Tips for dealing with lost luggage

NEW YORK - If an airline loses your luggage, your first stop should be the baggage claim office to report it missing. Your next move might be to buy a change of clothes.

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But while airlines are required to reimburse passengers for clothing and toiletries in the event of a lost or delayed bag, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, getting that cash back may require persistence.

Many airlines' contract of carriage - the contract between carriers and passengers - don't specify clothing reimbursement in detail, but standard DOT policy demands they provide some compensation.

"Some airlines were declining for necessities, like clothing, needed immediately," said Bill Mosely, spokesman for the DOT. "(Airlines) cannot limit them to only outbound flights or how soon they expect the bags to arrive."

Mosely said some airlines also try to deny compensation to passengers for purchases made within the first 24 hours following the reported loss. But he said that's a violation of DOT regulations. Passengers should be able to purchase necessities after they file a missing bag claim, rather than having to wait to see if the bag turns up.

"It's not a new rule or new policy," Mosely said. "We expect (airlines) to compensate the consumer for their loses."

While the majority of checked bags reach their destination without incident, a total of 2,193,711 bags were reported mishandled by all airlines last year in the United States, with 188,254 reports filed in January alone.

A maximum liability of $3,300 for domestic flights can be claimed by the passenger should checked luggage be lost in transit. International limits are lower, roughly $100 for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of luggage, for a maximum total of $640.

Passengers can buy excess valuation for luggage as secondary insurance. A dollar buys $100 worth of extra insurance on domestic flights, with a ceiling of $17 for $1,700 in coverage.

George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, a consumer travel website, said the DOT has been much more aggressive with airlines over passengers' rights under Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. According to Hobica, the department has been actively advocating on passengers' behalf when demonstrating a need for necessities.

"You can't just offer a tube of toothpaste and a pair of clean underwear," he said. "You have to treat (passengers) more fairly."

Note, however, that airlines are not required to refund baggage fees when they lose your bags.

While airlines are required to reimburse for clothing, the amount is negotiable. Hobica advises passengers to keep receipts for all clothing and personal items that they ever expect to take on a trip, since airlines will ask you prove the value of your clothing. "They won't buy you a new wardrobe, but you are entitled to a change of clothes," he said.

Mosely said the DOT has a hands-off approach on reimbursement rates. "How they arrive at their figure, we do not stipulate," he said.

And even though passengers are entitled to recoup funds, don't expect the airlines to fork over cash easily, said Anna Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com. Passenger confusion and frustration often work in the airlines' favour. When customers don't follow up claims, airlines benefit.

There's also no guarantee airlines will accept your claim.

On a recent flight from Los Angeles to New York City, my carry-on bag was checked at the gate last-minute and was then left at the connecting airport, Philadelphia.

By the time my luggage was delivered to me two nights later, I had bought a shirt to wear to work. I submitted a receipt but my carrier refused to compensate me for two reasons. One, I was an inbound flight passenger, and the airline said in a letter that passengers on the home leg of a round trip presumably have clothes at home; and two, my receipt for the shirt was time-stamped several hours after the airline logged in the delivery of my bags. I was not home to receive the bag on that first delivery attempt, however, so I am challenging the denial of the claim.

"Everything is extremely difficult for the consumer," Banas said. "It's up to the consumer to do all the legwork. They have to jump through a million hoops."

In the event an airline denies a claim, Mosely suggests filing a claim with the Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement Office.

"If there are a pattern of complaints that indicate an airline might be violating DOT consumer rules, the department would investigate," he said. "If we found there was a violation, they would take enforcement action."

You can avoid these hassles altogether by not checking luggage at all. "If you're travelling domestically, go to Kinko's and send it ahead of time," Hobica said. "It's usually cheaper and easier to track."

You can also reduce the likelihood of lost baggage by arriving early so there's ample time for your luggage to be screened and sent to the correct gate, according to Susan Foster, author of "Smart Packing for Today's Traveler."

"Allow two hours," Foster said. "Maybe have lunch in a real restaurant rather than taking some crappy food on a plane."

Foster always packs a survival kit in her carry-on, including phone charger, medication, clean shirt and underwear, everything she needs to "hit the ground and do what I need to do."

"I don't want to miss a day," she said.

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One trip, three Chinas

BEIJING – In booming Beijing, remnants of ancient China are tangible in the Forbidden City. In Hong Kong, skyscrapers symbolize one of the world's most successful economies. And in Macau, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong, gambling generates more revenue than in Las Vegas.

