An eyeful of Istanbul

It's more than a little embarrassing that our first experience in Istanbul was being ripped off in a "rookie tourist sting". It happened to me and my travelling mate, Emma, as we took a night cab back to our hotel, the Ciragan Palace Kempinski, on the western (European) shore of the Bosphorus.

Cabs were already proving expensive — the Ciragan is some way from the main sightseeing areas and the traffic was particularly dire because our visit coincided with Istanbul's annual marathon.

That night, the cab driver dropped us hundreds of yards from our hotel, abruptly swerving on to the kerb. Then he insisted that the 50-lira (Dh124) note we gave him for the 40-lira (Dh99) fare, was only a 5-lira (Dh12) note and waved one under our noses to prove it.

It was hard to tell what exactly was happening as the driver became increasingly threatening and demanded another 50 liras.

Conmen cabbies

Later, we learnt that it was the Istanbul cab driver trick, where they drop your 50-lira note at their feet and switch it for a 5-lira note.

However, it would take more than one isolated incident to put people off a city as fascinating, as steeped in history and throbbing with vitality, as Istanbul.

Straddling two continents (there is a point on the Ataturk bridge where you can have one foot in Europe, the other in Asia) and boasting centuries of culture, with its mosques, Ottoman palaces, hammams offering full-body salt scrubs and shopping bazaars, Istanbul takes a palpable pride in its place in the modern world.

Indeed, for all the ancient sights on offer, this year's Capital of Culture is a fast-paced international-minded city, boasting hotels, art galleries, shopping parades, nightclubs and restaurants — non-stop modernity swirling through the sense of history.

The Ciragan Palace is the only five-star hotel on the European side of the Bosphorus. Essentially two hotels, the palace part is where Ottoman sultans used to live. Buildings with strange histories seem to be par for the course in Istanbul — the Four Seasons hotel, where we sampled the fabled "afternoon tea", was once a prison.

Irrestible cuisine

The cuisine in Istanbul is varied and glorious. There are upmarket establishments, such as the fashionable and grand Matbah in the old city, offering food "just as the sultans ate it", and stand-up lunches from street carts including balik ekmek (fish in a sandwich), corn on the cob and hot figs.

Istanbul's history as a trade route means the quality of its Indian cuisine is high.

Dubb is considered the best Indian restaurant in the Sultanahmet, or old city (deservedly so; we couldn't resist dining there twice). The best tables are at the top of a long, winding staircase. Once seated, you eat by candlelight, looking out over spectacular floodlit landmarks including the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya, the Church of the Divine Wisdom.

Haghia Sophia, once a church, then a mosque and now a museum, is no less impressive in the daylight. With entrance costing 20 liras (Dh50) and centuries of Christian and Muslim imagery jumbling together, this cavernous 16th-century building is seen as representative of Istanbul's harmonious melding of cultures.

Inside, people quietly mingled, taking photographs. Others, like us, yomped up the staggering number of steps to take in the view from the upper gallery.

As we left, some traditionally dressed women were crowding around the Weeping Column, pressing their hands against it. Legend says this is where St Gregory the miracle worker appeared and the moisture from the column possesses curative properties.

Sun-soaked beliefs

Close by is Topkapi Palace, which for several centuries served as Turkey's spiritual and political centre. Outside, on the manicured lawns, cats were sprawling in the sun. Cats are revered in Istanbul and thought to bring good fortune, hence their air, in the Topkapi gardens, of owning the place.

A maze of buildings and courtyards, Topkapi is too much for one visit. Some buildings were for state business, others for domestic purposes, such as kitchens or bakeries. One room houses likenesses of Ottoman sultans and dignitaries, all looking remarkably similar — sleek and pale. Portrait painters were clearly the Photoshop of their day, prone to flattering subjects with the same look.

We saw the Topkapi Dagger, besides the Spoonmaker's Diamond, the fifth-largest in the world. Also on display are religious relics such as the Footprint of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and the Saucepan of Abraham.

