Walk in the footsteps of Roman emperors and Ottoman sultans. Explore some of the world's greatest monuments, their names etched in history: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace. Bargain-hunt your way through a twisted warren of lanes in the Grand Bazaar - the world's oldest shopping mall - pausing to sip tea with a merchant. Set sail on the Golden Horn, and take in a spine-tingling skyline bristling with minarets. Inhale the apple-tobacco smoke from a water pipe as you listen to the strains of exotic music. And enjoy meeting some of the planet's friendliest people, whether you're chatting with a fisherman on a bustling bridge, haggling for a carpet, learning about Islam from a peace-loving Muslim, or playing backgammon with a grizzled old Turk.
Istanbul is one of the world's great cities, period. For millennia, this point where Europe meets Asia has been the crossroads of civilization. Few places on earth have seen more history than this sprawling metropolis on the Bosphorus. Once called Byzantium, then Constantinople, Istanbul boasts the opulent trappings of an epic past-from the Byzantine emperors and the Ottoman sultans of the distant ages, to the modern Republic-builders and "Eurocrats" of our own time. And, as the biggest city of a moderate Muslim nation, Istanbul also offers the inquisitive traveller a unique opportunity to grapple with the rich and inspiring Islamic faith: hear the eerie wail of the call to prayer echo across the rooftops, poke into a neighbourhood mosque, and watch a Dervish whirl in prayer.
Turkey has long been the most exciting and inviting cultural detour from Europe. And as their nation starts down the long and winding road to European Union membership, the Turks are more Western-facing and welcoming than ever. Now's the time to dive in.
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Premier Villas, Carthagena Barn, Bell Lane, Birdham, West Sussex, PO20 7HY
Tel: +44 (0)1243 514 970