It’s a travel cliché to call a place a blend of old and new, but probably nowhere on the planet do the ancient and contemporary cozy up so close and so often as in Istanbul. When you spend time in this long-thriving city, one era doesn’t nose out the other. Both exist in front of you and in the psyche of the people. What you have for lunch at Matbah restaurant may be what was served in the Ottoman sultan’s dining room 500 years ago. You may ride a gleaming electric tram car to see the Basilica Cistern built by the Romans in the sixth century. It’s this juxtaposition — and the sheer volume of interesting sites — that draws tourists back repeatedly. The unique atmosphere makes business travelers happy to find Turkey’s biggest city in their travel plans.

When I worked as an English teacher in Istanbul in the mid-1990s, it was an exotic place but a far different city than it is now. The smoke from coal used to heat buildings left a permanent haze over the skyline. Inflation was so bad, the foreign exchange rates changed in the time it took to grab a quick lunch. Every man had a mustache and a cigarette. Finding food that wasn’t Turkish required a real scouting expedition.

This metropolis has a new gleam now. More open to the outside world but even more confident in its potential, there’s a feeling in the air Istanbul has returned to glory.

It is no surprise this city changed greatly in two decades, that period being just a speck in its long history. While most cities count their past by hundreds of years, landmarks in Istanbul aren’t considered old unless they go back at least a millennium. Byzantium, Constantinople, then Istanbul, this strategically located crossroads is the link between Europe and Asia, between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Here, when you say, “Trading is in their blood,” you’re talking about blood going back to 600 B.C.

Modern Turkey is also an odd, sometimes tense mix of the religious and the secular, East and West. That creates some unique challenges for the visiting business traveler, not least in figuring out where on the continuum your contacts can be placed. Are they stringent secularists who idolize the republic’s founder, Kemal Ataturk, happily ordering wine with dinner? Or are they devout Muslims who would like to see religion guiding more of the country’s actions, the type who will get offended if you ask for a beer?

Fortunately, the language (and dress) of business transcends any particular beliefs. Istanbul is a city where you can’t go wrong with dark conservative business suits for men and shapely — but modest — feminine outfits for women. Plain black suits are commonplace in business districts. Women provide all the color, dressing in tailored pieces, cheerful draping fabrics that move and scarves. While the devout will cover their heads, the vast majority do not.

Turks are proud of the turnaround they’ve witnessed in recent years, and complimenting them on the country’s growth is sure to bring a smile. The economy is not growing at the 8 to 10 percent rate it was before the crisis in Europe really took hold last year, but compared to their neighbors to the north, Turkey is on fire. It is now the 16th-largest economy in the world, and the signs of improving standards of living are on display everywhere in Istanbul. The outcome is not always good — traffic is often at a standstill with all the new cars hitting the limited roads — but you also see it in the expanding metro system, the bustling shops, the profusion of flowers along roadsides and some of the cleanest streets south of Switzerland.

Turkey is flexing its economic muscles on the world stage now. Istanbul is one of three cities still in the running to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Turkish Airlines is expanding rapidly, with passenger volume growth in double digits. It flies to more countries than any other airline: 96 now, 110 by the end of 2013, with 46 million passengers expected to fly on it this year.

Because of the traffic issues and waterways cutting through sections of Istanbul, where to meet for breakfast or lunch is first a matter of geography. In the new office park and mall business districts of Levent and Maslak, it’s best to leave the dining choices to your hosts, since few outlets have been around long enough to gain a reputation. Turks eat out often and have high standards, so you never have to go far for a flavorful meal.

If the choice is left to you, the safest power dining spots are in the best hotels, with the oldest ones still having the most cachet. Çirağan Palace Kempinski was the prestige address two decades ago and still is, despite new competition from Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Shangri-La in the same general area below Taksim Square. It has a historic palace wing, gardens for strolling and a prime spot on the Bosporus waterway, so it’s a good choice for meals with clients.

The restaurant best combining top cuisine, Turkish wine and a view of the historic skyline is Mikla in the Marmara Pera hotel, but save that one for a dinner meeting, as it’s only open at night. The next-best spot that’s open for lunch is Ulus 29, a sleek restaurant on a hill above the Bosporus with curving glass walls facing the water and the shores of Asia. Or visit Enstitu, a block from Mikla near the Pera Palace. It’s the showcase restaurant for the Istanbul Culinary Institute and uses fresh produce from its own farm a couple of hours away.

Business deals have long been negotiated over multiple cups of strong tea or Turkish coffee prepared slowly, though now coffee chains like Starbucks and Gloria Jean’s have exploded across the city. Your local contacts may be happier at Kahve Dunyasi, however — a Turkish-owned chain with more personality.

Warmly accept any invitations to try baklava or other sweets or to visit local attractions. Turks are proud of their culture and their food and have a strong sense of hospitality. They have a lot to show off and are eager to have visitors experience it, so go along for the ride through history and into the future.

As of press time, protest activity in Turkey continued, with the situation ever changing. For up-to-the-minute updates and travel safety advisories, please check the U.S. Department of State website at travel.state.gov.

Read about how to see Istanbul in one day here.