Bosphorus Archives - TRAVELIFE Magazine https://www.travelifemagazine.com/tag/bosphorus/ Travel Magazine for Asian Luxury Travelers Tue, 20 Feb 2018 17:14:21 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 https://www.travelifemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/travelife-2-90x90.jpg Bosphorus Archives - TRAVELIFE Magazine https://www.travelifemagazine.com/tag/bosphorus/ 32 32 A relaxing holiday at the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Bosphorus https://www.travelifemagazine.com/what-relaxing-holiday-looks-like-a/ https://www.travelifemagazine.com/what-relaxing-holiday-looks-like-a/#comments Sat, 16 Dec 2017 16:30:00 +0000 https://www.travelifemagazine.com/what-relaxing-holiday-looks-like-a/ The Bosphorus is synonymous with the romance of Istanbul, a city straddling Europe and Asia and yet anchored on the waters that flow in from the Black Sea and eventually rush out to the Sea of Marmara. Right on the Bosphorus, you will find the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus, one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul. At the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus, one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at […]

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]]> The Bosphorus is synonymous with the romance of Istanbul, a city straddling Europe and Asia and yet anchored on the waters that flow in from the Black Sea and eventually rush out to the Sea of Marmara. Right on the Bosphorus, you will find the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus, one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul.

At the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus,
one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul

The Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus sits regally like a beautiful lady of the Ottoman Empire, practically a destination in itself, especially for frequent travelers to Istanbul like myself who wish to revisit the city in relaxed style.

I’d been to Turkey many times before; so on this particular trip, all I wanted to do was walk around the old neighborhoods of Galata and Karakoy discovering quirky shops and cool cafes, visit the Istanbul Modern, and then spend the rest of the time on R&R right by one of the most strategic waterways in the world.

At the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus,
one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul

The convenient location of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, near  historic sights of Bosphorus and also comfortably away from the hustle and bustle, is most ideal for a relaxing holiday in Istanbul.

BACK IN TIME
At the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus,
one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul

For my stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, I chose a second floor Palace Bosphorus room which is one of the most attractive rooms in the hotel. Located in the historic main building, a 19th century former Ottoman palace, it still had remnants of its grand old self, with unusually high ceilings and old-fashioned windows facing the Bosphorus so that I could see the Asian side of Istanbul and the Maiden tower in the distance.

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Meanwhile the interiors were classic Turkish turn-of-the-century in feel – dark furniture and plush fabrics – although with all the magical gadgets of modern technology.

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Bosphorus
THE BEST PART OF THE DAY

Within this oasis, one of my favorite rituals was eating at the delicious breakfast buffet at Aqua, the contemporary Italian restaurant of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Bosphorus. 

It has a wonderful breakfast buffet, all kinds of fresh juices including my all-time favorite fresh pomegranate juice, full of anti-oxidants, and there’s a lovely Turkish lady who makes a Turkish specialty of beef and flour pancake nearby. I always order this Turkish pancake and ask her to put a little chili in.

Breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Bosphorus

I began my days in a wonderfully languid fashion at this sleek but cheerful venue, with freshly pressed pomegranate juice and a typical Turkish breakfast of assorted cheeses, clotted cream, olives, honey and breads.

Baklava at the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus,
one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul

The spa had a wide range of treatments but I just had to book the Turkish hammam experience on one of these spa days, of course. 

This Turkish hammam experience began with a short steam treatment followed by a body scrub, foaming wash and massage that ended just in time for afternoon tea in the hotel gardens where tables are set up right next to the sea so that on a beautifully sunny afternoon this was just about the best place to be in Istanbul.

At the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus,
one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul

Then, just like the pace of everything else in Istanbul, a city full of moments worth savoring slowly that slip by all too quickly, we were soon reluctantly calling it a day. All the while sitting at the same spot outdoors, afternoon tea seamlessly turned into sunset cocktails; and then darkness crept in and we walked back to Aqua for an authentic Italian dinner of pasta, steaks and gelato cooked by Istanbul’s best Italian chef.

