Turkey. The Çırağan Palace of the Istanbul sultans on the Bosphorus shore

It was Grand Vizier Damat Ibrahim Pasha who had Çırağan Palace built on the Bosphorus shore as a gift for his wife Fatma Sultan, daughter of the Ottoman sultan. The fame of this opulent residence was enhanced during the 17th century by the choice of numerous sultans to live there together with the entire imperial harem. The name Çırağan derives from the colourful lanterns that were lit in its gardens during lavish festivities. This palace, which embodies the splendour of the tulip era, features an architecture composed of a harmony of styles, whose wooden doors richly inlaid with mother-of-pearl and symphony of stone arches struck the imagination of even the French Empress Eugenie, who perhaps consummated a liaison with the Turkish Sultan Abdülaziz in these rooms. Although a fire resulted in the irretrievable loss of Murad V's legendary library and numerous paintings signed by Rembrandt, the historical part of this hotel, flagship of the Kempinski hotel chain, is still a gem reflected in the Bosphorus. In particular, breakfast and brunch include sumptuous banquets. Strolling in the garden, one is captivated by the rocking passage of the Şehir Hatları ferries that leave a trail of light on the water during the evening. Then, in a few minutes, you can reach the 19th-century Dolmabahce Palace, administrative hub of the Ottoman Empire, the legendary Topkapi Palace, the Basilica Cistern with its columns lapped by the water, the medieval Galata Tower that served as an observation and control station on the Golden Horn, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque with its blue interior and many other wonders of this city that has in its covered bazaars and ancient churches such as Hagia Sophia the symbols of its multicultural soul.