Discover the hotels with the best nightlife in Istanbul, Turkey

Climbing the hills around the Golden Horn and overlooking the beautiful Bosphorus, Istanbul cradles the wonders of the Ottoman and Byzantine empires, from the breathtaking Topkapi Palace where sultans and their harems redefined the word ‘decadence’, to the looming Hagia Sophia – part cathedral, part mosque and totally breathtaking. Today, the indulgent lifestyle once enjoyed only behind closed palace doors is available on every gilded street. Istanbul has some of the coolest bars and clubs – whichever continent you’re standing in – as well as fashion-forward shops and delicious cuisine fit for a sultan himself. Before visiting be sure to apply for your Visa online; from 10 April 2014 the traditional entry Visas are being given the heave-ho in favour of e-Visas. The online application costs US$20 a person (www.evisa.gov.tr).