The 5.Kat (Beşinci Kat) rooftop terrace bar and restaurant in Istanbul still has two small covered parts: one is this small cozy kiosk, the other is the bar area. But rest assure, from both places you can still see the sun set over the Bosphorus.

This the bar at the open rooftop terrace of 5.Kat (Beşinici Kat) in Chihangir, Istanbul. During the summertime, you can enjoy a variety of drinks prepared by the xcellent bar staff, including an excellent selection of cocktails.

The 5.Kat (Beşinci Kat) rooftop bar and restaurant in Istanbul is the ideal place to enjoy food and/or drinks while overlooking the Bosphorus and Sultanahmet. It is located in the modern part of Istanbul, on the fifth floor in Cihangir backstreet, only a 10 minute walk from Taksim Square.

The Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçce Sarayı) by night and taken while enjoying a Scenic Bosphorus Tour. Dolmabahçe Palace is the biggest mono-block palace in Turkey.

The Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı) was built in 1861 as the summer residence of Sultan Abdülaziz. Pay special attention to the two extraordinary marble bathing pavilions at both ends on the shore: one for men and the other for the harem women.

The Leander’s Tower (Kız Kulesi) is the white tower standing proud on the small island in the middle of the Bosphorus. Where it used to be a  lighthouse, today it serves as an expensive café and restaurant, with a nice view of course.

The Çırağan Palace (Çırağan Sarayı) in Istanbul was the last of the Ottoman imperial palaces. After a big fire in 1910, it was restored in 1989 and now serves as luxurious 5-star hotel. (Photo credit: Randomil)

Ok, this is not immediately an area you’ll find yourself wandering around in as a city trip tourist, but it just shows that Istanbul has more to offer than the beaten path. Büyükçekmece is located in a northern bay of the Sea of Marmara, almost the same distance from the airport to the city center, but in the opposite direction. It’s still very much Istanbul, has cleaner air, is more laid-back and has plenty of seaside animation (and swimming facilities) during the summer time.

The Imperial Treasury (Hazine) of Topkapi Palace is now included in the general admission ticket and well worth a visit. It has a vast collection of art, jewelry and precious stones on display in three rooms. The second room holds the greatest pieces, with this Topkapi dagger as the star of the show. It is a golden hilt, ornamented with three large emeralds, topped by a golden watch and emerald lid.

Visiting the Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) in Istanbul will take at least half a day, more if you’re thorough. The final version of the palace covered an area of 700.000 m² and was home to as many as 4.000 people.