In just three weeks, my husband and I will be arriving in Athens, Greece, to begin an 11-day cruise through the eastern Mediterranean. We are looking forward to many of the ports we will visit, especially Alexandria and Port Said, Egypt, with hopes of a relatively calm political environment while we are there. But right now we’re looking for as much information as we can gather on our final disembarkation port, Istanbul, Turkey.

I had the great good fortune of a one-day visit to that magnificent city a dozen years ago, when it was once again the terminus of a cruise I enjoyed with my sisters. We took a tour of the city’s highlights, but I feel as though I barely brushed the surface. For Harry, this will be his first visit, and we decided to tack on some additional days there before we fly home. We’ve got four full days to explore this city bridging two continents, and we hope to cram as many experiences as possible into that time.

I’ve already gone to the Global Traveler website and found seven pages of articles which mention Istanbul. While some merely mention Istanbul in references to Turkish Airlines, several are articles which provide lots of insights about the city and suggestions for sights to explore. I’m definitely going to thoroughly review Beth Vrabel’s Shopping column, published in February of this year, on the Nisantasi district for some suggestions for retail adventures.

But I’m hoping to receive some personal recommendations for great dining, an authentic hammam experience, shopping and sightseeing from our readers. Please share your Istanbul favorites and help us make the most of our time in that intriguing city!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor