Istanbul Overview

İstanbul is the heart of Turkey. In this giant city that straddles Europe and Asia on two intercontinental bridges, the “East meets West” refrain of fusion restaurants, trendy boutiques, and yoga studios returns to its semantic roots. The huge, Western-style suburbs on the Asian side are evidence of rampant modernization, while across the Bosphorus the sprawling ancient city of mosques and bazaars—Old İstanbul—brims with cafes, bars, and people, day or night. As taxis rush by at mind-boggling speeds, shop owners sip tea with potential customers and tourists mingle with devout Muslims at the entrances to magnificent mosques. İstanbul is a turbulent city, full of history yet charged with a dynamism that makes it one of the most exciting cities in Europe—or Asia.

Practical Information

Tourist Offices: There are a number of offices in different districts, including Sultanahmet (Divan Yolu Cad. 5☎ 212 518 1802 h Open daily 9am-5pm.), Beyoğlu (Hilton ...more

Cultural Essentials

Sofular Hamamı, Sofular Cad. 28, Fatih (☎ 212 521 3759), If a local, “authentic” experience is what you're after, consider going to the Sofular hamam in Fatih. Don't expect much English ...more

History

Our story begins not in the misty shroud of lore and legend, but in the 21st century. Ambitious excavation was underway, but archaeologists weren't the ones at work: Istanbul's modern subway system was ...more

The Arts

Garaj İstanbul, Kaymakam Reşat Bey Sok. 11/A (☎ 212 244 4499; www.garajistanbul.org), Many venues in Istanbul are restored hamams or ancient water cisterns or fancy things like that, so a restored ...more

Orientation

Waterways divide İstanbul into three sections. The Bosphorus Strait (Boğaz) separates Asya (Asia) from Avrupa (Europe). The Golden Horn, a sizeable river originating just outside the city, splits Avrupa ...more