In one trip, I visited all three places — sampling history on the mainland, the fruits of capitalism in Hong Kong, and the glitzy casinos of Macau — and experienced three very different Chinas.

For me, it was a personal journey as well as a vacation. My family left China in 1949, first for Taiwan and then the Philippines. I wasn't sure what to expect and whether or not they would accept me. I'm Chinese, but I act like a foreigner culturally. I speak my provincial dialect of Fujianese, but not Mandarin, the official Chinese language. (I also speak Tagalog, the Filipino language.) My family was part of the Chinese diaspora that left the mainland more than half a century ago. We are the overseas Chinese, living in foreign lands in our own communities, a people without a true home.

Often during my visit, someone would start talking to me in Mandarin. I know some Mandarin (I studied it for years but forgot most of it), so I would say, "I don't speak Mandarin. I speak English."

Despite this, I was surprised at how much I felt at home in China, and I felt proud of the country's economic development. This, I felt, was the future for our people.

But like most visitors, I wanted to see the country's history, too. I spent my first full day in China there at the Badaling section of the Great Wall, the same place visited by President Obama.

The wall resembles the writhing body of a dragon hugging China's hills, mountains and grasslands. Parts of the wall date back to the first century BC and it was built and rebuilt over two millennia to keep out invaders. At 3,500 miles long, it's longer than the United States is wide.

The Great Wall is in the mountains, an hour outside Beijing. I joined a tour group to see it, reserving ahead online for about $30 ($20 less than reserving through a hotel). The tour included lunch but the guide detoured us to jade and silk factories where prices gouge unwary tourists — a common practice among local operators. An alternative is to take a cab, but make sure to negotiate a price with the driver before leaving.

The Forbidden City is located in the middle of Beijing, surrounded by concentric circles of roads, across from Tiananmen Square, easily accessible by subway.

Built in the early 1400s, the Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The imperial dynasty ended with Puyi, who ruled from 1909 to 1911 and was portrayed in the movie "The Last Emperor." It is called the Forbidden City because commoners weren't allowed in until 1925.

As the world's largest palace complex, it spans 7.8 million square feet, or about 135 football fields, with over 8,700 rooms. The Forbidden City is divided into the southern Outer Court, where emperors conducted state affairs and elaborate ceremonies, and the smaller Inner Court where they lived. It is believed that in the Inner Court heaven and earth met, and yin and yang — opposing yet linked cosmic forces such as dark and light, male and female — are united.

Dragons were the symbol of the Chinese emperor. On the Nine Dragon Wall on the eastern perimeter, dragons are depicted in colorful glazed tile, and giant versions of the smaller dragon carvings are found all over the palace complex.

You can rent your own audio guides at the Forbidden City, and they even have built-in GPS that automatically triggers commentary when you're near a historic attraction. But the audio and the sites aren't always in sync and the commentary only plays once. Too bad if you didn't pay attention the first time. The entrance fee is about $6 to $9 depending on the season; audio guide rentals are about $6.

Before leaving mainland China, I visited one additional historic site, taking an overnight train from Beijing to Xi'an to see the terracotta warriors. I booked a sleeper compartment, sharing it with a college student and young engineer who were eager to practice English. The first look of bewilderment on their faces after they found out I couldn't speak Mandarin soon gave way to an easy acceptance that while we're now culturally different, we do share the same heritage. They saw me as their window to the West, with the added bonus that I can see the world through the prism of the Chinese culture as well.

We talked for hours about politics, culture, the West and families. It gave me a deeper understanding of the country my parents had left. But I made a cultural faux pas by asking how many siblings they had. "None," they said. I had forgotten about the one-child policy.

At Xi'an, I bypassed tour groups and for $1 took a local bus, no. 306, from the train station to the Terracotta Warriors and Horses museum, an hourlong ride.

About 8,000 life-size terracotta warriors stand or kneel in pits at the site, along with their horses. Each warrior is unique, with variations in mustaches, top knots, armor and stance. China's first emperor Qin Shi Huang ordered these soldiers made around 246 B.C., to accompany him to the afterlife. The excavation continues.

