The historic city of Istanbul is in the heart of Turkey and has the honour of being the fifth-largest city on earth. It has a long and storied past and has always been an essential and historic place. You may acknowledge it by its ancient names of Byzantium or Constantinople. It was the capital city of the Byzantine Empire, the Roman Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Latin Empire. Located on the Bosphorus Strait, this city is the only one on the planet that is part of two separate continents at the same time.

One of the new romantic takeovers of Istanbul occurred in the mid to late 300s when the Roman Emperor Constantine had a dream of the Christian cross in a dream. He decided that he would capture Byzantium and make it the main capital of Rome. He went on to do just that, and when he owned Byzantium, he renamed it Constantinople and used it as the centre of his government. The city expanded massively as a business capital and key cultural centre. Religion has always been a vital aspect of capital. Once the Greek Orthodox church broke away from the Roman Catholic church, Istanbul took on the position of the Greek Orthodox capital.

In modern time, Istanbul is a part of the Republic of Turkey and is an expansive urban town. Although it is not the hub anymore, it is very much bigger than the capital and fascinates many more visitors and businesses. The capital grew so rapidly in the last thirty years that many historic structures and places were torn down so home and businesses could be constructed to accommodate the booming population. The town area eventually overtook various neighbouring cities and merged them into the city proper.

Tourists today will find this busy metropolitan to be a wonderful tourism place. Foreigners will feel like they have moved into a new world as they experience traditional Turkish foods and customs that are very diverse from the Western way of life. At the same time, this is a modern city with all the amenities and luxuries of the modern world. It has outstanding public conveyance that can take you anywhere you need to go in comfort and safety. The restaurants range from economical diners serving American style food to more expensive restaurants that will give you the real Turkish eating experience. This historically distinct city offers something new and surprising across every location because it has been the home to so several unique cultures over the periods.

Of course, you cannot go to Istanbul without making a point to see the amazing ancient sites in this city. This is one of the oldest cities on the earth and there are more than 3000 years of history to explore. From archaeological digs to formed museums and other inspiring historic buildings that dot the city you will instantly be immersed in an interesting world of yesterday right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of today.