Boat tours along the Bosphorus

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.

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.

The oldest, biggest market in the world that glitters like an Aladdin’s cave. Over 5,000 shops on 66 covered streets.

Super authentic spot near the Grand Bazaar where you can smoke nargile (a water pipe or hookah) and drink tea in the courtyard of a mosque from 1709.

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.

One of the world’s finest collections of Islamic-influenced glassware, rugs, ceramics, metal work and ethnographic items.

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