"Bridging continents
Chic and colourful, Istanbul blends the best of Europe and Asia, says Pelin Turgut
Published: 30 July 2005
WHERE?
Straddling two continents, Turkey's largest city is part Europe, part Asia and dates back 3,000 years. Stretching along the shores of the Bosphorus waterway, it was capital first to Byzantium and then to the Ottoman Empire. Although the city lost its political status to Ankara in 1923, when modern Turkey was founded, it is still the heart of the nation, a manic metropolis of some 15 million people. Today, minimalist designer hotels and trendy bars vie for space next to bustling street markets and Byzantine ruins."
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