Istanbul – City of the World’s Desire

Once you have visited Istanbul, you’ll soon understand how it has come to be known by this. This exciting city is awash with fascinating architecture, incredible art galleries and an abundance of culinary delights. Divided in two by the Bosphorus, Istanbul is unique in that it straddles the continents of Europe and Asia and it has cultural fruits descending on this city of demarcation.

This vibrant metropolis amasses a population of around 15 million of people, attracting visitors mainly due to the city’s extraordinary history. Founded by the Ancient Greeks, settlers and conquerors alike, have come to call this city their home. Whether it be called Byzantium, Constantinople or Istanbul, the supreme status of this city has been confirmed by being made the Capital of three great Empires. All of which, have left their mark on this culturally diverse city. Conquering armies are often known for ransacking city’s however, many of the churches and palaces have been left untouched and have the wonderful mosaics and frescoes from the Byzantine era. Their successors, the Ottomans, instead of replacing these buildings, they began an ambitious building program that resulted in decorative and outstanding mosques thus creating a melting pot of cultural gems and making for one of the world’s great skylines. Today, the Turks have continued the Ottomans ambitions and the impressive array of galleries, museums and festivals are there for all to enjoy.

This city is truly remarkable and well worth a visit. It is home to a vibrant, inclusive and expanding community, a population who reflect their city melding tradition and modernity in their everyday lives. Why not spend some time experiencing the local delicacies by visiting some the following: çay bahçesis (tea gardens), kahvehans (coffeehouses), meyhanes (Turkish taverns) and kebapçıs (kebap restaurants) – and these will be a highlight of your visit.