With its Ottoman Empire history and vibrant modern culture, there’s no denying Istanbul’s charm. At the center of it all, the city’s lifeblood is the body of water that divides Europe and Asia—the Bosphorus Strait, which connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. The waterway’s strategic importance enticed Constantine the Great to found the city as the capital of the Eastern Roman empire, but today, it’s the focus of some of Istanbul’s most sought-after views. At the end of a day in Turkey’s busiest city, settle in and ponder this famous strait from these five spots with can’t-miss views that our Forbes Travel Guide editors stumbled upon:
1. Mikla restaurant
Sitting atop the Marmera Pera hotel in the historic Pera district of Istanbul, this innovative restaurant combines Scandinavian and Turkish cuisines. Chef Mehmet Gürs takes serious care—he’s enlisted the help of an anthropologist to find unique foods around Turkey—to use local ingredients in his dishes, such as the lamb shoulder with prune pestil (dried fruit leather) and pomegranate molasses. Chrome furniture from the 50s and 70s gives the dining room a retro, sleek feeling, but the real showstopper is the view from the outdoor patio and terrace bar. The terrace gives you a panorama of the skyline’s best sights—the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque and the Bosphorus.
2. A’jia hotel
With a striking white columned façade, this 16-room boutique hotel is a restored 1800s-era Ottoman mansion, but inside, the amenities—such as the Acqua Di Parma bath products and Philippe Starck bathtubs—give the space a modern, minimalist vibe. Situated on the banks of the Asian shoreline on the outskirts of the city (about 40 minutes from downtown in the suburb of Kanlica, accessible by shuttle boat) this yali (a word for the wooden residences along the Bosphorus) houses an elegant restaurant with an outdoor terrace serving up Mediterranean and Italian cuisine—such as lamb shank confit—with the sparkling strait as a backdrop.
3. Vogue restaurant
Located on top of the Beşiktaş Plaza office building, Vogue has been a fixture in Istanbul the past 15 years. Its international menu draws inspiration from the Mediterranean while the sushi bar is a nod to the Asian shores across the strait. Choose from dishes such as miso-braised black cod, roasted duck and vanilla panna cotta. The restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto views of the Bosphorus and the LED-lit Bosphorus Bridge outside. Reserve a table outside on the terrace—which seats 80—during the summer months for a slight breeze off the water.
4. Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus
Occupying a restored 19th-century palace in the trendy Beşiktaş area, the hotel blends Ottoman style with contemporary amenities. Rooms located on the first and second floors of the palace building give you a straight-on view of the water, the Asian coastline on the other side of the strait, the Maiden’s Tower and the domes and minarets of Old Town. And the view only gets better as you walk outside. The hotel’s patio boasts a pool and whirlpool (not to mention direct boat access if you like to arrive in style). At Aqua—the hotel’s signature restaurant with name-appropriate design touches such as blue glassware and light fixtures—inside tables have views of the Bosphorus and the outdoor terrace lets you dine at the water’s edge.
5. Anjelique
Part restaurant, part nightclub, Anjelique sits on the Bosphorus waterfront in a three-story mansion. Located in Istanbul’s Ortaköy area—known for its nightlife—the glossy restaurant serves Asian cuisine on the first floor and Mediterranean fare on the upper two levels. Aside from entrées such as porcini mushroom and truffle risotto, you can nosh on bar food like crispy duck wraps and vegetable quesadillas. The airy space on the sea level opens up onto an outdoor deck and dance floor with a long fire pit, and inside, massive windows give you ample opportunities to check out the lights of the city’s skyline and the water below. An ever-changing rotation of DJs spin tunes—a different style on each floor—into the early hours of the morning. —Caroline Patek
