Istanbul: a melting pot of cultures, the meeting point of Europe and Asia. Visits to Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar are, of course, obligatory. A diversion from the usual tourist trail can, however, be very rewarding...

Hunt for bargains on Istiklal Caddesi: While Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is a sight to behold, it is more tourist attraction than serious shopping destination. Locals head instead to one of the many malls in the modern centre or to Istiklal Caddesi, a pedestrianised thoroughfare stretching from Tünel to Taksim Square. The side streets and passages leading off reveal kooky boutiques and stalls selling bargain seconds.

Ride the Tünel: Istanbul’s two-stop underground line Tünel runs from Beyoglu down to Karaköy and is the second oldest in the world after London, dating back to 1875. Karaköy has been an important commercial centre and port since Byzantine times. Today it’s Istanbul’s main cruise ship terminal with regular passenger ferries also departing from here to Asia.

Visit Asia: From a tourist’s point of view, there isn’t a great deal to see on the Asian side of Istanbul. However, taking a ferry across to another continent is, one could argue, an event in itself! The Karaköy ferry takes you over to Kadiköy, the districts most famous landmark being neoclassical Haydarpasa station. Gifted to the Sultan by Kaiser Wilhelm II and built between 1906-1908, the station was an important link in the Kaiser’s Berlin-Baghdad railway connection.  

Take in Istanbul Modern: Also at Tophane, and just to the rear of the aforementioned nargile cafes, is the Istanbul Modern, Turkey’s leading museum of modern art. The Modern is housed in a vast former warehouse directly on the Bosphorus. In addition to an impressive array of temporary and permanent installations, you’ll find here a well-stocked gift shop and chic waterfront café. Open daily (except Monday) from 10:00 to 18:00. Entrance is 7TL for adults, 3TL for students/seniors and free for children under 12. On Thursdays, Istanbul Modern is open until 8pm and entrance is free.

Sunday Brunch in Ortaköy: Enjoy brunch with a side order of spectacular Bosphorus/bridge views in Istanbul's bohemian quarter of Ortaköy, and while away the afternoon browsing its market stalls and antique shops. Turks, Greeks, Armenians and Jews live happily side-by-side in this upmarket cosmopolitan area of Istanbul, as they have done for hundreds of years.