Istanbul

Turkey

About Istanbul

Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, giving it a layered history no other city can claim in quite the same way — Byzantine, Ottoman, and modern Turkish, stacked on top of each other. Hagia Sophia and the Grand Bazaar anchor the old city, while the Bosphorus itself is as much a sight as any single monument.

Food & drink

KebabFood

Turkey's signature dish, with many regional variants across the country.

MezeFood

BaklavaFood

Turkish delight (lokum)Food

Turkish tea (çay)Drink

Served constantly and socially — almost a ritual rather than just a drink.

Turkish coffeeDrink

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Things to do

Hagia Sophia

historic site

Grand Bazaar

shopping & markets

The Bosphorus

viewpoint