Istanbul - The Queen Of Megalopolises

 

Sights and Highlights - About Istanbul

Istanbul is one the world's most magical and enchanting cities. The continents of Europe and Asia meet here across the Bosphorus Straits, carrying with them the unique flavours of the Orient and the Occident. Since the dawn of time, Istanbul has been a meeting place of peoples from different cultures and religions, of peoples who came together and learned to live in peace and harmony. Three great empires, the Roman, the Byzantine and the Ottoman, ruled the world from this city, and each one of them left its marks on the city, whether it be cultural, architectural or spiritual

Modern Istanbul resembles an open-air museum. It is as if the pages from history books come alive before your eyes. Wherever you turn to, you come across an ancient monument, a mosque, a church, a synagogue or a palace. And, surrounding the whole city is one of the world's most coveted and most beautiful waterways - the Bosphorus that flows along 32 km between Europe and Asia. Along its shores is a garland of charming small villages that have existed since time immemorial and that were once home to Istanbul's Christian and Jewish minorities. Here one can see imperial palaces, gardens, fortresses and the traditional old wooden houses, known as yalis, which grace the shorelines of the breathtaking Bosphorus.

A lot of people visit Istanbul to enjoy the Turkish cuisine, which is said to be one of the finest in the world because of its use of fresh ingredients and the subtlety of flavours. An abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables as well as delicate sweets awaits you in Istanbul.

Although Istanbul is a large metropolis with over ten million inhabitants, its exoticism and its sights, sounds and smells will remind you that you are definitely in a foreign land, but at the same time the facilities and services you will find here create a home from home comfort

Istanbul, once the capital of past empires is the European Capital of Culture in 2010. The celebrations have already started. So come and enjoy them where East meets West.

We hope you will enjoy your trip to our country ;-)