Istanbul City Holidays

Sitting between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, sprawling across the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul is the epitome of east meets west. Stretching on for miles – and even across two continents – this is a place that is brimming with culture, history, and best of all – life.

Rich doesn’t even begin to cover the history here. Byzantine architecture sits shoulder-to-shoulder with Ottoman in the thriving Old Town, which is a who’s who of UNESCO World Heritage sites. The beating heart of this part of town is Sultanahmet, home to Hagia Sofia and The Blue Mosque, but head further inland along the Golden Horn and you’ll find nods to the city’s more recent history.

The Jewish and Greek communities flourished in Balat and Fener – two neighbourhoods which are in the midst of a 21^st century makeover. The cobbled streets are lined with technicolour townhouses and hipster cafés, but the Greek Orthodox Cathedral still stands proud here.

Not to be outdone, the new city has its fair share of draws, not least of which is buzzy Beyoglu – the epicentre of modern Istanbul. Upmarket hotels, trendy cocktail bars, and dance-til-dawn clubs are mainstays around these parts, particularly around Taksim Square, which sits at the top of the city’s main shopping boulevard – Istiklal Avenue.

Whether it’s the thumping nightlife or the unparalleled sightseeing that draws you here, you’ll find the streets of Istanbul are home to more than you could ever imagine. So what are you waiting for?