Orhan Pamuk’s Istanbul was once the imperial city of Byzantium. Today the sprawling modern metropolis is at once daunting in its size and awe-inspiring in its richness. Istanbul figures as one of the European gateways to the East, at the legendary Bosphorus Straits.
As the third largest city in the world by population, it’s perhaps no surprise that Istanbul is alive with various religious and cultural influences. These manifest right across the board in its array of historical heritage sites, from the iconic domes and minarets of the Hagia Sophia to the awesome Byzantine ruins of the late Christian Romans.
But it’s not all history in Istanbul, and today the cascade of bohemian bars and quirky districts that pepper its metropolitan patchwork have earned it the epithet of ‘World’s Hippest City’; a place of brooding artists, unbridled youthful energy and exhilarating alternative charm. Visitors can expect their Istanbul tour guide to exhibit both parts ancient and modern; leaving one enthralled at Istanbul’s reputation as Turkey’s economic, cultural and historical heart.