Istanbul is Turkey’s largest city and the second largest Metropolitan area of Europe. It’s also the only metropolis in the world which is situated on 2 continents, both Europe and Asia. It’s an old, old city where you can see the remains of many ancient civilizations and their culture in harmony with Turkish culture – which is unique in itself. The old versus the new, the traditional versus the modern, is a conflict a visitor often observes. The city is full of contrasts. Its alive, vibrant and well worth visiting.

Turkey is the only Muslim country in the world, where homosexuality is not illegal. The gay scene in Istanbul is much more liberal and is tolerated more than in other parts of Turkey. Istanbul is the home of Turkey’s visible gay culture. Traditionally, gays were divided into the active (laco) and the passive (lubunya), and alot of gay relationships here are still based on the active-passive. This is changing due to the western cultures influence. Istanbul has a liberal and lively gay scene, and it attracts many gays and lesbians from other parts of the country. Most of the bars and clubs are mixed venues, where gay, lesbian and straight people party together. However, the exclusively gay venues are located around Taksim Square. The gay bars here do not have dark rooms, but kissing and hugging is tolerated. There are many exclusively lesbian venues in Istanbul.