Istanbul for First-Timers: Where East Meets Your Itinerary
Istanbul straddles two continents, and this split is not decorative—it dictates how the city functions, where tourists cluster, and where actual life happens. The European side holds the historical sights that draw most first-timers: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. The Asian side—primarily Kadıköy and Üsküdar—is where 10 million residents eat, work, and spend weekends without foreign tour groups. The Bosphorus strait running between them is 700 metres wide and crossed by regular ferries for €0.80 each way. That single commute encapsulates why Istanbul works: a journey between continents costs less than a coffee.
Henrik Vinter
