WORDS: GABRIELLE JAFFE. PHOTOGRAPHS: MIGOL/SHUTTERSTOCK, SECOND CITY/KIRSTEN MICCOLI,DIAK/SHUTTERSTOCK, EFESENKO/GETTY IMAGES, BERTRAND GARDEL/HEMIS/ALAMY, ERIC LAFFORGUEIstanbul is the only major city
to straddle two continents. But
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European side, where the big
sights like the Hagia Sophia
and Blue Mosque are. It’s worth
crossing the Bosphorus to the
more residential Asian shores,
however – especially given that
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ferry away and the trip gives
some of the best views of the city’s skyline.
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neighbourhood surrounding the boat
terminal, has transformed. Now local
institutions such as the Produce Market,
with its alluring stands of olives and Turkish
delight, and Koço, a restaurant that’s served
seafood mezes since the 1920s
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ArtHere(arthereistanbul.com).Kadife Sokak,
meanwhile, is so jumping after dark it’s
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ARRIVETurkishAirlinesfliesfrommultiple
UK cities(from £122; turkishairlines.com).
STAYIn the heart of Kadıköy on a cobbled
back street, Sarniç Suits and Kitchen’s six
bedrooms are cosily furnished with antiques
(from £38; sarnicsuitsandkitchen.com).49
Explore
Istanbul’s other
side
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Beirut seems engineered for al fresco drinking. After lounging at the
beach clubs and taking in history at the National Museum, head out
to see the city at its hedonistic best. First choices for rooftop tipples
include Iris, where Beirut’s most glamorous see out the night, Aperol
spritzes in hand,(fb.com/Irisbeirut), or, at the other end of the price
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Hostelƺ1 '̭% 0"#,1Ɵ!-+ƻ. But arguably the city’s best view is closer
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looking out to Pigeons Rock sea stack(alfalamanki.com).
ARRIVEFly to Beirut on Middle East Airlines(from £280; mea.com.lb).
STAYA fig-shaded terrace and bar lined with vintage photos make
Hotel Albergo a characterful stay(from £188; albergobeirut.com).Whitewashed walls juxtaposed
with blue doors, trailing
bougainvillea and clifftop sea
views – you’d be forgiven for
thinking this was Santorini.
Thankfully Sidi Bou Saïd is far
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cousin. Drawn by the Tunisian
seaside’s brilliant light and
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and writers such as Henri
Matisse and Simone de
Beauvoir came here during
the era of French rule. Today,
cobbled streets, hidden
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and galleries showcasing the
contemporary Tunisian art
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ƺ$ !# --)Ɵ!-+ƶ %-0%'ƻ,make
the perfect setting to practise
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strolling, introduced by the
French and embraced by the
locals. Fuel your weekend of
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known as bombalouni.
ARRIVEAirFrancefliestoTunis
via Paris from multiple UK cities
(from £210; airfrance.co.uk).
From there, it’s a 30-minute
train, or a taxi.
STAYDar Said has intricately
tiled rooms, a marble-floored
hammam and an orange
tree-fringed pool(from £132;
darsaid.com.tn).48
Learn the art
of strolling in
Sidi Bou Saïd,
Tuni s ia
47
Drink with a
view in Beirut,
Lebanon