

How to reach Istanbul Airport

Public Transport

Much recently, the Istanbul Airport worked on bringing forth a dedicated public transportation link that would be connected to the city. There are many scheduled rides that would reach you to the Istanbul Airport as well as the city. There are taxis and other public transportations that are available at the airport. Not to mention how you can find them from anywhere in the main city too. You can find bus routes to take to reach the Istanbul Airport on their website.

Rentals and taxis

You can find taxis and rental cars that would reach you to Istanbul Airport. It might be nice to take up cars and taxis for a relaxed departure. It is essential for you to plan your route in advance to make sure that you reach the Istanbul Airport on time. Maps would guide you perfectly to the airport. It is essential that you keep a check on the traffic that the Istanbul city possesses. Since Istanbul is known to be extremely crowded and busy at all times, it would be best to plan a route in advance to reach the Istanbul Airport without any delay in the schedule. The airport does offer 24/7 taxi service that can be found at several counters. You can book a ride from the departures as well as the arrivals.