Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul. Possibly the coolest city in the world. It is a city that is literally at the hinge of Europe and Asia which affords it some of the richest culture you will find anywhere. In Istanbul at any moment you have equal chances to be gazing out at an ancient neighbourhood with stunningly grand mosques or a brand new trendy shopping district with people chillin' next to the street smoking shisha and drinking tea. A modern Islamic culture meets the western European sensibilities in a mish mash of food, architecture, history, fashion and art that will leave you feeling like you just stepped out of a dream.
Highlights include The Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia. Two of the grandest structures in the world today. Guaranteed jaw dropping and "wow" inducing. And as a bonus they are literally facing each other. The photo above is of the Blue Mosque (in the distance) taken from the window of Aya Sofia.
We here at Free & Easy have been to quite a few cities throughout the world and we dare say that this is a contender for our favorite!