Walk on
Take a cab to Ortaköy, once a small village and now part of Istanbul’s vast coastline. Stroll north under Bosphorus Bridge and carry on through Kuruçeme, Arnavutköy, Bebek and Rumelihisar, all brimming with tea shops and restaurants.
Local flavour
Mix with Istanbulites at the city’s weekly food markets. On Sunday, head to the Kastamonu market in the Kasmpaa district; on Monday try the Pazartesi Pazar (“Monday bazaar”) in Göztepe for seasonal and pickled produce, cheeses, breads and mountain honey.
Getting there
Etihad, Singapore Airlines and Emirates-Qantas are among the carriers flying one-stop from Australia to Istanbul.
STAY
Atop a department store in the lively Beyolu district, this Philippe Starck-designed budget boutique hotel offers comfort and value – not to mention minaret-studded views – in Istanbul’s dining and nightlife centre. Most of the whitewashed rooms are diminutive, which encourages guests to use the hotel’s public spaces, including the fourth-floor lounge, Franco-Turkish restaurant and rooftop bar. Huseyin Aa Mahallesi, Istiklal Caddesi 50-54, Beyolu
Turkish-American architects have transformed a defunct late-Ottoman alcohol factory into a peaceful luxury hotel on the edge of the Bosphorus on the city’s Anatolian side. Surrounded by orchards and flanked by an Ottoman palace, the Sumahan offers a glimpse of the city’s past. Kulelí Caddesi 43, Çengelköy
SHOP
On the road leading from the historic Galatasaray High School to the Bosphorus, this narrow shop sells high-quality cotton petamallar (hammam towels), linen robes and brightly coloured woven scarves. Yeni Çar Caddesi 25
Ulas Baharat
For the freshest spices, steer clear of the overrated Grand Bazaar and hop on a ferry to Kadköy, the main port on the city’s Anatolian side. A few blocks from the ferry landing, Ula Baharat sells smoked and dried peppers, fresh sumac, pomegranate molasses and tomato pastes that draw chefs and cooks from all over town. Güneli Bahçe Sokak 18, Kadköy, +90216 3379376
DRINK
Alex’s Place
Istanbul isn’t known for its craft cocktails, but California expat Alex Waldman is doing his bit to change that at his tiny, unnamed bar in Asmalmescit, the city’s booziest ‘hood. Waldman compensates for the scarcity of quality liquor in Turkey by pouring classics and his own creations such as the Plausible Deniability, a blend of Scotch, Drambuie, Campari and lime juice. Gönül Sokak 7B, Beyolu
EAT
Balat Sahil Restoran
There are hundreds of traditional meyhanes, taverns specialising in mezes and rak, but this one is a cut above. Order a bottle of smooth, triple-distilled Beylerbeyi rak with rounds of cold and hot mezes. Finish with candied fruits and kaymak, clotted buffalo cream. Mürselpaa Caddesi 245, Balat, +90 212 525 6185
Chef Civan Er, who has built a reputation for contemporary cooking, takes inspiration from Anatolian ingredients, techniques and traditions at Yeni Lokanta, opened last year. The mezes and manti are consistently satisfying. Kumbarac Yokuu 66
The late Sakp Sabanc’s former estate in Emirgan is now a museum. Make the trip for the art and stay for a cocktail at the museum’s outdoor bar and sample its mezes. The excellent breakfast served on weekend mornings uses produce sourced from small producers across Turkey. Sakp Sabanc Caddesi 22
Yeni Lokanta
