Hıdiv Kasrı

Set in a gorgeous garden where masses of tulips and other flowers bloom in spring, this palatial art nouveau villa was built in 1906 as the summer residence of the hıdiv (khedive or viceroy) of Egypt, Abbas Hilmi II. Set atop a hill on the most dramatic promontory on the Bosphorus, it now functions as a restaurant, cafe and reception centre. Visits during the İstanbul Tulip Festival in April are highly recommended.