Journal · City guide · Istanbul
Istanbul for the discerning traveller: palaces, Bosphorus and Michelin
Two continents, three empires and one of the great food cities of the world. Where to stay, dine and spend the evening in Istanbul.
Where to stay
Choose between an Ottoman palace on the water and the hotel of the Orient Express.
- Çırağan Palace Kempinski · Istanbul
A 19th-century Ottoman imperial palace on the European shore of the Bosphorus, with an infinity pool at the water's edge. - Pera Palace Hotel · Istanbul
Built in 1892 for passengers of the Orient Express. - Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus · Istanbul
A 19th-century Ottoman palace on the European shore of the Bosphorus, with a waterside terrace, an outdoor pool and a spa. - The Peninsula Istanbul · Istanbul
Opened in 2023 on the Karaköy waterfront in three restored historic buildings and a new one, looking across to the old city and the Topkapı Palace.
Where to dine
Türkiye has had its own Michelin Guide since 2022. Istanbul's starred tables reinterpret Anatolian cooking with great ambition.
- TURK Fatih Tutak · Istanbul
Istanbul's only two-star restaurant: Fatih Tutak reinterprets the cooking of Anatolia with great precision. - Mikla · Istanbul
Mehmet Gürs's rooftop restaurant in Beyoğlu, with a celebrated terrace over the Golden Horn and the old city. - Neolokal · Istanbul
Maksut Aşkar's modern Anatolian cooking, holder of a Michelin star and a Green Star. - Araf · Istanbul
Kenan Çetinkaya and Pınar Korgan Çetinkaya's restaurant, awarded its first star in 2026. - Nicole · Istanbul
A starred restaurant in Beyoğlu with a terrace view over the city.
How to spend the evening
Take a private boat along the Bosphorus at sunset, then dinner in Beyoğlu with a view over the Golden Horn. Dress is smart rather than formal, and dinner starts late.
