Stay At...the Four Seasons hotel, which is near the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. 011-90-212-638-8200.

Don't Miss...the Hagia Sophia, built as a church in Byzantine times and now a museum; the Rüstem Pasha Mosque, an architectural gem seldom visited by tourists; and the Sadberk Hanim Museum, for a superb collection of antiquities.

Explore...the Bosporus by boat, which you can arrange at the Çirafigan Palace Hotel Kempinski. 011-90-212-326-4646.

Browse In...the Spice Market and the Grand Bazaar, the latter one of the world's largest covered markets.

Tour With...charming shopping expert Nuyan Kalkavan, who knows every inch of the Grand Bazaar. 011-90-532-609-7937.

Pause At...the House Café for a cup of strong Turkish coffee. 011-90-212-227-2639.

Order...fresh fish and mezes at Çengelköy Iskele, right on the Bosporus. 011-90-216-321-5506.

Read...Hillary Sumner-Boyd and John Freely's absorbing book, Strolling Through Istanbul.