Urban Challenges: Cycling in Istanbul

For committed cyclists, sprawling urban centres, with their traffic jams, crowded bridges, and teeming masses, represent the ultimate challenge. And few cities on this planet are as large and populous as Turkey’s Istanbul, where the European continent meets its Asian counterpart.

Van Racking and Storage: The Best Way to Get There

With a population estimated at more than 15 million, Istanbul (once known in the West as ‘Constantinople’) represents a veritable obstacle course for pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists alike. The ancient metropolis has every conceivable type of urban terrain, from narrow alleys and cobblestone streets to industrial districts paved with cement.

Foreign cycling enthusiasts, especially those coming from Europe, often visit the city by van, in which they can easily transport their bicycles and other equipment. This, of course, requires reliable van racking and storage solutions of the kind available at worksystem.co.uk, which offers a range of high-performance transport gear.

At Work System, cyclists can find everything they need to make their dream trip to Istanbul a reality, including van racking and storage systems, van underfloor drawers, roof equipment, rolltop and covers, work van accessories, and much else besides.

Cycling Through History

Once cyclists have completed their journey by van and have arrived in Istanbul, they will have several excellent routes to choose from. Istanbul isn’t a particularly ‘bike-friendly’ city, but, for the determined cyclist, it offers a wide range of historic sites and attractions to see.

Most of these are concentrated in Istanbul’s Historical Peninsula, which has been a UNESCO world heritage site since 1986. This area contains the world-renowned Hagia Sophia Church (recently converted into a mosque), the Topkapi Palace (home to the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years), and the Suleymaniye Mosque (the largest mosque in the city).

All these attractions are easily accessible to cyclists, especially those who have outfitted their vans with reliable Work Systems equipment. Along with spectacular views and world-famous monuments, Istanbul’s Historic Peninsula is also known for its excellent restaurants, where exhausted, and hungry cyclists can enjoy the best of Turkish cuisine.