That dœesn’t mean that Istanbul suffers delusions of grandeur. With more than 5,000 years of history behind it, a huge semicircular port, and some of the most impressive architecture in Europe – and Asia for that matter – Istanbul is an alluring destination with countless attractions for the visiting tourist.

The unofficial icon of the city, Hagia Sophia on the European side is the epitome of Byzantine architecture. The uses of the building have changed over the years and it was oft taken as a blueprint for other mosques in the region.

While Turkey’s largest city has enjoyed a prosperous last couple of thousand years, the future also looks extremely promising. Designated the joint European City of Culture for 2010, Istanbul can also look forward to a future as an EU financial centre as discussions over Turkey’s accession to the European bloc continue.

If this expected development is fulfilled, Istanbul would instantly become the largest city in the whole of the European Union with an estimated population of more than 11 million people in its metro area alone – roughly 70 per cent living on the European side and the remaining 30 per cent in Asia. As a new member of the core of Europe, Istanbul would therefore make a huge asset.

In places, it may be a little more rough-and-ready than your average European mega-city but stick with it and you’ll no doubt experience an undisputed Turkish delight.