Istanbul

Istanbul's Galataport terminal is built underground along the waterfront, and the walk through it is longer than you'd expect. Once outside, the Galata Bridge is about a 10-minute stroll along the water. Its lower level has fish restaurants, and the upper deck gives you views toward Sultanahmet on one side and Karaköy on the other. The tram from the nearby stop runs straight to the historic centre. Sultanahmet has the major sites packed close together: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Basilica Cistern. The Grand Bazaar is a few blocks further and genuinely overwhelming in size. Cover shoulders and knees for mosque visits. For food, start with a simit and Turkish coffee from a street vendor, then try meze at a meyhane in Beyoğlu. Use an Istanbulkart for the tram and metro. Insist on the meter in taxis.