Every time I visit Istanbul, it feels like the first. During my stay this summer, I was able to see a whole new side of the city. I stayed at Çırağan Palace Kempinski, a former palace, in a dreamy room overlooking the Bosphorus and spent my days shopping at the Grand Bazaar, visiting a hammam, and eating at some of the world’s most celebrated Mediterranean restaurants. The city combines the best of the old and the new. Simone, a buzzy new rooftop spot, is a must-visit, but no trip is complete without a trip to the Hagia Sophia. I was lucky enough to get recommendations from Sinan Sökmen, co-editor of Monday to Sunday Istanbul and founder of Istanbul Tour Studio, and designer Dilara Findikoglu, both Istanbul natives with an incredible understanding of the city’s pulse. They made my trip extraordinary, and I hope yours will be too.
—Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief
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