My next stop was Hong Kong, which I have visited many times. Both Hong Kong and Macau are former colonies. Hong Kong was returned to China by Britain in 1997, and Macau was returned by Portugal in 1999. China designated them as Special Administrative Regions, giving them a degree of autonomy, using the catch phrase "one country, two systems." Each has its own chief executive and economic and political system. Hong Kong is more than 1,000 miles from Beijing, but the two former colonies are just a ferry ride from each other.

Compared to Beijing, English is more widely spoken in Hong Kong and Western customs are more common. After Beijing's prices, Hong Kong is also a shock to the wallet: $80 nightly hotel rates are considered inexpensive. In Beijing, similar rooms cost about $35.

Mickey Mouse and other Western brands and symbols are common in Hong Kong, whereas in Beijing, Chairman Mao's visage was printed on everything from decorative plates to playing cards. Soldiers were more visible on the mainland as well, a reminder of the authoritarian regime beneath the country's burgeoning economy.

Hong Kong has long been considered Asia's Wall Street but for visitors, the main pastimes are shopping and eating. Hong Kong Island, one of two main regions there, is home to the financial district, gardens, malls, and Victoria Peak, its highest hill, known for great views. Kowloon Island has the biggest concentration of shops, along with museums, hotels and restaurants. Hong Kong Disneyland is on nearby Lantau island.

Kowloon's Tsim Sha Tsui district is famous for its shopping, especially along bustling Nathan Road. Chains include Marks & Spencer department stores, kind of like a British Macy's. But if you're looking for bargains, better head back to the mainland.

Kowloon also is good for jet-lagged shoppers. The Temple Street Night Market is open from sundown to 10 p.m. and bargains can still be found. But the quality of goods is inconsistent, so buyer beware. At the very least, it's an exotic contrast to American suburban malls: Here jewelry, clothes and toys hang from booths crowded next to each other, hawkers yell on the streets, and locals and tourists jostle for the best deals.

Macau is one of the world's biggest gambling destinations and an easy jaunt from Hong Kong. It's accessible by inexpensive ferries, with free shuttle buses to take you to your hotel.

I'm not much of a gambler, but I wanted to see The Venetian hotel in Macau. I had been to the one in Las Vegas when it first opened in 1999, built at a then-staggering cost of $1.5 billion. The $2.4 billion Venetian Macau hotel boasts 3,000 suites, a million square feet of retail space and a casino floor with 870 gaming tables and more than 3,400 slot machines.

The Venetian Macau, themed on Venice, Italy, is as glitzy and over the top as the Vegas version. Singing gondoliers ply a manmade waterway inside the hotel as tourists snap pictures. Elaborate murals decorate the lobby corridor ceilings, and there is a recreation of a Venice landmark, the bell tower of St. Mark's Basilica.

But the action is in the casinos, where gamblers sit transfixed in front of rows of slot machines or pray for a windfall at the blackjack tables. On the ferry going from Hong Kong to Macau, I sat next to a tourist snapping pictures from his seat, eagerly looking forward to his gambling vacation. Like so many of the visitors here, he was from the mainland, come to sample another side of China.

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Top 10 places to propose

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - Asking someone to marry may be one of the most important questions of your life, and the right place can make it all the more memorable.

Boutique hotel travel specialists Mr & Mrs Smith (www.mrandmrssmith.com) have come up with a list of the top 10 hotels to propose. This list is not endorsed by Reuters.

1. PALAZZO BARBARIGO, Venice, Italy

This dramatic 18-room destination hotel adds a modern shot of plush velvet, saucy feather-trim and moody mirrored wall to polished parquet floors and period details. In the bedrooms, the theme continues with minibars in deco-style cocktail cabinets. Sigh over Grand Canal views in one of the lovely Junior Suites, which also have separate dressing and wardrobe areas. Then whisk your lover out of the door and straight onto the gondola you've arranged at the hotel's marble-clad waterside landing.

2. NOIR D'IVOIRE, Marrakech, Morocco

At this ravishingly restored riad, the delight is in the detail: capacious beds and baths; real fires for winter nights; fresh oranges brought to your room each evening; squirreled-away bowls of nuts and dried fruit dotted around; giant swags of tasseled silk and linen; and artisan toiletries presented in glass vials with silver caps. Add on a hammam, boutique, candle-lit courtyard and excellent chef, and you've already got romance with a capital 'R'. If you really want to push the love boat out, check into one of the Royal Suites, which have private roof terraces with plunge pools.

