PLAN YOUR TRIP - Istanbul - page 14

What's New
Aya Sofya Restoration
They've taken 17 years to finish, so it's not surprising that the restoration works recently
completed under the auspices of Unesco in the city's Byzantine basilica have been raptur-
ously received. The atmospheric Ottoman-era chandeliers have been reinstated; a re-dis-
covered and restored mosaic of a seraph (angel) has been unveiled; and the attached tombs
of the Ottoman sultans have been restored and opened to the public ( CLICK HERE ).
SALT Cultural Centres
Housed in cleverly adapted historic buildings, the SALT centres in Galata and Beyoğlu
have joined the city's ever-growing portfolio of privately endowed contemporary art mu-
seums, and done so in style ( CLICK HERE and CLICK HERE ).
Foodie Tours
Foodies have been clamouring to topic a spot on the culinary walks around the Old City,
Beyoğlu and 'Little Urfa' (Aksaray) offered by the dedicated food bloggers at Culinary
Backstreets ( CLICK HERE ).
Museum of Innocence
Is it a museum or a piece of conceptual art? Visit Orhan Pamuk's museum celebrating the
novel of the same name to make up your mind ( CLICK HERE ).
Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı
Reopened with great fanfare after a three-year, US$13 million restoration, this 16th-century
hamam is one of the city's most beautiful Ottoman-era buildings ( CLICK HERE ).
Museum Pass İstanbul
Representing a possible saving of 36 on museum entries and allowing the holder to by-
pass admission queues, this discount pass is well worth considering ( CLICK HERE ).
Pera Palace Hotel
İstanbul's most famous hotel has reopened after a €23 million renovation and features pub-
lic spaces including a bar, patisserie, tea lounge and restaurant ( CLICK HERE ).