Istanbul

Page 3 of 3 -- Relax and enjoy (10) Simdi, Asmali Mescit 9, (90-212) 252 5443, the platonic ideal of a cafe, with its comfy chairs, high ceilings, and brilliant selection of magazines ranging from Wallpaper* to New Africa. Or inhale the 1930's Art Nouveau atmosphere of (11) Markiz, 362 Istiqlal Caddesi, (90-212) 245 8394, over a cup of sahlep ($4.65), a creamy winter drink made from wild orchid root and sprinkled with cinnamon, before emerging back onto the street.

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What to Do at Night

Istanbulians emerge in droves on the weekends, so reserve a table or buy a ticket in advance. See www.biletix.com for concert listings.

(12) Babylon, Seyhbender Sokak 3 (90-212) 292 7368, www.babylon.com.tr, is a gorgeous, legendary and blissfully well-ventilated place with acts ranging from mildly politicized Turkish hip-hop to live jazz and Turkish folk music. Winding over to (13) Nardis, Galata Kulesi Sokak 14 (90-212) 244 6327, www.nardisjazz.com, a chic jazz club, takes you past the floodlighted Galata Tower. Inside, Turkish musicians play Latin music and jazz to a sedate, smartly dressed crowd of yuppies.

If you've got energy to burn, (14) Sawady, Kalyoncu Kulluk Caddesi Ekrem Tur Sokak, 5/7, (90-212) 244 7810, an old house converted into a five-floor nightclub, with the music becoming progressively more cheesy and fun as you climb the stairs. At the top it is contemporary R & B and Turkish pop.

Rich kids puff their cigars at the latest "in place," (15) Wan-na, Mesrutiyet Sokak 151, (90-212) 243 1794 or (90-212) 244 5922, a restaurant and bar that serves surprisingly authentic East Asian food.

Where to Shop

Istanbul's legendary (16) Grand Bazaar is a labyrinthine nightmare of heckling salesmen. Find your way to the shops specializing in beautiful antique textiles and robes from Central Asia. Alternatively, trot around the streets surrounding the (17) Arasta Bazaar, where many smaller shops have caches of similar goods, minus the headache.

Hunt for antiques in the side streets off of Istiqlal Street in the small Cukurcuma neighborhood, full of picturesque shops with cluttered windows and eccentric, gray-haired proprietors. International brands, and high-end Turkish brands like Vakko, are mostly found in the Nisantasi neighborhood, up the hill from Taksim. Foodies should make a stop at (18) Ambar, just off Istiqlal Caddesi at Kallavi Sokak 12, (90-212) 292 9272, a natural foods store that stocks regional specialties such as poppy seed butter.

How to Stay Wired

At the Istanbul Modern, there are 16 free Internet kiosks.

Your First Time or Your Tenth

In a city surrounded by three bodies of water, there's no excuse not to dine waterside, and (19) Florina, Yahya Kemal Caddesi 32-34, (90-212) 265 6586, is a perfect place to enjoy the views with your breakfast. Their rendition of menemen, a classic Turkish dish of scrambled eggs slow-cooked with peppers and onions until creamy, is outstanding, and the house made savory pastries that make an excellent companion to the traditional Turkish breakfast of honey, clotted cream, olives, cheese, cucumbers and tomato. Breakfast for two, $20.

How to Get There

Turkish Airlines flies nonstop from New York to Istanbul, one flight daily. In late March, the fare for travel in mid-April was $665 round trip. See www.turkishairlines.com.

Getting Around

Istanbul has a public transport network made up of buses, trolleys and ferries. The latter run all day. At night, taxis are relatively inexpensive if you stay on one side of the river, or ask around to find shared vans that run between neighborhoods.