Istanbul: City overview

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From under a Byzantine cloak proudly emblazoned with ancient treasures, Istanbul is emerging as a modern metropolis to rival the capitals of the two continents it straddles. While the present-day incarnation of Constantinople remains a gateway between Europe and Asia as well as Christianity and Islam, the cluttered shores of the Bosphorus are as likely to echo to the sound of modern dance beats as they are to the mystic chants of twirling dervishes. Modern Turkey's founding father Ataturk may have transferred the power to Ankara, but his efforts to thrust the country into the modern age revived Istanbul's fortunes, securing it a future place in the European Union. The cafes where life once passed lazily by are now buzzing with creativity borne of the city's cultural melting pot, nevertheless, traditional Turkish hospitality survives, as do the bustling bazaars where vendors haggle hard to extract their tourist dollars.

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