Cultural tourism is a type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions.

Culture is the strongest pillar of İstanbul tourism. The 8500-year-old history and cultural heritage of being the capital of empires reveals itself in museums, palaces, excavation sites and streets where daily life continues. In addition to these, Istanbul offers its visitors a cultural tourism opportunity where culture stands out vividly with its modern art museums and galleries, street artists, concert venues and various festivals from film to dance, bringing together the cultural dynamism of the age with the citizens.

In addition to artistic production, culture in Istanbul also includes centers of worship from churches to mosques, which are the precious places of the daily life of the people of İstanbul throughout the ages.

There are many historical assets in İstanbul such as city walls, palaces, mansions, pavilions, cisterns, aqueducts, fountains, covered bazaars, towers, squares and monuments that will attract tourists to the city.

Calligraphy, marbling, manuscripts, ceramics, tiles, copper, mother-of-pearl, which are traditional Turkish art types, are other attactions for the travelers.


United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
https://www.e-unwto.org/doi/epdf/10.18111/9789284420858