Istanbul is a city with a long and fascinating history during which it passed through the hands of different religions and empires. Traditionally seen as the meeting of East and West, the city straddles the banks of the Bosphorus with Europe on one side and Asia on the other. It is bounded to the north by the Black Sea and to the south by the Sea of Marmara. It enjoys beautiful Mediterranean summers with long, hot and generally dry days. It is a fascinating place for anyone with an interest in culture and history and is also an increasingly cosmopolitain place with fantastic restaurants, luxury hotels and a vibrant nightlife.
The majority of the historic treasures of Istanbul are concentrated in the district of Sultanahmet – here you can see the stunning Hagia Sofia and the gorgeous Blue Mosque as well as the vast sprawl of the Torkapi Palace. That said, there are fascinating historic monuments scattered throughout the city – including a myriad of Ottoman mosques, Synagogues and Greek Orthodox churches. Istanbul’s modern centre is in the district of Galata – especially around Beyoglu and Taksim Square where a great selection of music venues, bars and nightclubs is to be found as well as shopping malls. Istanbul is one of the largest cities in the world and would take a life time to get to know properly.
