Istanbul City Areas
Istanbul has 31 districts, which are more easily defined as three main areas: the historic Sultanahmet Peninsula ; the city north of the Golden Horn ; and the Asian (or Anatolian) side.

Old Istanbul – The Sultanahmet Peninsula
On the southern shore of the Golden Horn , the old city is surrounded by the remains of the ‘Walls of Constantinople'. The Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace and all the other places you must visit are here.

North of the Golden Horn
Although there are some historic districts here, this area is mainly the newer Istanbul and includes the financial centre, Taksim, and the famous Istiklal Avenue ( Istiklal Caddesi ) which contains many shops, cafes, restaurants and nightlife.

The Asian Side
Also known as the Anatolian side of Istanbul . This part is not so frequently visited by tourists and is more residential, though is worth a visit to see the residential architecture, several important Ottoman mosques and a great view back over the Bosphorus of the old city.

Istanbul Greater Metropolitan Area
Istanbul 's metropolitan area is huge. To the south east and south west it spreads for miles along the Marmara Sea coast . Istanbul 's main international airport ( Istanbul Atatürk International Airport ) is located in the south west about 15 miles (24km) from the city centre.

On the Asian side, a smaller international airport ( Sabiha Gokcen International Airport ) is located 28 miles (45km) from the city centre, close to the new Istanbul Park – home of the Turkish Grand Prix.

Despite Istanbul metropolitan area being so huge, you can still drive north west or north east out of the city and be in the uplands and areas of forests within just a short time. If you continue to head north you'll reach the beautiful Black Sea coast and the small seaside resorts which line it.

A History of Istanbul
Evidence has been found of a significant human settlement on the site of Istanbul dating back as early as 6500BC, the Copper Age, though other findings show that there were inhabitants here as early as the Paleolithic Age .

The Greeks first arrived here in 685BC, colonising the Anatolian side in the area now known as Kadiköy, and by 667BC they had also colonised the European side of the Bosphorus, which they called Byzantium. The city was besieged by the Romans in 196AD, and was significantly damaged, though was quickly rebuilt again to the wealthy city it was before. Then in 324, Emperor Constantine became interested in the city and six years later it was proclaimed the new capital of the Roman Empire and renamed Constantinople in his honour.

When the Roman Empire was split in two following the death of Theodosius I in 395, Constantinople became the capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire which was predominantly Greek speaking and Greek Orthodox Christianity, whilst Rome was the centre of the Latin-speaking Western Empire. It was during this following period in which many of the city's churches, including Aya Sofya, were built.

After 800 years of prosperity the Byzantine Empire began to collapse in the centuries leading up to the 1200's, and in the 1300's the Ottoman Turks took advantage of the weakened empire, eventually capturing Constantinople in 1453, proclaiming it the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

The Ottoman Sultan encouraged all of the citizens back who had fled the city, and also invited people of all the three major religions, Muslim, Christians and Jews in an attempt to create a very cosmopolitan society. He also ordered the building of many lavish buildings and monuments around the city, including Topkapi Palace.

Constantinople remained the capital of the Ottoman Empire right into the 1900's when the Ottoman Empire fell. In 1923 the Republic of Turkey was founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the capital city was moved to Ankara. Constantinople was renamed Istanbul in 1453, though it wasn't until 1923 that this name was adopted by the rest of the world too.

Despite missing out on being the new Turkish capital city, Istanbul still thrived, helped by a major period of rejuvenation in the 1950's and a huge population influx which started in the 1970's and continues to this day.