THE BOSPHORUS

I love the Bosporus, at any time of the day ... as shown here at 7am, in fog with a lone vessel on her crossing and later in the day, at 7pm on the waterfront, at Zuma, from the same restaurant chain as the one at the Landmark Mandarin.

If you have the time you should try to walk up and down the Strait. Using the Spice Market on the Golden Horn as a starting point, you can go South towards the Topkapi Palace or better still, go North where you can, technically, reach the mouth of the Black Sea ... it will probably take a whole day though.  I love walking along the shores, to me this is the best way to see, to smell, and to touch Istanbul via the subculture, the villages, the people, the mood, the street foods, and everything Turkish. Try it, if you want best value, for free!