At the Four Seasons Istanbul at the Bosphorus,
one of the most luxurious hotels in Istanbul

We’d been so mesmerized by our VIP seat on the grand show that is life on the Bosphorus – one of the greatest attractions of Istanbul – that, ironically, the hours had ever so wonderfully slipped by unnoticed. And this is how it was everyday for the rest of our stay as well, until it was time to say goodbye to Istanbul and to the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus.

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]]> https://www.travelifemagazine.com/what-relaxing-holiday-looks-like-a/feed/ 6 How to charter a yacht in Istanbul and about vintage cars https://www.travelifemagazine.com/where-to-charter-yacht-in-istanbul-and/ https://www.travelifemagazine.com/where-to-charter-yacht-in-istanbul-and/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2016 15:28:00 +0000 https://www.travelifemagazine.com/where-to-charter-yacht-in-istanbul-and/ In Istanbul, onboard the most perfect yacht for 2 (or 20 or 30!)chartered from LuxuryIstanbul.com This post is about how to charter a yacht in Istanbul and about vintage cars. In Istanbul for my pre-birthday week just last month, living a most wonderful #Travelife, Mr. X had the most wonderful idea to charter a private yacht in Istanbul to sail around the Bosphorus for a day or two while we were staying right in the middle of the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, […]

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In Istanbul, onboard the most perfect yacht for 2 (or 20 or 30!)
chartered from LuxuryIstanbul.com
This post is about how to charter a yacht in Istanbul and about vintage cars.

In Istanbul for my pre-birthday week just last month, living a most wonderful #Travelife, Mr. X had the most wonderful idea to charter a private yacht in Istanbul to sail around the Bosphorus for a day or two while we were staying right in the middle of the Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, considered perhaps the most special hotel in Istanbul.
Scroll down to read more…

THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN ISTANBUL INCLUDE

ASITANE 

AND MEZE BY LEMON TREE

It’s lovely to stay at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet because you absolutely don’t need a car except perhaps to take you to Meze by Lemon Tree, a restaurant across Galata Bridge, or to the famous Asitane Restaurant near the Chora Museum for dinner sometimes. Or to visit the Istanbul Modern. 
Otherwise, almost everything ancient and important is in the Sultanahmet area and you can completely avoid the traffic of Istanbul.

WHERE TO CHARTER A YACHT IN ISTANBUL

I left the yacht search to him and this is how he found LuxuryIstanbul.com, a luxury travel company that offers travel services in Istanbul including where to charter a yacht in Istanbul. There were several yachts to choose from, and Mr. X chose a yacht that was good for a party of 30, even if we were only 2. 
The boat was anchored just off the Sultanahmet pier, so we simply walked down from the Four Seasons Sultanahmet for about five minutes to the sea, and there our boat and crew were waiting for us. It was love at first sight for me, with this yacht that was neither too small nor too big. 
I don’t need size but I do like perfect fittings, and this was a very comfortable boat with a great crew.

SAILING AROUND THE GOLDEN HORN

“Where would you like to go?” The yacht captain asked. 
Yes, with a private yacht in Istanbul, you can go around wherever you wish, stop wherever you want and basically do anything your heart desires. I wanted to sail to the Black Sea but at the last minute we decided to sail through the Golden Horn first as so few tourists really get to go this way.
This was how we found this garage full of vintage cars owned by one of the richest men in Turkey, just somewhere along the Golden Horn. It looked so interesting just from the water, because there were vintage boats docked by the pier and further inside we could already see gleaming vintage cars.

DISCOVERING A COLLECTION OF

VINTAGE CARS AND VINTAGE BOATS

IN ISTANBUL

“Let’s stop there, please,” I said. I didn’t even know if strangers could walk into this place we’d spotted from the water, but it had a dock to park the yacht so at least we could try.
What a gem of a place this turned out to be, with a dock full of vintage boats and an air-conditioned garage of the most amazing vintage cars I’d ever seen. They were all impeccably maintained, too.
“Who owns this place?” I whispered to someone.
The answer came back: “One of the richest men in Turkey.“

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