Istanbul holidays 'are great value for money'

Favourable exchange rates mean more people could be tempted to take Turkey holidays in the near future.

Although the country is often regarded as a preferable destination in the summer months, many tourists visit the cosmopolitan city of Istanbul all year round.

As well as being a cultural hotspot with a raft of things to see and do, M&S Money has suggested the metropolis provides an "inflation busting" break.

The organisation looked at how far the pound would stretch in 23 popular cities and found Istanbul to offer the best value for money.

Head of travel money at the company Paul Stokes commented: "Autumn is always a popular time for city breaks and right now, there are some great value destinations to take advantage of, thanks to lower inflation and favourable exchange rates."

Istanbul has garnered a strong reputation as a cosmopolitan city and has staged a number of cultural events this year, including the Art Beat festival in September.