Istanbul[b] is the largest city in Turkey, straddling the Bosporus Strait, the boundary between Europe and Asia. It is considered the country's economic, cultural and historic capital.

Mar 27, 2025 · Discover the best things to do in Istanbul, Turkey, which include exploring the Hagia Sophia Mosque and Topkapi Palace and cruising down the Bosphorus Strait.

4 days ago · Istanbul, largest city and principal seaport of Turkey. Historically known as Byzantium and then Constantinople, it was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul straddles the Bosporus strait, one of two waterways that separates the European and Asian parts of Turkey.

Jun 27, 2024 · Whether you want to dig deep into Ottoman history, Turkish cuisine, contemporary culture or the Byzantine past – or simply take in its pulsing street life or gaze out at the glistening waters of the Bosphorus – this is a city with something to offer almost every kind of traveler.

Istanbul is a city that mixes old and new, and the best way to explore it is through its mahalles (neighborhoods). Get your history fix in Beyoğlu—it’s chock-full of 19th-century European elegance—or head to Sultanahmet and see the holy sites.

6 hours ago · Discover Istanbul’s contemporary energy through its art, food, and vibrant neighborhoods—from Beyoğlu and Galata to Kadıköy and Büyükada.

Explore the distinct neighborhoods of Istanbul with this guide to what to expect in each one. Tear yourself away from vibrant Istanbul and discover wonderful countryside and charming towns. Here are our 15 favorite day trips from Istanbul. Let a local expert craft your dream trip.

Jan 29, 2025 · Istanbul (Turkish: İstanbul) is Turkey's most populous city as well as its cultural and financial hub. Located on both sides of the Bosphorus, the narrow strait between the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea, Istanbul bridges Asia and Europe both physically and culturally.

The most populous city in Europe, Istanbul forms the financial and cultural center of Turkey and confidently straddles the borders between Asia and Europe as it has for millennia: this is the result when you mix ancient Christendom, a medieval metropolis and the modern Middle East.

Istanbul is more than just another big city. A mecca of Byzantine churches, colorful bazaars, Ottoman mosques and historic spice markets, Istanbul is a sensory overload of culture and history. I’ve traveled to Turkey’s capital three times now, …