Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

2 SPORTS & ACTIVITIES o ALTERNATIVE CITY TOURS (www.alternativecitytours.com; tour per group of up to 6 people €150 plus lunch)

TOUR

HAMAM Having lived in İstanbul for many years, New York–born photographer Monica Fritz recently made the decision to share some of the many secrets she has learned about the city with fellow shutterbugs. Her informed and enjoyable tour portfolio covers the European and Asian shores and beyond, and she provides plenty of cultural and historical context. Tours include one of the Grand Bazaar that introduces participants to hidden hans (caravanserais) and passageways, as well as taking to the roof à la James Bond in Skyfall . Other unique offerings include a Grand Bazaar scavenger hunt for kids, a tour of the city’s hidden synagogues and a cruise on a private yacht going to the Princes’ Islands or other interesting places along the Bosphorus (the latter costs €350 for up to seven people). ÇEMBERLITAŞ HAMAMI ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; % 0212-522 7974; www.cemberlitashamami.com; Vezir Han Caddesi 8, Çemberlitaş; self-service ₺ 70, bath, scrub & soap massage ₺ 115; h 6am-midnight; j Çemberlitaş) There won’t be too many times in your life when you’ll get the opportunity to have a Turkish bath in a building dating back to 1584, so now might well be the time to do it – particularly as this twin hamam was designed by the great architect Sinan and is among the most beautiful in the city. The building was commissioned by Nurbanu Sultan, wife of Selim II and mother of Murat III. Both of its bath chambers have a huge marble sıcaklık (circular marble heat platform) and a gorgeous dome with glass apertures. The camekan (entrance hall) for men is original, but the women’s version is new. It costs ₺ 75 to add an oil massage to the standard bath package, but all massages and treatments here are perfunctory, so we’d suggest giving this a miss and opting for the cheaper self-serve option. Tips are meant to be covered in the treatment price and there’s a 20% discount for ISIC-student-card holders.