Do cheap flights to Istanbul land in Asia or Europe? It's a fair question; there aren't many cities that straddle two continents. The answer is Europe. Atatürk International Airport is on the European side of Istanbul.
The city is perched on the Bosphorus Strait and boasts a glorious imperial history. Istanbul has been the capital city of four empires - Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman. Its cultural heritage practically sings from the cobbled stones of the Grand Bazaar where traders and tourists haggle over treasures; in the Aya Sofya (also known as Haghia Sophia, its Greek name), and in the Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi), which was the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans for almost 400 years.
One of the best ways to experience Istanbul is through the mouth-watering Turkish cuisine. Specialties include mam bayildi (an eggplant and tomato dish, mam bayildi translates as "the priest wept" such is its deliciousness), mercimek corbasi (red lentil soup), kofte (meatballs), testi kebab, borek (a pastry that has hundreds of varieties) and sweet, sticky, syrupy baklava.
It would be a waste to take cheap flights to Istanbul and not visit a traditional hamam (bathhouse) or take a ferry trip between Eminönü (Europe) and Anadolu Kavagi (Asia).