Istanbul Guide

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PLAN YOUR TRIP Top Itineraries

Day Three Bazaar District (p91) M Get ready to explore the city’s famous Bazaar District. After visit ing the most magnificent of all Ottoman mosques, the Süleymaniye , make your way to the world-famous Grand Bazaar to explore its labyrinthine lanes and hidden caravanserais, picking up a few souvenirs along the way. Lunch Grab a cheap eat in or around the Grand Bazaar; head to Dürümcü Raif Usta (p107 ) or Dönerci Şahin Usta (p107 ) for kebap, and Bena Dondurmaları (p107) for something sweet. Bazaar District (p91) R After lunch follow the steady stream of local shoppers making their way down the hill to the Spice Bazaar . While there, seek out the exqui site Rüstem Paşa Mosque , camouflaged in the midst of a busy produce market. As the sun starts to set, walk across Galata Bridge towards the eating and entertain ment district of Beyoğlu. Dinner Beyoğlu has restaurants , meyhanes and street food aplenty – explore these on a night-time food tour with İstanbul Eats (p 89 ), İstanbul on Food (p146) or Urban Adventures (p103). Beyoğlu (p 123) N Listen to some live jazz at or Salon . Alternatively, take a taxi to Babylon Bomonti , the city’s best-known live-music venue. Nardis

Day Four The Bosphorus (p162) M Board the Long Bosphorus Tour (Uzun Boğaz Turu) for a one-way trip up the Bosphorus and then make your way back to town by bus, visiting museums and monuments along the way. Alternatively, take the Dentur Avraysa hop-on, hop-off tour from Beşiktaş and visit the Sakıp Sabancı Museum in Emirgan and the Ottoman-era Küçüksu Kasrı and Beylerbeyi Palace . Beyoğlu (p 123) R If you take a 90-minute cruise on a Bosphorus excursion boat rather than the full-day or hop-on, hop-off trip, you can devote the afternoon to investigat ing Beyoğlu’s exciting contemporary-art scene. Don’t miss the İstanbul Modern, ARTER and Pera Museum . of the cafes in the shadow of majestic Rumeli Hisarı – we particularly like the casual Sade Kahve (p 169). Lunch If the weather is fine, enjoy a light lunch in the Hıdiv Kasrı Garden Cafe (p169). In cooler weather try one

Dinner It’s time to sample the national dish, kebaps – head to Antiochia (p134) or Zübeyir Ocakbaşı (p 135) to enjoy a

meaty feast.

Beyoğlu (p 123) N Bid farewell to the city over a post dinner drink at one of Beyoğlu’s rooftop bars or make your way to Akarsu Yokuşu in Cihangir to wind down in one of its many bohemian cafes.