40 best romantic getaways

Istanbul

Photo: Courtesy of The Four Seasons Hotel

Urban Retreat
Open-air restaurants, crowded bazaars, and a swoon-inducing location on the Bosporus—this is a city made for wandering. You’ll find Istanbul at its most alluring in the quaint neighborhoods on the European side of the strait. For lunch, try the sea-bass sandwiches at Mangerie (lunch for two $55), a rooftop spot in the Bebek district. In the waterside Arnavutköy area, Dilara Erbay dishes up grilled fish at Abracadabra (dinner for two $75), housed in a wooden mansion. The nearby Rumeli Hisari fortress has panoramic views of the strait, making for a picturesque detour. After dark, there’s Anjelique, a sultry waterside club set against the glowing Baroque Ortaköy Mosque. Take your pick of the new hotels: the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus (doubles from $550), in a 19th-century palace; W Istanbul (doubles from $350), an edgy blend of contemporary design and Ottoman influences; or the Park Hyatt Maçka Palas (doubles from $550), where several spa suites come with mini-hammams.