Istanbul

Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, with territory on both Europe and Asia. As a cruise port, it works both as a homeport and as a port of call, visited mainly as part of Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea itineraries.

Galataport, a 400,000-square-metre mixed-use development on the European shore of the Bosphorus near the Golden Horn, includes the city's cruise ship terminal, around 250 shops and restaurants, a hotel, the Istanbul Modern art museum, and other cultural and entertainment facilities. The underground cruise terminal, a world first, features a unique access and hatch system. Three large cruise ships can dock side by side behind retractable screens, with customs and immigration facilities located underground and most overground space devoted to shops, restaurants and offices.

The Golden Horn forms a horn-shaped, sheltered harbor that has protected Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and other maritime trade ships for thousands of years. A Greek colony, Byzantium, was established here in 660 BCE and was renamed Constantinople by the Romans in 330 AD. The city was the heart of the Byzantine Empire for nearly 1,000 years until conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. Istanbul today ranks as one of the biggest cities in Europe, with a population of more than 15 million.

The city's landmarks draw most visitors. The Hagia Sophia, which began as a church in 537, was converted into a mosque in 1453 by Sultan Mehmed and is a working mosque today. The Grand Bazaar, which started as a small warehouse in the mid-15th century, has grown into a labyrinth of over 4,000 shops and eateries. The Egyptian Bazaar and other shopping can be found across the Golden Horn in the Fatih neighborhood.

For getting around, the nicest way to travel is by ferry, with over 50 ferry piers throughout the city, allowing scenic rides along the Bosphorus, visits to the Asian side, or day trips to the Princes' Islands. Winter temperatures range around 3 to 12 degrees Celsius, while spring and autumn bring milder weather and fewer crowds. Turkish cuisine includes doner kebab, a popular meat dish served with pitta bread and salad that has been enjoyed in Turkey for centuries.