Istanbul, Türkiye’s – and Europe’s – largest city, remains a captivating crossroads of culture and commerce connecting Europe and Asia. Fittingly, the city ranks #1 globally for Shopping and sits in the Top 5 for both Instagram and TikTok posts (and an impressive #14 in our overall Lovability index). Galataport’s underground cruise terminal keeps drawing footfall, feeding Renzo Piano’s gleaming Istanbul Modern next door and a refreshed luxury stretch from Karaköy to Nişantaşı. Flagship openings and pop-ups along İstiklal and Bağdat keep the fashion carousel spinning, while the Grand Bazaar still sets the standard for “only-in-Istanbul” retail theater. Nature is the city’s quiet flex (#2 for Nature & Parks): the 13,600-acre Belgrad Forest, new “Nation’s Garden” park phases, and steadily improved Bosphorus promenades yield miles of waterfront walking and cycling. Hospitality has also arrived in full force. Peninsula Istanbul’s waterfront compound has matured into a full culinary precinct, and the Tersane (Golden Horn Shipyard) redevelopment continues its phased rollout with galleries, event spaces and a new luxury hotel, turning a historic yard into a cultural-leisure waterfront. The city is also an economic force, with Istanbul Financial Center in Ataşehir bursting with banks, markets and services, while towers in Zorlu, Levent and Maslak are gaining blue-chip tenants and venture-backed start-ups.