Intriguing Istanbul

Photo Courtesy of Türkiye Tourism

One of the world’s most visited cities, Istanbul hosted more than 18 million international travelers in 2024. Its wonders, including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, embody the city’s coexisting contrasts. Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia on the great Bosphorus Strait, there’s just no place like it. On the European side, historically significant architecture, waterfront restaurants and upscale shopping; on the Asian side, fewer tourists and an authentic glimpse into local life and fewer tourists.

Istanbul is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own distinct character. “Karaköy and Beyoglu have long been the heart of Istanbul’s creative life,” says Ümit Mesci, curator at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, located in a waterfront warehouse renovated by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano. In Mesci’s opinion, some of the city’s most interesting shops and art galleries are located on Istiklal Avenue, a pedestrian street in the Beyoglu neighborhood. Among them is Miniko Vintage, a favorite with young fashionistas, which sells high-end designer pieces. You might find a Fortuny gown from 1909 or a Chanel tweed suit from 1935.

Photo Courtesy of A La Turca

“The Cihangir neighborhood is also associated with artists, writers and filmmakers; it carries a distinctive bohemian spirit, where conversations spill from studios into the cafés and restaurants that line its narrow streets,” says Mesci. The Museum of Innocence is a must-see. It was created by Turkish novelist and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk (Cihangir’s most famous resident) and is dedicated to his memories of everyday life in Istanbul in the mid-20th century. Follow it with Turkish pastries at the classic Savoy Pastanesi and an authentic Turkish coffee at Otto. Çukurcuma, known as the antiques quarter, is another charming neighborhood, with leafy squares connected by little streets and narrow alleyways. A La Turca, a four-story store-cum-museum, is an Aladdin’s cave of traditional Turkish pottery, Ottoman paintings in gilded frames, cloisonné candlesticks and perhaps even a magic lamp buried somewhere under the neat stacks of antique carpets and kilims (flat woven textiles). 

Photo Courtesy of Türkiye Tourism

“Of course, you must visit the 15th-century Grand Bazaar, with its 4,000-plus shops packed to the rafters,” says Cem Ayvaz, a private VIP guide with luxury tour operator Black Tomato. He takes serious shoppers to Sivasli Yazmaci for luxurious new and vintage textiles; Iznik Works, a one-stop shop for the painted tiles that Türkiye is famous for; and Ethnicon, where vintage kilims are restitched to create one-of-a-kind patchwork rugs, pillows and handmade kilim shoes. The nearby Spice Bazaar (built in 1664) features traditional sweets and dark-as-night Turkish coffee beans. (Tip: Climb a narrow stairway to the hidden, tile-lined Pandeli Restaurant for lunch.) Ayvaz also recommends shopping at Fey, which pairs its own clothing label and locally made bags with carefully curated vintage items. Everything is handpicked by owner Fatoş Yalın, long-time publishing director of Marie Clare Turkey. For more retail therapy: 3C Taki is a gorgeous bauble boutique where classic motifs are reinterpreted for today—prayer beads become statement necklaces, and vibrant ceramic fragments are repurposed as bold bracelets.

Fişekhane, a historic site in the Kazlıçeşme neighborhood on Istanbul’s European side, has been newly reimagined as a modern cultural hub with galleries, shops and seaside dining. “It was originally an Ottoman-era munitions factory complex,” Ayvaz explains. KÜN Restaurant, a bright, contemporary space atop the Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Marmara Sea, has quickly become a neighborhood favorite.

Photo Courtesy of Türkiye Tourism Sarnic Restaurant

Istanbul’s dining scene gained international recognition with the arrival of the Michelin Guide in 2022. Michelin Bib-Gourmand-rated restaurant Cuma in the Çukurcuma neighborhood serves a traditional Turkish breakfast and a Mediterranean-inspired lunch. The Sarnıç, located inside an ancient water cistern with giant columns and a domed ceiling, offers multi-ethnic entrées. Visit Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir (in business since 1777) for a taste of fragrant, sugar-dusted Turkish delight. For a deep dive into Istanbul’s traditional food culture, book a private culinary tour of small restaurants, artisanal food shops and local kitchens with Culinary Backstreets. 

Ayvaz says there are two don’t-miss experiences in Istanbul. The first is sailing the Bosphorus at sunset with a glass of bubbly in hand. Most of the five-star waterfront hotels have private yachts from which to enjoy this pleasant tradition. The second is enjoying a traditional Turkish bath—a centuries-old relaxing and cleansing ritual. Çemberlitaş Hamam, near the Grand Bazaar, was built in 1584 and is among the city’s most famous. Zeyrek Çinili Hamam is an early Ottoman-era masterpiece that reopened in 2024 after a 13-year restoration.

Photo Courtesy of Six Senses Kocataş Mansion

Where to Stay

Opened in 2023, the Peninsula Istanbul (177 guest rooms and suites) sits in lush gardens right on the Bosphorus. In-house restaurant Gallada, helmed by the city’s reigning sultan of creative cooking, Fatih Tutak, has garnered two Michelin stars for its Turk-Asian cuisine. Six Senses Kocataş Mansions occupies a pair of stunningly renovated stately homes. Wellness is the main feature here, including a holistic anti-aging center that pairs neuroscience with ancient knowledge. Pera Palace Hotel was built in 1892 to serve Orient Express train passengers traveling from Europe (Agatha Christie stayed here). Restored to its original grandeur, it evokes the glam of a bygone era. 

Getting There

Turkish Airlines offers nonstop flights from Denver to Istanbul. In business class, a chef comes by to discuss the menu with each passenger, and meals are cooked to order. In economy: real pillows, blankets, amenity kits, proper headphones and meals that are several cuts above the usual airline food. turkishairlines.com

For more about Istanbul: Go Türkiye goturkiye.com 

For more about private travel experiences: Black Tomato blacktomato.com