Between Two Worlds: From Istanbul to the Maldives

About the destination: Istanbul owes its historic importance and its amazing cultural and architectural heritage to its perfect strategic location, straddling the Bosphorus straits which separate Europe and Asia Minor. Through most of its 2,500-year-long history, the city (first known as Byzantium, then as Constantinople and since 1930 as Istanbul) was a cultural melting pot. Today, its population of more than 13 million is almost exclusively Turkish, and many of its people are recent migrants from provincial Turkey, lured by the promise of jobs and careers in this vibrant, fast-growing city. Istanbul is no longer the nation's capital, but is Turkey's economic and cultural powerhouse - a status underlined by its role as a European City of Culture in 2010 and the award of UNESCO World Heritage listing to many of its most important landmarks, which range from stunning Ottoman mosques and Byzantine churches and catacombs to the columns of Hellenistic temples and the remains of massive medieval city walls. But there's more to Istanbul than Byzantine and Ottoman heritage. A fast-growing economy contributed to a flourishing arts and music scene, with a plethora of new bars, clubs, private art galleries, restaurants and designer fashion outlets.

About the destination: The Maldives, located in the Indian Ocean, are an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 coral atolls. From these small islands, only 203 are populated. Kaafu is where the capital, Male, and the airport are located and it is home of most tourist resorts. The Maldives really are the dream destination it appears to be in the holiday brochures, the water really is that crystal-clear and turquoise, the sand really is that white, and the sunsets really are all the shades of red and orange you could imagine. The Maldives are famous for blissful surroundings, its excellent snorkeling and diving opportunities, its beach villas, its dark-blue sea with turquoise-colored lagoons and its exquisite food. A trip to the Maldives is always an unforgettable experience, a satisfaction for the soul and a pleasure for the eyes, crystal clear waters, tropical white sand beaches, colorful flora and untouched nature. But beware, paradise is not cheap.