Istanbul is among the most special cities in the world with its position as a bridge between Europe and Asia.
Istanbul, being the only city in the world built on two continents, has been determined by its vital strategic location and enchanting beauty. Istanbul stretches along the two shores of the Bosphorus that links the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean Sea in the South and with the Black Sea in the North.
It has long been coveted by powerful empires, and served as capital to Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, and currently enjoys being the largest city of the Republic of Turkey, with a population of 16 million.
Istanbul is also the capital of art and culture with a rich tradition in opera and ballet, theatres performing Turkish and foreign plays, concerts, art exhibitions, festivals, auctions, conferences and of course unique museums. The city also boasts the country’s largest and finest universities.
As an imperial capital for 1500 years, Istanbul has acquired a highly original personality. At every turn in the city you are faced with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman palaces, mosques, churches, monasteries, monuments, walls and ruins.
Yet Istanbul is not a city living in its past. It is a vibrant, modern and future-oriented metropolis. Bazaars and ultra-modern department stores, street vendors and stock-brokers, old crumbling buildings and skyscrapers, horse-drawn carts and luxurious limousines, fine dining restaurants, modern cafes and Street corner food shops coexist and this mix gives the city a multi-faceted outlook and flavor. You could taste the pre-modern, modern, and post-modern side by side in this city.
The Turkish airlines is the rapidly developing airline in the world and it serves more than 300 international airlines and 240 destinations. Turkish Airlines has direct flights from Istanbul to 127 countries and 331 cities.
There are two airports in Istanbul. One is Istanbul International Airport, other one Sabiha Gokcen International Airport. There are about 700 international flights scheduled for Istanbul every week. Public Transportation is very developed. Istanbul offers an extensive mass transit network including a rich metro network, light-rail, buses and shared taxis, as well as a fleet of over 17,395 taxis.
Istanbul Railway Network Map
