- Take a ferry from Europe to Asia (and back again, because you were only trying to get to Besiktas anyway)
- Take a tram through the city walls, down past the famous sights of the old city, across the Galata Bridge and the Golden Horn, all the way to Kabatas (because that's the route of the tram, on the way back from the airport)
- Buy and eat Balik Ekmek (Fish Bread) from a street-seller, for only £1.50, and be surprised how good it is
- Find a special souvenir in the Grand Bazaar, and haggle the price ("Chok pahaluh!" (Very expensive), "Ujuz, ujuz.." (cheap, cheap)[sic])
- Locate the Grand Bazaar coach inn, and take in the stunning views of across Istanbul, the Golden Horn, and the Bosphorus from the roof
- Be actually awed by the spectacle of the Basilica Cistern, a Roman underground reservoir built with over 300 columns, stolen from the Greeks (Did anyone else wonder where all those aquaducts went to?)
- Take the many steps to the top of the Galata Tower, one of Istanbul's old fire-towers, for great views across Beyoglu, to Sultanahmet, and across the water, to Usukudar and Kadikoy
- Use the fast, efficient, incredibly cheap, clean, (mostly) brand new metro system, and wonder why there's hardly anyone on it, and why, why do Istanbullus love their cars so much, considering the traffic (lazy? love their creature comforts? snobbish?)
- Walk alongside the Bosphorus from poncey Bibek to Sultan Mehmed's 15th century Rumeli Hisari
- Run from Bebek to Arnavutkoy, marvelling at the view whilst avoiding all the fishing poles
- Check out the authentic Ottoman mansions in the back streets of Arnavutkoy, and stop off for a drink and a feed at ANY meyhane
- Find the print shop in Ortakoy and buy a mounted Orient Express poster reproduction for £2, or treat yourself with an original print
- Have lunch or dinner on the top terrace at Epope in Ortakoy
- Have bira and an apple-flavour nargile at street level at Epope in Ortakoy
- Find a bar in the streets of Besiktas (be careful you don't have too many Efes)
- Go shopping at one of the three malls (in a row) in Levent
- Ask the barmen at Sponge Pub if any of them are called Robert, and wear boxer shorts
- Don't bother with cocktails at the Grand in Tarabya; overpriced and underprepared (despite the wait)
- Go for Thai at Cok, cok (pronounced Chok, chok) in Sisli (pronounced Shishli)
- Explore the modern side of art at Istanbul Modern, and then try something traditional which isn't a kebab at Karakoy Lokantasi, in Tophane
- Try something traditional (which is a kebab) at Hamdi's, overlooking the 'Horn and the Bosph'
- Find some expats to play football with, and then realise they all speak Turkish
