It’s easy enough to check off the main sites in a weekend, so linger for a few more days to island hop around the sleepy nearby Elafiti Islands or explore Lokrum, a pretty islet and nature reserve within kayaking distance of the shore. From the ramparts of the UNESCO-protected, terracotta-hued Old Town, views peek down to pine-studded pebbly beaches (a honeypot for sun-seeking locals) and boats bobbing in the harbour – making this the perfect city break with a slice of sea too. With its shiny limestone streets and hotch-potch of medieval, renaissance and grand baroque architecture, lost-in-time Dubrovnik – one of Europe's best-preserved walled cities – has a cinematic beauty to it. Think panoramic city views and Portuguese elegance encased in a 17th-century palace. Where to stay in Lisbon: For grandeur and glamour, The Lumiares is the place to book. You’re never short of views here either – best sucked in at sunset from one of the many lookout points, when that famous Lisbon light bounces off terracotta rooftops before sinking behind the seven hills cradling the city. By far the most fun way to explore is by hopping on a canary-yellow tram if you ride just one, make in number 28, which trundles through some of Lisbon’s most beguiling ancient barrios. ![]() This is Europe’s second oldest capital (after Athens) and history resonates everywhere – from the tapestry of cobbled streets to the ramparts of São Jorge Castle, the most distinct feature on the city skyline. And it’s easy to see why so many fall for this colourful Portuguese city, packed with beautiful old buildings painted in warm ochre and blushing pink, grand façades lined with glossy azulejos and elegant rococo squares draped in blousy bougainvillaea. Lisbon's been having a moment for some years now. Cells are now luxurious rooms, and the restaurants are dining destinations in themselves head to Süreyya Teras Lounge for cocktails against a backdrop of the Hagia Sophia as its dome glistens at golden hour. Built in the early 20th century, it was the first jailhouse in the heart of the Ottoman Empire. ![]() Where to stay in Istanbul: The Four Seasons Hotel at Sultanahmet is now one of Istanbul’s grandest hotels – but the building has a fascinating history. Galata Tower is one of the best places to see Constantinople from above, with restored religious monuments and modern city blocks reflecting the sun’s rays side-by-side. On the Bosphorus Strait, day boats, passenger ferries and cargo ships chug through the murky waters past some of Turkey’s most opulent hotels, sprawling parks, and myriad minarets – the call to prayer echoing out into the heavens. Sultanahmet is where many of the city’s famous attractions are, from the church-turned-mosque Hagia Sophia to the spectacular Blue Mosque visit at night to see the religious site illuminated in cyan light. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and Ottomans have all left their stamp on the world’s only bicontinental city, leaving fascinating imprints still visible today. ![]() Neolithic artefacts found on archaeological digs suggest the Gateway to Asia has been occupied for more than 2,500 years.
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