3. CAYO ESPANTO, Ambergris Caye, Belize

Three miles of the coast of Belize, this palm-fronded private-island resort is ultra-exclusive. It's surprising, then, that it can also nurture such a laid-back and unpretentious air. Hidden among the palm trees on the Caribbean shore, its handful of luxurious villas offer a uniquely personalized level of service. Your every need is met by a houseman who'll do everything from fix you drinks to accompany you on excursions - it's like having your own genie. Casa Ventana is set out to sea on its own wooden pontoon. It may be the smallest of the resort's six villas, and lack the private pools of its neighbors, but who needs a pool when you've got the Caribbean on four sides?

4. WILSON ISLAND, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

With just six luxury tents set beside the sea on a tiny tropical islet, Wilson Island may just be the most romantic campsite on earth. You can gaze straight out at the ocean from the comfort of your bed, taking in the empty beach strewn with coral, and spend days draped around each other in a hammock big enough for two. If you're planning to propose, you'll be looking for Isolation - the most private of the island's six luxurious beachfront tents.

5. MOLLIES, Auckland, New Zealand

Music, food and romance await at the elegantly attired Mollies, Auckland's bohemian boutique hotel famed for its sociable soirees. With classic-meets-arty interiors dotted with pianos, regular opera recitals, gourmet dining and a sensual spa, there's a fairy-tale feel about this glamorous harbourside getaway. Seclude yourselves away in Room 8, a New York-style loft with views over the water.

6. CROSBY STREET HOTEL, New York, USA

There's an English elegance about the Crosby Street Hotel, a kitsch-but-classy boutique bolthole on a calm, cobble-stoned street in sassy SoHo. While away the days watching romantic films in the sexy screening room, curled up by the fireplaces in the luxurious lounges or making the most of the spectacular bar and restaurant scene in the NY neighborhood. Pick one of the Junior Suites on the 10th and 11th floors - their winning combination of height and huge warehouse windows will give you some of the best views in southern Manhattan.

7. THE LOUISE, Barossa Valley, Australia

Indulge your inner gourmand at the Louise, the Barossa Valley's brightest star. Concern for guest satisfaction and food-and-wine passion have informed every decision at this South Australian retreat: privacy is paramount, room facilities are state of the art, and the restaurant is truly outstanding. Hide away in No 29 - the best of the 10 suites revolving around the entrance piazza. It has a private courtyard and terrace, spa tub, underfloor heating and recessed candle nooks in the bathroom, and an outdoor shower.

8. LA RESIDENCE, Garden Route & Winelands, South Africa

This mini, modern Versailles presiding over Franschhoek's valley of vines has a contemporary shell and a romantic colonial interior. La Residence is filled with Persian rugs, exotic antiques and fine art works. This Winelands estate will make you feel as though you've been whisked off to your own private palace to live in the lap of luxury. White and gold Frangipani is the most tucked-away of the ground-floor suites and has a monumental four-poster bed, 18th-century French dressers and mirrored bathroom, complete with chandelier, roll-top bath and chaise longue.

9. AMANKORA, Bhutan

Not so much a hotel as a pilgrimage, Amankora consists of five luxurious lodges dotted around the remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, set against a spectacular backdrop of plunging valleys, lush rice paddies, and mountaintop temples. Whether you make the full 10-day trip to visit each lodge or tailor-make your Bhutanese excursion to suit the time you have available, Amankora can arrange your travel and put together a program of mountain-trekking, temple-hopping, or spa pampering as you wish.

10. HOTEL DE LA PAIX, Siem Reap, Cambodia

The Babylonian-meets-metropolitan facade of this spectacular spa hotel offers just the faintest hint of what awaits inside. White is the shade of choice throughout, set against dark tiles and brooding monochrome images of temples and carvings. The rooms have an understated elegance, the restaurant, Meric, is renowned throughout the city, and the breath-stealing majesty of Angkor Wat is just 10 minutes away into the jungle. Duplex Spa Suite 346 is swoon-worthy, with an alfresco rooftop bath and enough space to host a cocktail party should you have something to celebrate.

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Machu Picchu reopens to tourists

Q: Is it possible to book a trip to Machu Picchu? We heard the area was closed to tourists.

— A. Sharma, Toronto

A: Machu Piccu was closed in January after landslides and flooding by heavy rains stranded tourists and made mountain roads hazardous. Rail service to the area was also suspended.

