You’ve trekked the byways of Europe, camped out in hostels from Barcelona to Bruges. You’ve made your way east to Budapest, and now you’re Hungary for something a little… different. Lucky for you, there’s a feast of Turkey waiting, just a short plane ride (or long train trip) away. Straddling two continents, Turkey has long served as Europe’s portal to the East. Three percent of the country, including most of Istanbul, sits in Europe; the rest spreads out into Asia. Culturally and politically, Turkey sits squarely between East and West. The population is overwhelmingly Muslim, but the state is avowedly secular and dedicated to the values of multi-party democracy. Ancient and modern also coexist here with ease. The modern Republic of Turkey is only 90 years old, but it rests on a rich heritage built by Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. This is the country that inspired the legends of the Trojan Horse and Santa Claus, and it’s home to the world’s oldest temple and Europe’s fastest-growing economy.

No grand tour of Europe can be complete without a visit to Istanbul, home to some of the greatest buildings and monuments on earth—and with a population of more than 10 million, this metropolis dwarfs most European cities. For no extra charge, we even throw a bit of Asia into the mix. Next, see the ruins of Troy (still no sign of Helen), the emotionally resonant battlefields of Gallipoli, and the old haunts of priests and exiled royals on the Princes’ Islands. Beyond, the fertile plains and ancient cities of Anatolia lie in wait: another continent, another trip.