"Carved in two by the Bosphorus and known as the city where East meets West, Istanbul is as layered as the nearly 16 million people who live here are varied. Its skyline swings from modern towers to centuries-old domes, and for first-time visitors - or anyone short on time - the sheer volume of things to see and do in Istanbul can feel intimidating."
"Down Istanbul's hills and through its backstreets, you'll find neighbourhoods that feel local and authentic - where shopkeepers greet passersby by name, laundry sways between windows, and the scent of home cooking drifts through open doorways. These are the parts of Istanbul that offer a more grounded perspective - not just what the city looks like, but how it lives. Bebek, Çukurcuma and Cihangir are among the most rewarding to explore, especially for solo travellers."
Istanbul spans both European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus and features a skyline of modern towers and ancient domes. Major landmarks include the Hagia Sophia with its floating central dome, Byzantine mosaics, and Ottoman conversions, and the Grand Bazaar. Quiet neighbourhoods such as Bebek, Çukurcuma and Cihangir reveal local daily life with shopkeepers who know customers, visible laundry, and home-cooking aromas. Visitors can balance hours at headline sites with explorations of backstreets, markets, tiled palaces, art galleries and colourful districts to experience both the city's monumental history and its lived-in, authentic character.
Read at CN Traveller
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