With imposing Byzantine architecture, richly decorated Ottoman-era Topkapi Palace, majestic Islamic mosques with elegant minarets stretching up to the sky and the labyrinthine Grand Bazaar, Old Istanbul, or Sultanahmet, has enough to occupy visitors for several days.
But once you've seen the sights and want to enjoy a drink at a hip bar, eat a good meal, shop or see some art, Sultanahmet holds little appeal. So where do urban travelers longing to discover "cool" Istanbul go?
They cross the Galata Bridge above the beautiful Bosphorus Strait and go to chic Nisantasi, where wonderful window-shopping awaits. Once favored by Ottoman-era sultans, Nisantasi is home to Istanbul's media and fashion crowd. While the sultans flaunted their style with embroidered caftans and silk turbans, hip young Turks wear the latest designer threads from boutiques cramming Nisantasi's narrow streets, like Ottoman Empire, featuring T-shirts incorporating Ottoman motifs, Islamic calligraphy and Turkish pop symbols.
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A five-minute taxi ride away, the Istanbul Modern is the city's first museum of contemporary art. In a breezy, renovated waterfront warehouse, this sleek gallery has a permanent collection of Turkish and international art from the past century, along with adventurous temporary exhibitions and a cafe with stunning views.
From here, meander uphill to the intriguing bohemian quarters of Cukurcuma and Cihangir. Too few travelers trawl these hilly lanes, with their fascinating shops. Cihangir has what every boho area attracting a creative crowd needs, a laid-back cafe. Light and breezy Leyla is the place to pull up a red leather stool at the central bar and sip a local Efes beer.
Farther up the hill is pedestrian-friendly Istiklal Caddesi in the bustling suburb of Beyoglu. While the steep street is lined with boutiques, bookshops and record stores, the alleyways and arcades are more intriguing. Atlas Pasaji is a funky version of a Parisian-style "passage." Popular with Istanbul's nocturnal hipsters, its boutiques sell quirky handmade fashion and jewelry, retro/pre-loved gear and interesting music. Posters promote the latest gigs, club nights and performances, making it a good place to find out what's going down.
When visitors ask locals if Istanbul is really the coolest city in the world, the first words uttered are usually "360 Istanbul."
With celebrity owners, achingly hip décor and a buzz as loud as a swarm of bees, this is where locals take visitors to show them that Istanbul has arrived in style. The international menu is underwhelming, but the atmosphere is unmatched. In a 19th-century Istiklal Caddesi apartment block, the space is fabulous and city vistas stupendous.
Our favorite spot to watch an Istanbul sunset is with the locals-only crowd at On Numara 10, a funky eatery hidden among the fish restaurants under Galata Bridge. There's nothing like ending a day by sinking into a colorful beanbag, listening to smooth sounds, with nargileh, a water pipe, in hand, while you watch the sun go down over the Golden Horn. Now that is cool.
