Visually stunning & spanning two continents, Istanbul lies on a cultural fault line. Evidence of its pivotal historical role
- from the Byzantine era, through the glories of the Ottoman period, to the age of Ataturk's distinctive modernity
- is reflected in the city's architecture. Those in search of the old Orient don't have to look far: the minarets of the curvaceous Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, old men drinking tea in the recesses of the Grand Bazaar are all here, & respected by the modern city. But there is another side to the city. The Istanbul of today manages the trick of combining age-old, much-appreciated glories with modern worldwide cultural trends. Time Out Istanbul's locally based writers are ideally placed to guide readers through the fashionable restaurants, innovative music & lively bar & nightlife scenes that are an integral part of modern Istanbul, a city that not only survives, but thrives, as a synthesis of cultures.