Will Around the World

Rumeli Castle’s spires aren’t as heavily touted as those jutting from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, but this 560-year-old Ottoman fortress — across town from Galata, where tourists flock to buy spices at the Grand Bazaar — is no less spectacular. Nestled in Sariyer, a neighborhood on the European side of the city, the majestic, well-preserved fort, which is now a museum (entrance, 5 Turkish lira, or about $2.70 at 1.83 lira to the dollar), was built at the narrowest point of the Bosporus by Sultan Mehmed II, who originally positioned hundreds of soldiers at its gates and used it to control river traffic.

Today, its location away from the city’s tourist centers usually keeps crowds at a minimum. Which is one of the reasons — in addition to the winding, woodsy paths inside and the unparalleled views of Istanbul — to go there. Rumeli’s canonical, tiered Halil Pasha Tower and its satellite watchtowers stand guard over a bench-lined maze of trees, steep staircases and crumbling steel doors. Catch a glimpse of the gloomy dungeon, then hike to the highest points and enjoy the spectacular view. The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge sparkles to the left, while the green hills of Asia frame the sailboats, ferries and tanker ships chugging the Bosporus. Giant Turkish flags flutter proudly across the water, a beautiful sight at sunset. End the day with a 15-minute stroll down the water to Bebek, Istanbul’s chicest neighborhood, for a Turkish coffee or a raki, the cloudy liquor whose local popularity, much like Rumeli’s, has survived the ages.

Museums

Istanbul Modern
Istanbul Archaeological Museum
SantralIstanbul

Art