This incredible city straddles both Europe and Asia, and thus pulls on each continent’s cultural lineage to provide visitors with a truly unique experience.
Ancient architecture? Yep. Bustling street markets? Got ’em. Authentic cuisine so good you’ll never be able to go to your local kebab shop again? Afraid so. Istanbul has it all and deserves to claim a place amongst the greatest cities on earth.
What’s more, it’s now been named the most affordable for travellers on a budget this Autumn.
According to research from Compare the Market, Istanbul, Turkey, is the top picturesque city break for budget-conscious travellers, offering the lowest cost for dining out at £7.31 per meal.
What’s more, a one-way transport ticket costs just 43p on average and a night in an Airbnb is just £68 on average.
As well as being cheap, the city is dripping history and culture.
Istanbul then became part of the Christian Byzantine Empire before being taken over by the Ottoman’s in 1453. From that point on it could be considered Turkish.
However, it wasn’t until 1930 that Istanbul was known by that name. Before that it was known as Constantinople – as fans of They Might Be Giants will tell you.
Perhaps the greatest physical embodiment of the battle for control of the city is the Hagia Sophia.
Built originally in the Byzantine period as a church, the site then became a mosque, a museum and then a mosque once again.
Both the Basilica Cistern and Hagia Sophia are essential visits on your trip to Istanbul, but they do not form an exhaustive list. There’s plenty more historial treats besides. The Topkapı Palace, for instance, is more than worth a stop-off.
