The world has been getting flatter and becoming more connected since İstanbul was known as Constantinople. Atop the Bosporus, the Three Bridges do more than connect Europe to Asia; they unite commerce and cultures, making the exotic a norm. At the heart of these evolutions, through time and across geographies, the City of the World’s Desire seems crafted to be written in prose and celebrated in poems. Its buildings and streets, waterways and bridges—every nook and cranny—invites exploration. A long weekend is the minimum, allowing ample time to sip its rich coffee and watch visitors from both east and west, bringing the world closer together.

Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Çamlıca Mosque, and various nooks and crannies of Eminönü, Beşiktaş, Üsküdar, Taksim