Palatial Splendour.

These kitties sure knew how to swing. Topkapi Palace, home to the sultans for more than three centuries and a salutary lesson in taste to us all, is a must see, if only for its Treasury stacked with ornate fabulousness, and its awe-inspiring Harem. Both require additional tickets to visit / Babi Hümayün Cad. / Sultanahmet / 512 0480 / closed Tue / the Harem opens 10am-noon & 1-4pm / topkapipalace.com / also see Karakol (Rest./Smart). Meanwhile, the Dolmabahçe Palace rewrites the book on opulence and vulgarity, and will either thrill you or have you hurling your lunch. Its stunning Bosphorus location, and infamous, vast crystal Baccarat staircase and chandelier, make it a fun-see / Dolmabahçe Cad. / Besikta¸s¸ / 236 9000 / 9am-4pm / closed Mon & Thu / dolmabahcepalace.com. More intimate and smarter, but less visited is the Beylerbeyi Palace and its pavilions on the Asian side, under the Bossy Bridge. This ex-Summer Palace and home to visiting dignitaries is a confection of neoclassical Ottoman style / Abdullah Ag˘a Cad. 12 / 216 321 9320 / closed Mon & Thu / cab from Üsküdar ferry terminal / then pop next door to Villa Bosphorus for delish fish / villabosphorus.com.tr.