Arnavutköy

Istanbul, Turkey

Arnavutköy Albanian Village, by its full name, was actually Armenian and Greek under the Ottoman rule. Currently, it is a posh neighborhood on Bosphorus, with beautiful wooden Ottoman mansions and boats lining the crystal blue waterfront.

Full of cafes, nightclubs and a parade of sport cars, Arnavutköy is a nice place for a walk along the water. On weekends, people watching is in order as it is full of people wandering up and down, while many others are stationary fishing from the embankment.

Look for the striking Monument of Atatürk, across the street is a small rooftop cafe, perfect for an afternoon tea and Bosphorus view.