Afternoon tea at the Pera Palace Hotel

Where to go and what to see in Istanbul to get the most from your trip – a 4-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.

Exotic, inexhaustible and dynamic – East meets West head-on in this mesmerising city metropolis, famed for its extraordinarily rich history, superb food and shopping, and mind-blowingly magnificent, over-sized mosques.

One of the greatest urban boat journeys, a glide down the Bosphorus strait passes Ottoman palaces, forts and picturesque villages.

Istanbul’s second largest market is a sensory wonderland, full to bursting with fragrant spices and sweets.

The grandest mosque in Istanbul, built in 1558, this iconic Byzantine beauty defines the Istanbul skyline.

Hypnotic and haunting, the traditional sema ceremony of the whirling dervishes dates back to the 13th century.

A modern art museum housing the finest collection of modern and contemporary art in the country. The Modern’s temporary exhibits by Turkish and international artists – often organized in collaboration with MoMA (New York) and the Centre Pompidou (Paris) – are particularly exceptional.

World-class collections of Ottoman art, tiles and ceramics – plus big-name travelling exhibitions – set in a former grand hotel.

A fascinating and quirky military museum with an astonishing array of uniforms, weapons and battle standards. Upstairs, there is a room devoted to the revolutionary statesman Ataturk. Go around 3pm for an unforgettably weird re-creation of a 17th-century military band concert.

A huge transport museum featuring everything from submarines to streetcars, mechanical toys to wacky inventions.