But restoration work has been swift and recently Peru’s Minister of Tourism, Martin Perez, announced the country’s most popular tourist site is once again open to visitors. Rail service won’t be fully restored until June but tourists can take a bus from Cuzco to Pischachuco then transfer to a train for the remainder of the journey.

For up to date developments, check the travel reports issued by our Foreign Affairs department (voyage.gc.ca).

Q: Wearing designer clothes is one of my passions. I buy them whenever the budget permits. I was wondering about the influence of designers and millionaires on new hotels in Europe.

— S. Raza, Mississauga

A: Luxury designers and modern business barons have increasingly been lending their names and trademarks to hip new hotels across Europe. From elegant Edinburgh to medieval towns in the Swiss Alps, there are many new hotel brands to try out.

In Edinburgh, fashion matriarch Rosita Missoni — known for her use of chrome, black and white geometric patterns — is shaking up the historic streets of the Royal Mile at Hotel Missoni. The Italian designer’s boutique hotel (hotelmissoni.com) is steps away from fabled Edinburgh Castle allowing and treats guests like 21st-century royalty.

In Switzerland, check out Sir Richard Branson’s mountain retreat — Lodge Verbier (thelodge.com). The Virgin Atlantic tycoon’s hideaway is a favourite with James Blunt and Hugh Grant types.

The honey-pine lodge offers unlimited Champagne, plasma TVs, an indoor pool, and steam and spa treatment rooms that’ll surely make you forget to ski.

In Italy, Milan’s poshest district is home to the bold Bulgari Hotel (bulgarihotels.com). Luxe black Zimbabwe marble and Vicenza stone compliment the hotel’s mod caramel and dark chocolate tones.

ilona@mycompass.ca

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Searching for the Holy Grail

VALENCIA, Spain — Indiana Jones went looking for it, so did the Monty Python troupe, not to mention a cast of serious archaeologists and academics. But no one, it seems, knows the whereabouts of the Holy Grail — the chalice Jesus used to serve wine at the Last Supper.

With the approach of Easter, some Christians may again ponder whether it will ever be found.

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At one time or another, Jerusalem, Genoa — and even the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York — have all claimed to have the authentic vessel. But American author, Janice Bennett believes the real chalice resides in Spain.

“Only the Holy Chalice of Valencia ... fits St. Jerome’s description of the cup used by Christ,” Bennett writes in her book, St. Laurence and the Holy Grail: The Story of the Holy Chalice of Valencia.

For most of the last 500 years, the chalice has been located in the city’s Cathedral where it is revered by the faithful and admired by tourists. Made of agate and mounted on a stem with two curved handles, it measures about 17 cm high and sits in a glass case in a side chapel.

Archaeologists believe it was produced in Palestine between the 3rd century BC and the 1st century AD.

It’s certainly a well travelled relic. Local guide Eva Crespo says the chalice arrived in Spain in the 3rd century, was hidden during the Muslim occupation, re-emerged in a monastery in Huesca, Spain, was passed down through several Spanish kings until it ended up in the hands of Alfonso the Magnanimous, who brought the cup to Valencia in the 15th century. It has remained in the city’s Cathedral ever since, except for two occasions when it was removed for safety reasons during the country’s Civil War in the 1930s.

It’s impossible to know if Valencia has the original chalice, Crespo says, because there are no ancient texts that could confirm its authenticity. Although a chalice that resembles the one held by Valencia does appear in many centuries-old paintings including one by 16th century artist Juan Juanes.

“It’s a question of faith. Do you believe it’s real or not?” Crespo asks.

“Nowadays, this place is much more important because many, many young people want to come here to get married (because of that chalice),” she explains.

“It’s a source of pride for them. There’s a queue for almost two years to get married here, imagine that!”

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Modern travel etiquette

BURLINGTON, Vermont (Reuters Life!) - Who owns the middle seat arm rests on an airplane, really? How do you break away from the marathon talker in seat 12E? And what do you do, if anything, about the angelic-looking child kicking the back of your seat?

Incivility and rudeness are often the product of stress, and there are few situations more primed for stress these days than travel -- especially air travel.

Once glamorous, air travel is now a test of patience, and sometimes even endurance. Today's travelers face the reality of rigorous security procedures on top of flight delays and cancellations, anxiety about flying, cramped seating and reduced or no meal service.

How to cope? Patience, courtesy and flexibility, and a sense of humor will serve you well. While you may have little or no control over long security lines, weather delays, the cabin environment or your choice of seatmate, you can control how you react to adversity.

