The city - Istanbul

The city - Istanbul

Istanbul is a very modern city with a population of around 12 million. Although it is the most densely populated urban center in Turkey, the capital is Ankara located approximately 450 km to the southeast -- in the center of the country. Istanbul is quite large and sits astride two continents, Europe and Asia.

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If you look at the map you will see that a geological strait separates the European and the Asian parts of Istanbul. This strait is called the Bosphorus.

You can see also that the Bosphorus connects the Marmara Sea in the south to the Black Sea in the north. In the past, this city had been known as Byzantium and later as Constantinople.

The main district of what was once Constantinople is now called Sultan Ahmet.

Taksim is the main commercial center of Istanbul. Remember that this city is so large that there are many other commercial centers as well..

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Without traffic problems, it would take approximately 30 - 40 minutes from the airport to the city center (Taksim). However, in this densely populated metropolis, crowded traffic conditions are a major concern.

Most people live on the Asian side of Istanbul and work on the European side. There are only two bridges that connect both sides of the city, so it is advisable to avoid them at rush hour.

For the tourist the main attractions are located on the European side of the city.

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