Istanbul Guide

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Long Bosphorus Ferry Tour finishes its jour ney. Once a fishing village, its local economy now relies on the tourism trade and its main square is full of mediocre fish restaurants and their touts. Perched above the village are the ruins of Anadolu Kavağı Kalesi (Yoros Kalesi; Map p162; Anadolu Kavağı; f Anadolu Kavağı) , a me dieval castle overlooking the Black Sea and the Bosphorus. The castle originally had eight massive towers in its walls, but little of the original structure has survived. First built by the Byzantines, it was restored and reinforced by the Genoese in the 1300s, and later by the Ottomans. An archaeological ex cavation is underway and, as a result, access is limited. There are, however, great views of the recently opened Yavuz Sultan Selim (Third) Bridge. It takes 30 to 50 minutes to walk up to the fortress from the town. Alter natively, taxis wait near the fountain in the town square just east of the ferry dock; they charge around ₺20 for the return trip with 30 minutes waiting time. Restaurants and çay bahçesis (tea gardens) along the walk ing route serve overpriced food and drink. 5 EATING & DRINKING There are places to suit every taste and budget along the shores of the Bosphorus. Many day-trippers choose to organise an itinerary around their choice of lunch ven ue, and there’s a lot to be said for following this example. HIDIV KASRI GARDEN CAFE CAFE € Map p162 ( % 0216-413 9253; www.beltur.com.tr; Çubuklu Yolu 32, Çubuklu; sandwiches ₺6.20-9.50, cakes ₺8.50; h from 9am; pc ; f Kanlıca) Oc cupying the conservatory and garden ter race of art-nouveau villa Hıdiv Kasrı, this cafe is an excellent choice on a sunny day. A toasted sandwich or cake is the most popu lar choice, but there are burgers, pastas and salads on offer, too. SADE KAHVE TURKISH € Map p162 ( % 0212-263 8800; www.sadekahve. com.tr; Yahya Kemal Caddesi 20a, Rumeli Hisarı; breakfast plates ₺5-12, gözleme & börek ₺14-15; h 7am-midnight; g 22 & 25E from Kabataş, 22RE & 40 from Beşiktaş, 40, 40T & 42T from Taksim) Seats on the outdoor terrace are hotly con tested on sunny weekends at this İstanbul institution, where the all-day breakfasts are both cheap and tasty.

bya right on the promontory have poisoned much of its charm. For an account of Thera pia in its heyday, read Harold Nicolson’s 1921 novel Sweet Waters . Nicolson, who is best known as Vita Sackville-West’s husband, served as the third Secretary in the British embassy in Constantinople between 1912 and 1914, the years of the Balkan wars, and clearly knew Therapia well. In the novel, the main character, Eirene, who was based on Vita, spent her summers here. North of the village are some of the old summer embassies of foreign powers. When the heat and fear of disease increased in the warm months, foreign ambassadors would retire to palatial residences, complete with lush gardens, on this shore. The region for such embassy residences extended north to the village of Büyükdere, notable for its churches, summer embassies and the Sad berk Hanım Museum (Map p162; % 0212-242 3813; www.sadberkhanimmuzesi.org.tr; Piyasa Caddesi 27-29, Büyükdere; adult/student ₺7/2; h 10am-4.30pm Thu-Tue; p ; f Sarıyer) . Named after the wife of the late Vehbi Koç, founder of Turkey’s foremost commercial empire, this museum is housed in two late 19th century yalıs and is a showcase of both Turkish-Islamic artefacts collected by Mrs Koç and antiquities from the noted Hü seyin Kocabaş collection. Objects include İznik and Kütahya ceramics, Ottoman silk textiles and needlework, and an exquisite collection of diadems from the Mycenaean, Archaic and classical periods. Labels are in English and Turkish, and there’s an excel lent gift shop. To get here, alight from the ferry at Sarıyer and walk left (south) from the ferry dock for approximately 10 minutes. The residents of Sarıyer , the next village up from Büyükdere on the European shore, have traditionally made a living by fish ing and it is still possible to see fisherfolk mending their nets and selling their catch north of the dock.

Day Trips THE BOSPHORUS

1 Sarıyer to Anadolu Kavaği

From Sarıyer, it’s a short trip to Rumeli Kavağı , a sleepy place where the only ex citement comes courtesy of the arrival and departure of the ferry. South of the town lies the shrine of the Muslim saint Telli Baba, reputed to be able to find suitable husbands for young women who pray there. Anadolu Kavağı , on the opposite shore, is where the