Istanbul

Turkey’s leading modern and contemporary art museum in a striking Renzo Piano building on the Karakoy waterfront, with a mirrored roof terrace and Bosphorus views. A refreshing dose of the contemporary between the ancient sights.

A modest former church hiding the most exquisite Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in Istanbul, glowing with gold across every surface. Out in the old-city walls and gloriously uncrowded; a favourite of those in the know.

The chunky medieval stone tower that crowns the Galata skyline, with a 360-degree balcony looking over the old city, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Book a timed ticket and go near sunset for the best light.

The extravagant 19th-century palace where the late Ottoman sultans traded Topkapi for European grandeur, all crystal staircases, gilt and the world’s largest Bohemian chandelier. Guided visits only; the Bosphorus setting is spectacular.

The opulent seat of the Ottoman sultans for four centuries, a series of courtyards, jewelled treasuries and tiled pavilions above the Bosphorus. Pay the extra for the Harem, the most beautiful part; allow half a day.

A vast, eerie sixth-century underground reservoir, its forest of columns rising from dark water, lit low and hauntingly beautiful, with two carved Medusa heads at its far end. A cool, atmospheric escape from the Sultanahmet crowds.

The awe-inspiring former basilica turned mosque turned museum turned mosque again, and for 1,000 years the largest cathedral on earth. Its vast dome, golden mosaics and layered Christian-Islamic history are unforgettable; a ticket now covers the upper galleries.