The CLA smoothly slips right between two continents, in the city that half stretches in Europe, while the other half slides into Asia. The Mercedes CLA 45 AMG 4Matic started a discovery adventure through the Turkish metropolis.
The colours, the sounds and the aromas of Istanbul mesmerize the travelers, once they enter the world’s 4th largest city in the CLA 45 AMG, chasing the skyline of glass and steel buildings, tinseled with minarets.
The AMG engine of the CLA remained purring instead of roaring, as the city with 15 million inhabitants is suffocated by heavy traffic. The average speed in Istanbul is of only 30 km/h.
The Mercedes team started at sunrise, cruising along the Galata Bridge to reach the Hagia Sophia Museum, dating from the 6th century, the symbol of city with both European and Asian DNA.
They left the CLA in an overcrowded parking lot, to take a walk through the Bazaar in the Fatih quartier, a labyrinth of spices, colorful Turkish traditional textiles hanging from everywhere above, fresh fruits and vegetables, while the smell of tobacco rises through the air. The voyagers ended the day in the Tahiri Galatasaray Hamami baths, for a treat of spa with foamy soap and oil massage, under the expert hands of the Hamam masters and under the curves of the oriental architecture.
The next day in Istanbul started not onboard of the Mercedes, but onboard of the ferry, crossing into the Asian side. The CLA took a rest, while the driver and the passengers stayed still and magnetized on the therrace of a Turkish restaurant, staring at the breathtaking view of the Bosphorus. The journey pulled the curtain with a drive across the Bosphorus Bridge. Teșekkürler, Istanbul! (Thank-you, Istanbul!)
