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A palace fit for a sultan, several wives, hundreds of concubines and thousands of retainers, the Topkapı was not only a royal residence, but also the Ottoman Empire’s centre of government (see Topkapı Palace ).

One of the greatest icons of the Christian church, Haghia Sophia has stood for 1,500 years – a miraculous feat of design and engineering that has survived fire, war and earthquake, and outlived two great empires (see Haghia Sophia ).

Sultan Ahmet I’s great mosque is one of the world’s most famous religious buildings – “blue“ on account of the delicately patterned İznik tiles which adorn the interior (see Blue Mosque ).

Turkey’s world-class national collection, which remarkably was begun only in the mid-19th century, contains ancient treasures from across the length and breadth of the Ottoman Empire and beyond, including artifacts from Babylon, Syria, Egypt, Greece, Rome and Persia (see Archaeological Museum ).

More mall than market since its last restoration, the Grand Bazaar remains a true Turkish delight, a shopaholic’s colourful fantasy that is also a photographer’s dream. Whether you are after a Hereke carpet or a pair of silk slippers, you will be satisfied here – in the bazaar at the western end of the Silk Road (see Grand Bazaar ).

Sultan Süleyman I, the Ottomans’ greatest emperor, and Sinan, the empire’s most talented architect, created more than 400 buildings together. This imposing mosque is their masterwork (see Süleymaniye Mosque ).

With more than 100 profoundly beautiful early-14th-century mosaics and frescoes of biblical scenes, this church is one of the greatest of Istanbul’s many Byzantine treasures (see Church of St Saviour in Chora ).

The perfect way to recuperate from an overdose of sightseeing is to steam gently beneath the marble domes of a traditional Turkish bath before allowing an attendant to massage those aching feet. The experience is cleansing, cultural and reviving (see Çemberlitaş Baths ).

This 19th-century Occidental fantasy was a key component in the downfall of the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Abdül Mecit’s decision to build a lavishly opulent European-style palace almost bankrupted the Treasury, and in the end could be financed only by foreign loans (see Dolmabahçe Palace ).

Take to the water on a ferry trip up the Bosphorus, and enjoy a fabulously lazy day off. The air is clean, the pace unhurried and, best of all, sightseeing can be done from the deck, with the promise of a great lunch ahead (see Bosphorus Cruise ).