Best Istanbul Day Trips & Things to Do

See where Europe meets Asia in this city that straddles two continents. Istanbul, which is divided by the Bosporus strait, is the cultural capital of Turkey and a delightful mix of ancient and modern and secular and conservative, with more minarets than you can shake a stick at, centuries-old bazaars and women wearing black veils contrasted by hordes of fashion-conscious girls in Western garb, towering skyscrapers and trendy restaurants. Ottoman and Byzantine landmarks abound, most notably the grand Hagia Sophia, once a church, then a mosque and now a museum; and Topkapi Palace, which was the nerve center of the Ottoman Empire.