Beşiktaş, Istanbul

Beşiktaş stretches along the European shore of the Bosphorus just north of Kabataş. In Byzantine times the bay was known as Diplokionion, "the double column", after a pair of columns that marked its harbour. The Turkish name is often linked to stories of five stones (beş taş) used for mooring or of a cradle-shaped stone (beşik taş), but its true origin is uncertain.

The quarter's great Ottoman figure is the admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa (Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha), who gathered his fleet here and was buried in 1546 in a tomb designed by Mimar Sinan on the shore beside today's ferry pier. Sinan also built the nearby Sinan Pasha Mosque in 1555. Over the following centuries sultans added waterfront pavilions and gardens, turning Beşiktaş into an imperial suburb.

The 19th century made it the seat of the empire. Sultan Abdülmecid left Topkapı for the new Dolmabahçe Palace, completed in 1856 by the architects Garabet and Nigoğos Balyan on reclaimed land – dolmabahçe means "filled-in garden". Sultan Abdülaziz added the waterfront Çırağan Palace in 1871, and Abdülhamid II ruled from the hillside Yıldız Palace, whose wooded grounds are now Yıldız Park. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk died at Dolmabahçe on 10 November 1938; the clocks in the palace were stopped at 9:05, the time of his death.

In the Republican era Beşiktaş grew into a busy transport hub and residential district. Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club, founded in 1903, is one of Turkey's oldest sports clubs, and the Naval Museum, established in 1897, moved into a new building by the pier in 2013. Çırağan Palace, gutted by fire in 1910, was restored as a luxury hotel in the early 1990s.

Begin with Dolmabahçe Palace: the state rooms of the Selamlık and the Harem, the crystal staircase and the Ceremonial Hall with its 4.5-tonne chandelier are the highlights. The ornate Dolmabahçe Clock Tower and Dolmabahçe Mosque stand next to the palace gardens. Arrive early, as visitor numbers are limited and the palace is closed on Mondays.

Walk along the shore past Barbarossa's tomb and statue to the Naval Museum, which displays imperial caiques, ship models and Ottoman maritime history. Behind the pier, the Beşiktaş çarşı is a maze of fish stalls, meyhanes, student bars and cafés, and the streets around the fish market are famous for long weekend breakfasts.

Uphill, Yıldız Park offers shaded paths, ponds and Ottoman pavilions such as the Malta and Çadır kiosks. Further north along Çırağan Avenue are the palace hotel and the village of Ortaköy. The Akaretler Row Houses, built in 1875 for palace staff, now hold boutiques and restaurants, and the Ihlamur Pavilion is a short ride inland.

From the pier, ferries cross to Üsküdar and Kadıköy throughout the day – an inexpensive way to enjoy the Bosphorus at sunset. On football match days around the stadium, expect crowds and road closures.

For a classic local evening, combine a ferry ride with dinner at a meyhane in the çarşı and a walk along the illuminated waterfront.

The T1 tram ends at Kabataş, a 10-minute walk from Dolmabahçe Palace; the F1 funicular links Kabataş with Taksim. Frequent buses run along the coast road to Beşiktaş and Ortaköy, and ferries connect Beşiktaş pier with Üsküdar and Kadıköy. Dolmabahçe Palace is closed on Mondays and photography is restricted inside, so plan your visit accordingly.

Dress modestly for mosques. The çarşı is lively until late at night, so choose a hotel on a side street if you want quiet. On match days traffic slows down considerably, and the ferry is often the fastest way to get around.