We believe we found the absolute perfect neighborhood to nest in Istanbul, and that is Cihangir. First, the location is superb. Cihangir is in the “New District” right on the T-1 tram line, which is the line that runs over the Galata bridge, by the Spice Market, Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, and the Grand Bazaar. It also connects to just about any other line you’d want. Cihangir is a short walking distance to the well-known pedestrian boulevard Istiklal, which is full of shops, restaurants, galleries and great people-watching. It’s right by Tophane and the new, upscale shopping and dining area around the cruise ship docks. But it’s also a wonderful destination. It’s a safe, gentrified neighborhood of antique shops, local restaurants, green grocers and butchers, and fun little shops. It’s a favorite spot for expats and artists, and it’s easier to get by with just English there than many other places. We loved living there, and were told many times that we’d chosen a very good base for our explorations.

When choosing an apartment, keep in mind that many places don’t have air conditioning. While we were comfortable without air conditioning after about mid-September, it was quite hot and sticky before then. While opening windows is an option, you will be living in a vibrant, often noisy city that also has a lot of mosquitos. If we were to do it again, we’d opt for a place with air conditioning.

The best thing about our apartment, other than the location in Cihangir, was the rooftop terrace. A lot of apartment buildings rent their rooftops to restaurants, which means you may have lots of people climbing the stairs in your apartment building to go to the restaurant or bar up there. But ours reserved the terrace for residents, and it was a very pleasant way to meet our neighbors with a beautiful view for good measure. If you can find a place with a rooftop terrace, it’s well worth it.