Europe, not Asia....

...and Istanbul, not Constantinople, is the largest city in Europe, bigger than London or Paris. The Grand Bazaar, with at least 6,000 businesses under its roof, is said to be the largest covered market in the world. And pretty orderly and well kept it is too, with each business allocated to a particular quarter. Next door is the Spice Bazaar, guarded by the steely gaze of Ataturk, father of the nation. And as the sign says, although the sales staff are persuasive, there's little hard sell or hassle. The trolley bearers, weaving in and out of the narrow streets, are unmistakeable features of the city. As are the fast-food shops, Turkish style. 19th century gems, both ornamental kiosks and the brooding Sirkeci station, crop up from place to place.

In Istanbul, you're never far away from the water, be it the Galata bridge with its hopeful anglers or the Bosphorus linking the two continents. This palace is one of several from the 19th century built to catch the summer breezes.Read more