The Bosphorus, Istanbul

Those who have witnessed Istanbul’s traffic jams will jump at the opportunity to traverse the city by foot, following the Bosphorus through some of its most historic districts. Take the path from Kabatas to Ortaköy, which passes by the Baccarat crystal staircase at Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Caddesi Besiktas; 90-212/236-3000), the Çiragan Palace Kempinski (Ciragan Caddesi 32; 90-212/326-4646; kempinski.com)—which was once an Ottoman imperial palace and is now a five-star hotel—and the famed Ortaköy mosque (Mecidiye Mahallesi, Besiktas).