by Tony Huffman, Founder & Chairman

In my opinion, there’s never been a better time to visit this exotic, chic, urban metropolis that sits clearly on the Bosphorus Straits that divide Europe and Asia. With a major downturn in tourism in 2016, you will find the value hard to believe, but what will keep you coming back is the rich culture, history and above all, the warm welcome from the people you encounter.

My wife and I had the pleasure of living in Istanbul for over three years in the early 1970s, and it has stuck with us ever since. The culture, history, and people have drawn us back for annual visits; however, before returning this October, it had been almost three years since we were last in Istanbul.

You can imagine many people advised us against returning because of the political turmoil, yet we found Istanbul largely unchanged and totally safe. We visited Turkish friends, ate at our favorite Ottoman restaurants, shopped until we dropped, and enjoyed the hospitality of the remarkable hotels. This time we stayed at the Four Seasons Bosphorus. Our room, in the “palace” section of the hotel, was beautiful, with amazing views across the sea onto the Asian side of Istanbul.

The weather is great almost all year — with Spring and Fall being the most exceptional times to visit. We were there on October 29, the 94th anniversary of Turkey becoming a Republic, and we were happy to see the city alive with celebration!

An insider’s Istanbul

• Istanbul is known for its wide array of fabulous restaurants. On this trip, we dined with Turkish friends at a hot new restaurant in the Karakoy area. Mürver has a great location overlooking the water and the food is world class. Do not miss eating here.

• Istanbul is a shopper’s paradise, known for its high-quality fake designer fashion. Our favorite for ladies handbags is “Kum,” located just outside the Grand Bazaar. The shop is hard to find, so let me know when you go so I can get you there.

• No trip to Istanbul would be complete without seeing the city from the water. One may do this by private boat, or by experiencing the views from a public ferry like the locals do.

• In addition to Istanbul, your trip should also include visits to historic Cappadocia and Ephusus. The ultimate itinerary should include a week on a chartered Turkish sailing boat, called a Gulet, embarking from the beautiful southern coast town of Bodrum, known as the jewel of the Turkish Riviera.