Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey and the second largest metropolitan area in Europe (by population). To the north of Istanbul is the Black Sea and the south is bordered by the Sea of Marmara. The western half of the city lies in Europe while the eastern half is situated in Asia. The Bosphorus Strait cuts the two in half. Istanbul was the capital city of the Roman Empire (330–395), the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). It was therefore rightfully chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010.

Istanbul is considered the cultural, economic, and financial centre of Turkey. It is considered a cultural and ethnic melting pot as it has a multitude of historical mosques, churches, synagogues, palaces, castles and towers. Some of the historical “must see’s” include the famous Maiden’s (Leander’s) Tower, built in 408 BC to monitor the movements of the Persian ships in the Bosphorus strait. The column of Constantine was built in 330 by Constantine the Great to establish it as the new capital city of the Roman Empire. Other Roman structures include the Mazulkemer and Valens Aqueducts, the Column of the Goths at the Seraglio Point, the Milion which served for calculating the distances between Constantinople and the other cities of the Roman Empire. As for Byzantine era architecture, the Hagia Sophia was built by Justinian and is the most important surviving example of Byzantine architecture in the world. It was originally a church, turned mosque, turned present day museum. The Great Palace of Constantinople originally built by Constantine as the primary residence of the Roman emperors. However, it was continuously enlarged by the following Byzantine emperors, in particular by Justinian. There are numerous mosques in Istanbul, many built during the Ottoman Empire. Also, the Topkapi Palace was the home of the Ottoman emperors and a must see.

Istanbul Archaeology Museum, established in 1881, is one of the largest museums of its kind in the world. The museum contains more than 1,000,000 archaeological pieces from the Mediterranean basin, the Balkans, Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia contains the late Roman and early Byzantine floor mosaics and wall ornaments of the Great Palace of Constantinople. The nearby Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum displays a vast collection of items from various Islamic civilizations. Sadberk Hanim Museum contains a wide variety of artifacts, dating from the earliest Anatolian civilizations to the Ottomans.

Present day arts and culture are alive and well in Istanbul. The Istanbul International Film Festival is one of the most important film festivals in Europe. Furthermore, the Istanbul Biennial is another major event of fine arts.

Once you have soaked up enough culture, take some time to relax and soak up some sun! The most popular places for swimming in the city are in Bakrköy, Küçükçekmece, Saryer and the Bosphorus. If you are adventurous enough, take a ferry or catamaran to the Princes’ Islands on the Marmara Sea. These are a group of island (only 5 of the 9 are settled) where you will be enchanted by the neoclassical and art nouveau-style Ottoman era summer mansions from the 19th and early 20th centuries, horse-drawn carriages and seafood restaurant. Sile is a Turkish seaside resort on the Black Sea, where you will be greeted by white sand beaches. Kilyos is a small calm seaside resort which is well known for it’s excursions, great swim spots as well as their seafood restaurants and night clubs.

As for night life, there are a multitude of night clubs, pubs, restaurants and taverns with live music in the city. The areas around Istiklal Avenue, Nisantasi, Bebek and Kadiköy offer cafés, restaurants, pubs, clubs as well as art galleries, theaters and cinemas. If you want to take in some live music from famous singers and bands, check out the Istanbul Arena or the Kurucesme Arena. Parkormanis a popular venue for live concerts and rave parties in the summer.

Istanbul has fantastic shopping venues including the Grand Bazaar, Mahmutpa?a Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar; The Grand Bazaar, called Kapali Carsi (literally “covered market”), is the first shopping mall ever built. The Akmerkez mall won the “Europe’s Best” and “World’s Best” awards by the ICSC. Cevahir Mall is one of the largest malls in Europe. The Kanyon Mall won the 2006 Cityscape Architectural Review Award for its interesting design. Don’t forget to check out the street vendors hawking sesame bread, and an ancient bazaar crammed with golden baubles.