Towns in Turkey

Towns

IstanbulThe Byzantine church of Hagia Sophia is a great architectural beauty and one of the most recognised symbols of Istanbul Martin Siepmann/ age fotostock

Istanbul, formerly Constantinople and 'gateway to the East', lives up to its legendary splendour. Lying midway between Europe and Asia, it is in a privileged position. Although it lost the status of capital of the country to Ankara in 1923, it remains the loveliest and most exciting city in the country. Conversely, Ankara holds very few tourist attractions apart from the museum of Anatolian civilisations that is very much worth a stopover. Finally, it is worth mentioning the myriad of small and charming towns lining the Bosphore area. Antalya, its bay, its port and its pier are equally worth a brief visit.