You have to pay another fee for the Topkapi harem and the queue was long. It was disappointing not to view this highly political phenomenon (some sultans' favourites wielded significant power behind the throne). I tried to peek through a window but could only spy a sliver of a mural — in the process disgracing myself as a kind of Ottoman Peeping Tom.

Glamorous residence

Topkapi is dwarfed by the 18th-century Dolmabahce Palace, known as "the Versailles of Istanbul". Outside, soldiers were engaged in a changing of the guard. Inside, the obligatory guided tour snaked slowly up the ornate staircase. Dolmabahce is where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the much-venerated founder of the Turkish republic, spent his final years. Everything that's yellow is said to be real gold and there is a lot of yellow. To protect the original parquet, you have to shuffle around in plastic shoe covers through seemingly endless throne rooms, ballrooms and state reception areas.

The Blue Mosque nearby, decorated with countless blue mosaic pieces, is a stunning dome among Istanbul's many stunning domes — the skyline sometimes resembles a line-up of those bells you bang for attention in small hotels.

At night in Istanbul, there is a bustling alfresco culture of crammed pavement restaurants in areas such as Nevisade Sokak, Mayhene and Kumkapi. Be warned: Quality is variable. One night, we ended up having such bad meze in a deserted street in Kumkapi that we dumped the money we owed, fled and finished our meal at a more vibrant eatery in the next street.

There is much scope for entertainment in Istanbul. There are many nightclubs, some posh, others makeshift, many playing live music or holding impromptu discos. One night, we watched students bop about to Soft Cell and Oasis in Kulp, a "club" the size of a shoe cupboard. Best of all was Babylon, a nightclub with live music. Babylon has also hosted the likes of Grandmaster Flash and Patti Smith.

Street treats

Then we decided to go shopping. Istanbul has a Harvey Nichols and a pedestrian-only area in Taksim that could be Oxford Street.

In the less-touristy backstreets, the scent of the city is strong, with street barbecues and bubbling coffee pots.

In more upmarket areas such as Nisantasi and Tesvikiye, Emma tried jewellery that should have had its own security guard.

No trip to Istanbul would be complete without a visit to the Grand Bazaar. It is the largest of its type in the world and even reading the statistics is breathtaking: 60 streets, 4,000 shops, a mosque, post office, bank and even a health centre. Indeed, walking into the Grand Bazaar is akin to being devoured by a giant mythical animal, albeit one with a stomach full of rugs, jewellery (the "evil eye" symbol is ubiquitous), antiques, gold, leather, ceramics, calligraphy and pretty much anything else you can think of.

Marvellous juxtaposition

There are cafés scattered throughout the bazaar. The best is Café Bedestan, where we had coffee and baklava. Some shopkeepers kindly offer customers a small glass cup of their refreshing local tea, as they struggle to take in this veritable Aladdin's Cave.

We were coming to the end of our stay, so the next morning we visited the Istanbul Modern, a wonderful art space with an eclectic mix of traditional culture and modern works.

Then it was time to say goodbye to Istanbul with a boat trip across the Bosphorus. There are guided two-hour cruises but we had no time for that. In any case, the commuter boats are fast, cheap and fun.

We glided across the water, marvelling at how the domes and turrets of old Istanbul nestle with the bustle and drama of the modern city.

How much?

A three-night stay at the Ciragan Palace costs from £837 (Dh4,906) through Kirker Holidays (www.kirkerholidays.com) including scheduled flights from Heathrow, private transfers, breakfasts and Kirker's guide notes to restaurants and sightseeing in the city.

A stay with style

The Ciragan Palace is the only five-star hotel on the European side of the Bosphorus. It is palatial, boasting helipads, shops, gardens and even a ballroom. Essentially two hotels, the palace part is where Ottoman sultans used to live.
The master suite costs 30,000 liras (Dh74,739) a night but even the standard rooms are luxurious — ours had a balcony overlooking the Bosphorus, a marble bathroom.
Handmade chocolates were also delivered every night.

FLY... Turkish Airlines: From Dubai for Dh1,495 or try Emirates from Dubai for Dh1,765

— Information courtesy the Holiday Lounge by Dnata. Ph: 04 3492886