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.

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.