All the more reason to come as prepared as possible to circumvent predictable problems. Here are a few tips, both defensive and offensive, to get you through your travels with less stress and more civility.

* Arrive early. This may be obvious, but it's often undervalued. As your stress level rises your capacity for tolerance and civility often decreases.

* Stay calm if your gate agent gives you bad news. Losing your temper won't get you there faster, and it may lose you the sympathy of the one person who could possibly pull some strings.

* Dress and pack with security in mind to avoid delaying other passengers. Do your homework on current screening procedures and airline policies for checked and carry-on luggage. There are still clueless passengers who pack large bottles of liquids in their carry-on luggage-a nuisance to everyone behind them. Wear shoes that are easy to take on and off, and keep items you may have to remove from your luggage for screening, such as laptops, readily accessible. This keeps the line moving, which keeps tempers calm. If you're a frequent traveler who knows the drill, be patient with those who are new at this-they may be nervous.

* If you can't choose your environment, create your own. Bring an eye shade for napping, and use headphones to listen to music or movies (whether in the terminal or on the plane), or earplugs to block out unwanted conversations. If your seatmate won't stop chatting with you, smile and say, "Well, it's been nice speaking with you. I'm going to read for a bit now."

* Do your fellow travelers a favor and step away from others in the terminal to take cell phone calls, and keep calls brief while in security lines or taxi-ing to the gate after landing. * The middle seat arm rests are shared property. That said, it's generous for the aisle and window seat holders to give the middle passenger a chance to claim them first

* Traveling is trying for adults, and even more so for children. Crying babies are part of the air travel package, so it's a good idea to stash some earplugs in your carry on. However, if a child is kicking the back of your seat, it's okay to ask their parent to have them stop. Smile and say, "I know it's tough for kids, but would you mind asking him not to kick the seat? Thanks." Keep it short and offer some understanding, and it's likely the parent-and child-will comply

* Reading over someone's shoulder is nosy and intrusive. Avoid the temptation and come prepared with books, magazines, or a laptop of your own. Privacy filters for computers and smart phones will bar wandering eyes. If 6A is taking an unhealthy interest in your screen, meet his gaze briefly. This will jolt his awareness -- the best medicine for rude behavior.

* With airlines cutting back on complimentary in-flight meals and snacks, the smart traveler packs his own. Avoid foods with strong odors that may bother your neighbors though, such as tuna fish, egg salad, or a garlicky meatball sub-enjoy these in the terminal instead. Due to the prevalence of nut allergies, it's best to avoid these snacks altogether.

You can't always choose your neighbors on the plane or in the boarding area, but you can take responsibility for your own comfort and come as prepared as possible.

(Anna Post is the spokeswoman for The Emily Post Institute, a U.S-based organisation founded in 1946 that addresses societal concerns including business etiquette, raising polite children and civility. The opinions expressed are her own. The Emily Post Institute's website is www.emilypost.com)

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48 hours in Istanbul

ISTANBUL (Reuters Life!) - Turkey's largest city is a 2010 European Capital of Culture filled with the treasures of a glorious past from the Roman and Ottoman empires, while straddling the Bosphorous Strait where Europe meets Asia.

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors to get the most of out of a 48-hour visit.

FRIDAY

6:00 p.m. Start your visit in Galata, on the European side of the Bosphorus. Take the Tunel funicular up the steep hillside, and then head down Galip Dede Caddesi to the Galata Tower. The cylindrical structure dates from the 14th century, when it was built to defend the Genoese colony in Constantinople. The lift-accessed viewing gallery offers a broad view across the waters of the Golden Horn inlet to the old city and the Sea of Marmara.

7:00 p.m. Stroll to Istiklal Caddesi, Istanbul's main shopping street, which runs through the Beyoglu neighborhood.

In the 19th century the area was the city's principle European quarter, and the thoroughfare is lined with fine apartment blocks in the Parisian style. International boutiques stand cheek-by-jowl with purveyors of Turkish delight and pastries, while Denizler Kitabevi (Istiklal Caddesi 199/A, +90 212 249 8893) is stocked with antique maps and prints of Istanbul. Keep an eye out too for the antique tram and the church of St Mary Draperis at No. 429.

