Welcome to Istanbul

Istanbul sits on the Bosphorus, the narrow strait where Europe meets Asia. For 1,600 years it was the most important city in the Western world — first as Constantinople, capital of the Roman and Byzantine Empire, and then as the jewel of the Ottoman Empire. Three empires, two continents, one extraordinary city.

Founded as Byzantium around 660 BC, the city was refounded by Emperor Constantine in 330 AD as Constantinople — the "New Rome." It served as the capital of the Byzantine Empire for over a thousand years, surviving sieges, plagues, and Crusader sackings, until Sultan Mehmed II conquered it in 1453 and made it the glittering heart of the Ottoman world.

Today we explore eight stops that span 2,000 years of history — from the floating dome of Hagia Sophia to the fragrant stalls of the Spice Bazaar. Along the way you will discover Viking graffiti, upside-down Medusa heads, a 17th-century flight attempt, and a bazaar so large it has its own mosques and banks inside. Let's begin!