Hıdiv Kasrı

Lonely Planet review

High on a promontory above Kanlıca is Hıdiv Kasrı, a grand Art Nouveau villa built by the last khedive of Egypt as a summer residence for use during his family's annual visits to İstanbul.

Having ruled Egypt for centuries, in 1805 the Ottomans lost control to an adventurer named Muhammed Ali (also known as Mehmet Ali), who defied the sultan in İstanbul to dislodge him. The sultan, unable to do so, gave him quasi-independence and had to be satisfied with reigning over Egypt rather than ruling. This was left to Muhammed Ali and his line, and the ruler of Egypt was styled hıdiv, 'khedive' (not 'king', as that would be unbearably independent). The khedives of Egypt kept up the pretence of Ottoman suzerainty by paying tribute to İstanbul.

The Egyptian royal family, which looked upon itself as Turkish, often spent its summers in a traditional yalı on the Bosphorus shore at Bebek (now the Egyptian consulate). In 1906, Khedive Abbas Hilmi II built himself this palatial villa on the most dramatic promontory on the Bosphorus. In the 1930s it became the property of the municipality.

Restored after decades of neglect, the Hıdiv Kasrı now functions as a restaurant and garden café, much to the delight of İstanbullus and tourists alike. The villa is a gem and the view from the extensive and lovely garden is superb.

The villa is a few minutes by taxi (around YTL4 ) uphill from Kanlıca or a 20-minute walk. To walk, go north from Kanlıca's main square and mosque and turn right at the first street (Kafadar Sokak), which winds up towards the villa car park. Turn left at Dere Sokak and shortly you'll come to a fork in the road. Take the left fork and walk up past Kanlıca Hekımler Sitesı on the corner. You'll soon see the villa's car park and extensive wooded garden.