Founded by Constantine the Great in 330 CE at the meeting of Asia and Europe, this city is one of the oldest and most continuous capital cities in the history of the world. One can visit sites that are pre-Roman, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Turkish all in the same day and spanning nearly 2,000 years. From the Bazar to the churches, mosques and palaces, there is certainly something for everyone.
A unique feature of the old city is the practice of adopting the city’s animal populations as civic responsibilities. Wherever one goes, one encounters dogs and cats that are tagged and cared for by the city and the neighborhoods. It is common to come across street dogs, for example, that are vaccinated, fed and socialized but not owned.
Though the second largest city in Turkey, it is easy to feel isolated from politics and modern society by staying in the old city on the European side of the straights. People are welcoming and aside from the regular cautions when traveling, Istanbul is a safe city, even at night.
