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Istanbul. Pop. 12,697,164. Currency - Turkish Lira (TRY). Language – Turkish. Time Zone GMT + 2 hours. Main airports – Ataturk IST, Sabiha Gökçen SAW. Best Time to go – spring (April to June). Istanbul was historically also known as Byzantium and Constantinople. It is the largest city in Turkey and a major world city with a population of over 12.6 million. Istanbul extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) sides of the Bosphorus, and is the only city in the world that spans two continents. Istanbul has been a key city throughout history and served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330–395), the East Roman (Byzantine) Empire (395–1204 and 1261–1453), the Latin Empire (1204–1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453–1922). The city is organised into 8 Districts: Sultanahmet(The Old City where most of the famous historical sights are located; Galata (Home to much of the nightlife venues); New City (Main business district); Bosphorus (European bank of the Bosphorus dotted with many palaces, parks, and water-front mansions); Golden Horn (Estuary that separates the European Side into distinctive districts); Princes’ Islands (An archipelago of nine vehicle-free islands); Asian Side (Eastern half of Istanbul; Western Suburbs (Western area of the European Side). With it’s important historical past there is a wealth of old buildings, palaces, and religious attractions. Most of these are located in in Sultanahmet-Old City, including the Hagia Sophia, Topkap Palace and the Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque). Galata has the Galata Tower and the Galata Whirling Dervish Hall, while the Bosphorus has a number of waterside palaces. A must do activity is a visit to a hamam (Turkish bath) which is an essential part of any trip to Istanbul and is something many visitors will repeat during their stay. Before you leave remember to try an authentic Turkisk doner kebab and a Balk-Ekmek (fish and bread) snack.

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