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Simon Reeve Declares Istanbul His Favorite City

He points to its blend of European and Asian heritage along with Viking-era runes at the Hagia Sophia to explain his choice.

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Overview

  • Having traveled to more than 130 countries, the BBC presenter recently concluded filming his three-part series 'Scandinavia with Simon Reeve'.
  • Reeve describes Istanbul as “spectacular” and says visitors can “smell the history and the culture” throughout its streets.
  • He highlights the city’s division between historic and modern districts on the European side and Asian neighborhoods across the Bosphorus.
  • Reeve calls the 1,600-year-old Hagia Sophia one of the world’s most stunning buildings.
  • Inside the Hagia Sophia, he was struck by ancient Viking runes believed to say Halfdan carved these runes, which he sees as a symbol of the human impulse to leave a mark.