Istanbul: Where Two Continents Meet

Istanbul is layered like nowhere else — Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman all stacked on top of each other, with a ferry horn somewhere in the background. This guide takes you through the heavy hitters of Sultanahmet (Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı), then off the tourist trail into Balat's painted streets and Kadıköy's food markets on the Asian side. You'll cruise the Bosphorus between two continents, haggle in the Grand Bazaar, and eat your way from simit to balık ekmek to baklava. Mosque etiquette, ferry hacks and the real çay culture are all in here.