BEYOĞLU

The heart of European Istanbul, Beyoğlu is home to the city’s famous Taksim Square, as well as Istiklal Avenue, a mile-long pedestrianised stretch. Though the street itself has become rather commercialised, its beautiful architecture retains plenty of charm.

Step off Istiklal and into Beyoğlu’s maze of backstreets, which are home to hundreds of bars, cafes and restaurants housed in historic buildings. Lades 2 serves menemen, a classic Turkish breakfast dish of lightly scrambled eggs with chopped peppers and tomatoes to which toppings such as shredded chicken, sucuk (beef garlic sausage) or beyaz peynir, a sharp, white sheep’s cheese not unlike feta, can be added. You could spend days just exploring Beyoğlu’s backstreets, but if you don’t have that kind of time, allow at least a few hours after breakfast. Stop by the Şen Deri leather shop for handcrafted bags, before taking a quick break at Hazzo Pulo Passage, a courtyard of quaint shops surrounding a tea garden.

A short walk from Hazzo Pulo is Dürümzade, a hole-in-the-wall that dishes up grilled kebab wraps in the style of the southern province of Antalya, one of the country’s top food destinations. The expertly grilled meat is served inside flatbread that’s just slightly crunchy. Dürümzade was among the late Anthony Bourdain’s favourite Istanbul restaurants — he visited the city twice on his travels for TV — and his photos are plastered on its walls, which today function as something of a memorial.

Spend the afternoon in a traditional hammam, such as the 15th-century Ağa Hamamı, which is much more relaxed (not to mention reasonably priced) than the hammams in the old city.

After your brisk scrubdown, head for dinner at Eleos, one of the city’s best and most lavish taverns, where the the meze is delicious and the seafood is fresh and perfectly cooked — don’t miss the calamari. The best tables have views of the Bosphorus, and while it’s on the pricey side, the food and scenery are well worth it as are the excellent service and the free plates of food that are regularly brought out throughout the meal. Reservations several days in advance are necessary.