WORDS DAVID O'BYRNE. PHOTOS ALAMY
Art and soul of the city
01:
Old faithful
For more than 400
years, the sprawling
Topkapi Palace
(
topkapipalace.com
)
was the seat of power
of the Ottoman Empire.
Now, beyond its
manicured lawns and
organised museum,
the dimly lit passages
of the harem still hint
at sinister intrigue.
Perhaps this is an echo
of the backstabbing
politics of former times,
when wives who fell
out of favour with the
sultan left in a weighted
sack that was dumped
in the Bosphorus.
02:
Young pretender
Beer has been brewed
here commercially
since the late 19th
century, but despite a
long history, the choice
of ale has been fairly
restricted. That’s all
set to change with the
recent opening of the
Bosphorus Brewing
Company (
bbc-tr.com
)
–
a brew pub in the
upscale northern
suburb of Levent – that
will supply its own
delicious brews made
on site.
03:
Dish of the day
Its name,
hünkar
beğendi,
translates as
'
the sultan is delighted'
and you will be too
with this rich beef stew
served on a bed of
aubergine purée. After
124
years' experience,
there’s no better place
to sample a plateful
than at Hacı Abdullah
Lokantası (
9
A Ağa Camii
Atif Yılmaz Caddesi;
haciabdullah.com.tr
).
04:
Sweet stay
Located in a quiet side
street not far from
pedestrianised İstiklal
Avenue, the trendy
Beyoğlu district’s
main shopping
thoroughfare, Stories
Apart Kumbaracı
(
storiesapartkumbaraci.
com
)
offers
accommodation
in a former luxury
apartment building.
Beautifully restored to
its early 20th-century
splendour, it has
tastefully furnished
rooms, many with
dramatic views over the
Sea of Marmara.
05:
Do now
For the past couple
of years, the ‘Bul has
been garnering critical
praise for its artistic
endeavours. Catch the
cream of the crop at the
inaugural Art Istanbul
(
19-25
November
):
a celebration of
contemporary Turkish
culture. Scheduled
events include
exhibitions and activities
at the city's galleries.
See
artistanbul.org
for
details.
06:
Buy this
Turkish olives and olive
oils are rarely seen
outside Turkey and
no wonder: they’re
so good, they’re all
consumed locally. So
buy straight from a
producing co-operative
for a tasty souvenir.
The Ayvalik Vakif
co-op (
vakifzeytinleri.
gov.tr
)
has shops at Yeni
Cami Avlusu Sokak in
Eminönü Square and on
Gümüşsuyu Caddesi,
next to Taksim Square.
07:
Photo op
At almost 700 years
old, the Genoese-built
Galata Tower (
Şişhane;
galatatower.net
)
is one
of the oldest buildings
in Istanbul and it also
offers the best view of
the city: a stupendous
vista that stretches
from the Bosphorus
across the Sea of
Marmara to the palaces
and mosques of the old
city, and beyond to the
Golden Horn.
07
04
With a host of cool cultural activities happening in Istanbul this month, there's
never been a better time to visit. Once there, follow our seven-point plan...
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