Discover Istanbul, a magical city that has been the centre of empires and cultures for thousands of years.

What started off as a cheap flight off Skyscanner and free accommodation, courtesy of a family friend, turned into a long-term love affair for our foodie writer, Amira Arasteh. Having paid her first visit to Istanbul solo and prior to her work in food or travel journalism, her initial experience of and in the Turkish city was full of adventure, good food and, of course, plenty of photo opportunities.

Flash forward a press trip visit, as well as another solo jaunt of the city and our girl continues to seek any opportunity to travel back - as well as consistently telling everyone she meets that it’s her favourite city (high praise from a food and travel writer, folks).

From understanding the need to visit both the European and Asian side to exploring as both a novice tourist and a slightly more seasoned veteran, Istanbul is magical each and every time and Amira is here to make sure that if you visit, you have the best opportunity to fall in love with it, too.

Detailing the best places to eat (would you expect anything less?), making sure you don’t miss out on a single cultural moment, exploring day trips (should you be staying for longer) and sharing one of her favourite ‘happy places’ on the planet, discover Istanbul with Amira.