East literally meets West in Istanbul. (Have tea in Asia, dinner in Europe). The dollar’s strong — and the mosque’s early wake-up call is a small price to pay for a stunning minaret-dotted skyline. Assuming you’ve even gone to bed. They party there. Go rested.

Nest
Hotel Pera Palas hasn’t changed much since Mata Hari knew it. Agatha Christie wrote and slept here, so did Jackie O. and Hemingway. Room 101 is a shrine to founding father Kemal Atatürk. The up-and-coming Beyoglu district is nearby (Mesrutiyet Cad. #98-100, Tepebasi; +90-212-251-45-60).

For 21st-century comfort in 19th-century wrapping, stay at Anemon Galata, which has stunning views of the Bosphorus and the Galata Tower (Bereketzade Mahallesi Büyükhendek, Caddesi Kuledibi; +90-212-293-2343).

Bentley Hotel is boutique 101: Milanese architects, minimalist decor, lobby DJs, and in-room perks like espresso machines (Halaskargazi Caddesi #75, Beyoglu; +90-212-291-7730).

Ingest
Hamdi serves the best Turkish food in town. (And that’s saying something.) No need to order unless you’re vegetarian; they’ll just bring on the mezze. (Ask for extra pistachio-and-opium kebabs.) The roof deck is a scenic double whammy: the Suleiman Mosque and the Golden Horn estuary (Tahmis Caddesi, Kalcin Sokak #17; +90-212-528-0390).

Have tarhana corbasi (lentil soup) and mantisi (dumplings) for lunch at Ficcin. The cuisine is Circassian, from the Russian region that was famous during the Ottoman Empire as a source of harem recruits. Three courses cost a trifle more than a Starbucks visit back home. Much cheaper than a eunuch (Kallavi Sokak #13/1, just off of Istiklal; +90-212 293-3786).

The young and trendy hit 360 (as in -degree views) for modern Turkish cuisine. The bar manager likes to serenade guests, which helps make the lounge a great place to start the evening (Istiklal Caddesi, Misir Apartmam #32/309, Apt K:8; +90-212-251-1042).

It’s more traditional at Rakici, where musicians play fasil music as waiters serve the best hummus you’ve ever had (Asmalimescit Sofyali Sokak #5/1, Beyoglu; +90-212-249-6979).

Something lighter? Kaffeéhaus serves soups, salads, fruit shakes, and ten types of coffee (Tünel Meydan #4, Beyoglu; +90-212-245-4028).

Feeling hungry and disheveled? Have a snack, a drink, a trim, and a manicure at Gitane, a salon/cafe/bar on beautiful “French Street” alley (Fransiz Sokagi, Cezayir Sokak #3, Galatasaray; +90-212-245-9262).

Invest
Leave without hitting the Grand Bazaar? That’s like skipping the coffee. Find jewelry, glassware, tableware, and the must-have souvenir: handmade Turkish carpets. Looking for something specific? Don’t be surprised if the merchant offers you apple tea and dispenses lackeys to raid other stalls to find it. Strategize before you go at yurdan.com (Divan Yolu Caddesi #16 Sultanahmet; +90-212-511-6529).

Digress
Stop for a drink along Asmalimescit Street in Beyoglu, off the main shopping vein of Istiklal. The locals hang at Cafe Kino (Asmalimescit Sofyali Sokok #4C, Tünel; +90-212-245-00-10) and Pacific Bar, which is right next door.

You drank. You rugged. You’re tired. Recover at Cagaloglu Hamami, the gorgeous Turkish bathhouse where Cameron Diaz, Omar Sharif, and Indiana Jones go for steam and massage.

Talk about Turkish delights.