People throng historical sites of Istanbul during Eid al-Adha

ISTANBUL

Locals, as well as foreign tourists, are thronging Istanbul’s historical sites to make the most out of the long Eid al-Adha holiday, with particularly Eminönü, Hagia Sophia and Eyüpsultan witnessing a huge influx of visitors enjoying their time exploring the places and trying out traditional delicacies.

For people who want to spend the Eid al-Adha holiday efficiently in Istanbul, there are numerous options all over the city, such as Eminönü, which is home to a number of tourist attractions, including churches, mosques, palaces and old bazaars that were once part of the Ottoman Empire.

Those who chose to spend the nine-day-long Eid al-Adha holiday in Istanbul this year flocked to the famous historical sites. Eminönü, Hagia Sophia and Eyüpsultan, which are among the symbols of Istanbul, saw a huge influx of visitors on the second day of the holiday. People who wanted to visit Hagia Sophia formed long queues.

Gamze Sünger, one of the local tourists, stated that Istanbul actually made them very uneasy when they first arrived, but they liked the city very much.

Another visitor Merve Aslantürk from the Central Anatolian province of Konya, said: “We came from Konya. I came to Istanbul to visit my family. We visited Fatih. We ate fish sandwiches. We liked it very much. It was very nice that there was no traffic. I am very happy that the intense crowd of Istanbul is gone.”

While sharing his experience, Bahattin Ağaçyetiştiren, a local, said: “I already live near the Bosphorus in Istanbul, in Sarıyer district. I come to Eyüpsultan from time to time. I go to Sultanahmet. I watch the beauty of these historical places. The free public transport during holidays is, of course, a good thing, as people do not stay home and get bored. They can explore around and benefit from the beauties of Istanbul. It is a good thing,”

Meanwhile, Istanbul, where millions of people live, is having its quietest days due to the Eid holiday.

Since June 24, the day when the Eid holiday started, many residents of the metropolitan hit the roads to go to holiday resorts or back to their hometowns.

The traffic in Istanbul, which usually experiences over 70 percent of vehicle density, especially in the morning hours on weekdays when traffic jams around many districts are quite frequent, saw its lowest levels, according to the municipality’s data.