Istanbul Travel Guide: Flights & Hotels

Istanbul straddles two continents across the Bosphorus, pairing the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar with a huge modern city and one of the world's great food scenes. It's also one of the best-value major cities in this catalog for hotels and dining.

April-May and September-October avoid both summer heat and winter cold, ideal for walking between the old city's major sights. A short Bosphorus ferry ride is one of the cheapest, most scenic things to do — no separate cruise booking required for the public commuter routes.