Istanbul holiday focus

Istanbul 's heart beats fastest along Istiklal Caddesi, whose narrow back streets are home to a reputed 1000 bars. Most guides will tell you to head for Cicek Pasaj (flower passage), a safe bet, but where it's really at is one street down - Balik pasaj. Like jumping into a kaleidoscope, every sense is overloaded with a collision of sound, smells, colour and of course people. You'd be forgiven for thinking that you'd accidentally wandered into a fish market, but just keep going and soon enough the market stalls give way to tables.

This is the meyhane (tavern) capital of Istanbul, and the place to crack open a bottle of raki and put the world to rights while working your way through endless meze . One of the oldest meyhane (and Ataurk's favourite) is Cumhuryiet, and although the downstairs looks fairly lifeless, upstairs is a riot. If you're still standing and fancy another tipple, see if you can find the bohemian Secret Garden . Living up to its name, it doesn't have a sign, is down a couple of back streets, through a few doors, up some stairs and so on. ask!

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