Istanbul is the only city in the world which is on 2 different continents, Europe and Asia. The city is divided by a narrow channel which links the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
The city centre is in the European side of the town, and is a very lively area, with some great markets and shops, but an area called Taksim Square may always be remembered for the murder of two English football fans last April.
However, my personal experience showed the Turks to be very friendly people, and you should not be put off going to Istanbul, although avoid being in the city centre on the nights of football matches. The Turks are also very proud of their culture, but if you respect this, they are generally very friendly people.
The historic area is on the Stanbul peninsular, and features the most beautiful buildings in the city, from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, inluding the Ahmet Mosque, the Suleiman Mosque, and the Hagia Sofia, originally the only Christian church in Istanbul, turned into a mosque in 1453, and a museum in 1935.
The Asian side of Istanbul is not as interesting, but it was still enjoyable to wander around, and generally not as busy.
Istanbul, although not the capital of Turkey, is the cultural and commercial centre, with the busiest airport, an advanced motorway network which is otherwise undeveloped in Turkey, and the biggest port.
The hotel we stayed in was not brilliant, but there are some very good hotels in and around Istanbul, and overall I spent a very enjoyable week in Istanbul.
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