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In higher realms

In Turkey a water pipe is known as a ‘nargile’. In the past, smoking a water pipe was something only done by the older generations, but about 10 years ago this centuries-old custom has been revived. A visit to Istanbul is not complete without an evening in a water pipe café, where you may choose from all kinds of pipes and flavours to smoke.

Nightlife

A nargile garden in Tophane

Water pipe district

In the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, water pipe smoking was very popular. Smoking a nargile with the sultan was regarded as the highest honour. With the rise of cigarette smoking in World War II, the nargile gradually disappeared but made a strong come-back in the late 1990s. In Tophane, a neighbourhood in the Beyoğlu district, numerous nargile cafes popped up in response to the new trend. Today the neighbourhood has earned the nickname ‘Nargile Central’. Most cafés are open 24 hours a day and have large gardens where guests can recline on comfortable lounge cushions under the shady trees. Take your time and try all the different flavours, from cappuccino and banana to mint or peach. For a liquid refreshment, order a cup of tea, Turkish coffee or a fresh fruit juice. Nargilem Kafe boasts a beautiful garden, and Erzurum Nargile is one of the oldest nargiles in Istanbul and certainly worth a visit.

Backgammon and smoking a water pipe

An Arabian Nights fairytale

On practically every corner in Istanbul you can find a nargile café where you can sit back and smoke a water pipe. One of the most famous cafés in town is Erenler Nargile, housed in a courtyard of a former theology school. The café lies on the edge of the Grand Bazaar, but its entrance is tucked away on Çorlulu Alipaşa Medresesi in Çemberlitaş. To find it, follow the local students and men and women who head here straight after work. Inside, regular customers play a game of backgammon. The lovely garden seems straight out of an Arabian Nights fairytale.

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Arts & Culture

The Hippodrome occupies a very prominent position throughout the history of Istanbul. For many centuries the very popular horse races were held here. To this day, the Turks refer to this as 'Horse Square' (At Meydani), although it no longer has anything to do with horses. Today the square is a popular meeting place for locals and destination for tourists.

Nightlife

Right behind the famous Taksim Square, in the district of Beyoğlu, lies the neighbourhood of Cihangir. This attractive neighbourhood is known for its characteristic narrow streets, parks and squares. Cihangir is a favourite gathering place for local artists, writers and intellectuals. They flock to the many cafés and outdoor patios to discuss their latest projects or talk about life.

Romance

Istanbul, one of the most romantic cities in the world. This was the place where John F. Kennedy Jr. took his bride Carolyn Bessette on their honeymoon in 1996. The city is situated on the borders of Europe and Asia. And with the architecture, the promenades along the water, the exotic mosaic of flavours, aromas and sounds it is easy to imagine yourself as a character in a tale from One Thousand and One Nights.

Nightlife

In the West, belly dancing is often seen as an erotic performance done by concubines to entice and seduce their sultan. But belly dancing is actually a joyous, graceful and energetic folk dance, performed by women during festivities such as weddings, births and holidays. In Istanbul there are several places where you can still attend one of these traditional belly dancing performances.

Romance

Paris may be known as the place for a romantic escapade, but Istanbul is a very strong contender for the title 'City of Love'. It is the perfect getaway for lovers, newlyweds or couples wanting to renew their vows. And what could be more romantic than to stay in a unique hotel with rooms especially furnished for an amorous experience?

Arts & Culture

A visit to a hamam, a traditional Turkish bathhouse, is an absolute must for visitors to Istanbul. Immerse yourself literally and figuratively in Turkish culture and history with a centuries old bath ritual and the beautiful mosaic decor. After a treatment with olive soap, mud and a few camel hair wash cloths you leave with silky soft skin.

Arts & Culture

The Hagia Sophia, which means ‘Church of Holy Wisdom’, proudly stands on a hill in Istanbul’s old city centre. Originally, the impressive building served as a church, later it became a mosque and since 1935 it has been a museum. But the Hagia Sophia is best known as a spectacular architectural landmark. In 532, a group of architects were commissioned to build a church that would be unlike any other church - and they certainly succeeded.

Arts & Culture

The Topkapi Palace dominates the tip of the cape where Istanbul’s old city is located. For almost 400 years, this was the symbolic and political centre of the Ottoman Empire. Once home to the sultan and his harem, the palace is now a beautiful museum. The palace, which encompasses several buildings, charming courtyards and splendid gardens, is now open to the public.

Arts & Culture

Time appears to have stood still in the popular districts of Fener and Balat. Small cobblestone streets lined with wooden houses lead visitors past churches, mosques and sacred gravestones. You will even come across a section of a 5th-century Byzantine city wall. It is hardly a surprise that UNESCO has declared Fener and Balat, on the historic peninsula of Istanbul, a World Heritage Monument.

Shopping

Colourful oil lamps, fragrant spices and hand-made hamam cloths: spread out over 60 streets and almost 5,000 shops of the Grand Bazaar, the largest covered market in the world offers an enormous selection of goods. Nowhere else in Turkey will you see such a wonderful reflection of the typical melting pot of Turkish cultures, the entrepreneurial spirit of the Turks and the beautiful merchandise that has been sold for centuries.

Romance

You don’t have to go far to find a romantic retreat and escape Istanbul’s hectic traffic and noise. A short ferry ride takes you to the Princes’ Islands in the Sea of Marmara, 20 kilometres off the coast of Istanbul. Relax in this oasis of beauty and tranquillity.