Istanbul, Turkey

Straddling the Bosphorus, its skyline studded with domes and minarets, Istanbul is one of the truly great romantic cities. Its history tracks back from Byzantium to Constantinople to its place at the head of the Ottoman Empire. Today it hums as Turkey's cultural heart and good-time capital. In this sprawling, continent-spanning city you can tramp the streets where crusaders and janissaries once marched; admire mosques that are the most sublime architectural expressions of Islamic piety and hunt for bargains at the Grand Bazaar.

Currency: New Turkish Lira (NTL)
Population: Millions (every year 500,000 more)
Calling Codes: +90, +212
Timezone: GMT ahead 2 hours
Money Converter: www.xe.com/ucc
Sunrise//Sunset: http://www.sunrisesunset.com/
Weather//Climate Chart: http://www.weather.com/

Flight Hours from:
New York > 15 hours
Los Angeles > 17 hours
Frankfurt > 3.5 hours

Live Webcam:
http://www.ibb.gov.tr/en-US/AnaSayfa/Cameras.htm