Istanbul
Istanbul excels at spectacle. From the domes of its mosques to the frantic pace of the traffic, it is awe-inspiring, unflinching and gregariously urban. Though it was demoted from its position as the Turkish capital in 1923 and its name changed from Constantinople, Istanbul still has the swagger of a principal city; it was the seat of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Traverse its steep cobbled streets, drink raki in its taverns, loll in a hammam or two and navigate the labyrinth of the bazaar to experience parts of daily life and culture that stretch back centuries.
But Istanbul isn’t stuck in its history. This is a thriving, modern city with a buzzing finance sector, arts scene, high culinary offerings and an ever-evolving urban fabric. The revamp of the waterside Karakoy district continues apace, turning once dilapidated backstreets into slick promenades. Luxury brands have moved in around Galataport – a development encompassing everything from offices, retail shops, restaurants and even a cruise-ship terminal. There, you’ll find the Renzo Piano-designed new home of Istanbul Modern, the city’s premier contemporary art museum.
Istanbul never sits still. From first light to the small hours, the city hums with life: car horns blare, street vendors holler and strangers call out warm hellos. Its nightlife rivals any European capital, yet it’s also a place where you can stumble out of a nightclub just as the dawn call to prayer rises from the minarets. Few cities clash and blend the old and new with such electric energy.
Ultimately, Istanbul is a city of contradictions. But it’s this tension that keeps its wheels spinning, propelling this Rome of the East ever onwards into new incarnations.
