Istanbul

Set on the banks of the Bosphorous Strait, with Europe to one side and Asia to the other, Istanbul is home to many chic and contemporary hotels overlooking the water, making the most of their location with rooftop bars and restaurant terraces – most on the European side of the city, close to the tourist attractions.

Pera Palace is one of the grandest hotels in Istanbul, with an art nouveau façade and Orientalist interiors and chandeliers, and a raft of famous former guests including Alfred Hitchcock and Ernest Hemingway. If you’re looking for somewhere more modest (and more affordable), you’ll find lots more smart hotels and boutique apartments in Beyoglu, Karakoy and Galata.

The city’s historic bazaars give you colourful insight into the way of life in Istanbul. The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with over 4,000 shops, and attracting up to 400,000 visitors daily. You’ll find all sorts of things here, such as ceramic plates, ornamental lamps, hand-knotted rugs (haggling is all part of the experience), as well as lots of traditional Turkish coffee, tea and sweet stalls.

For those in search of a more relaxing pursuit, head to a hammam – grand Turkish bathhouses that use heat, water and massage to revive mind, body and soul. Hammams have been part of the cultural fabric of this city for centuries, and most hammams also offer luxurious aromatherapy oil massages and revitalising spa treatments, followed by a space to lounge with traditional sweet tea.

A city is as big as Istanbul (population: 16 million at a conservative count) delivers a rich and diverse culinary scene, and you’ll find delicacies specific to each area of the city that aren’t available anywhere else.

For fine dining, head to the waterfront, where you’ll find modern and upmarket restaurants with stunning views. Though, of course, you may be craving the traditional Turkish kebab, which you’ll find here in abundance — wherever you go, you’ll stumble on countless compact cafés selling doner cut straight from the spit, and lively grill houses serving kebabs on skewers.

In the evening, settle into a meyhane (traditional taverns, literally translating to ‘wine house’). There’s a culture around these slightly boisterous places, which offer an array of meze served up with glasses of raki (a fiery aniseed spirit), served to a backdrop of atmospheric music (often live) and an enthusiastic crowd. Beyoglu’s Nevizade is one of the most popular meyhanes – big groups are best to book in advance.

Istanbul trades heavily on its history, so spend a day wandering the peninsula and visiting the city’s best-known attractions, including the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace.

Dolmabahce Palace is an astounding example of late Ottoman excess, and people flock here to see it dripping in extravagance – visitor numbers are limited to 3,000 per day, and it often reaches this on weekends and holidays, so make sure you get there early.

For photo opportunities head to the viewing platform on Galata Tower, where you’ll get a sensational view of the sprawling Old City – aim for evening so you can catch the dusty pink sunset.