8:00 p.m. Still on Istiklal, eat at 360 (Misir Apt N:311 K:8, +90 212 251 1042) a restaurant perched in the penthouse of an old apartment block with a view of Istanbul's former embassies. The menu offers a modern riff on traditional Turkish cuisine, with mezes, sushi and the prospect of Death by Chocolate to follow.

10:30 p.m. If stamina permits Babylon (Sehbender Sok. No:3, +90 212 292 7368) in Beyoglu has built up a reputation for live music in Istanbul in winter, while shipping out to the Aegean in the summer months. Founded in 1999, acts from Patti Smith to Afrika Bambaata have stopped by. Elsewhere Jazz Stop (Tel Sok. 5/A, +90 212 252 9314) and the Nardis Jazz Club (Kuledibi Sok. No:14, +90 212 244 6327) are a way into a different scene.

SATURDAY

9:00 a.m. Start in the historic peninsula, the rough triangle of land between the Bosphorus and Golden Horn that forms the heart of imperial Istanbul. A stone's throw from Sultanahmet tram station take in the Blue Mosque. Commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I and famed for its six minarets, the mosque's English name comes from the thousands of colored tiles that line the interior.

10:00 a.m. Head across At Meydani Park - once the site of rambunctious Roman chariot races in the ancient city's Hippodrome - to Aya Sofya, the greatest of Istanbul's Byzantine monuments. Built as a church in the sixth century by the Emperor Justinian, and converted to a mosque after the Muslim conquest, for centuries the interior of Aya Sofya was the largest enclosed space in the world. Don't miss the mosaics of the virgin and various Byzantine potentates, as well as a depiction of the Seraphim Angel recently unveiled after 160 years behind plaster.

11:30 a.m. Take Alemdar Caddesi to the Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Among the series of low pavilions and enclosed courts are the private quarters of the Harem, once the cloistered haunt of the some of the world's most mysterious women. Elsewhere find exhibits of embroidered regal robes and paintings. Adjacent Gulhane Park, once the extended gardens of the palace, is now a pleasant place to walk too.

1:00 p.m. Return to the waterfront in Eminonu and dine on the fishermen's fresh catch, fried al fresco and packed in bread and salad. In good weather sit outside to watch the passing vessels heading to and from the Black Sea along the Bosphorus, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.

2:30 p.m. Venture into the Basilica Cistern, close by the Topkapi Palace in the heart of Sultanahmet. Built in Byzantine times as a subterranean water supply and neglected for centuries, a host of columns support the cistern's roof. Renovated in the 1980s, the interior is dramatically floodlit and featured in the 1963 James Bond film "From Russia With Love."

4:00 p.m. Hop on the tram to Cemberlitas and dive into the winding alleyways of the Grand Bazaar. Supposedly the world's largest; its countless stalls stock everything from jewelry to counterfeit denim. If you grow tired of declining carpets, stop off at one of the numerous cafes for a glass of sweet black tea.

8:00 p.m. For supper take a boat to Kiz Kulesi (Kizkulesi Salacak Mevkii, Uskudar, +90 216 342 4747) a tower on an islet close to the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. Known variously as the Maiden's or Leander's tower, the restaurant here offers spectacular views back across the waters. Athenian general Alcibiades built a first structure on the site in 408 BC, and the current building featured in the 1999 Bond film "The World Is Not Enough."

SUNDAY

9:00 a.m. Back on the European shore, visit the Dolmabahce Palace, where the Ottoman Sultans relocated to from Topkapi in the 19th century. Armenian architect Karabet Balian and his son built the vast pile between 1843 and 1856 in the European style. Their creation sports a 36-meter-high throne room with a four and a half tonne chandelier, donated by Queen Victoria. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, died here in 1938.

11:00 a.m. South along the waterfront from Dolmabahce stands Istanbul Modern (Antrepo No:4, Karakoy, +90 212 334 7300), the city's contemporary art collection. Founded in 2004 and housed in an 8,000 square-meter renovated warehouse, the museum's permanent exhibition, "New Works, New Horizons," looks at the evolution of contemporary art in Turkey, while food is available on the terrace.

2:00 p.m. Back in the old city the Suleymaniye Mosque, close by the Istanbul University campus, is the work of Mimar Sinan, one of the finest Ottoman architects. Completed in the mid-16th century, the mosque's dome is over 50 meters (yards) high. Nearby stands Kanaat, (Prof Siddik Sami Onar Caddesi No:1/3, +90 212 520 7655) a restaurant renowned for its rendering of the bean dish kuru fasulye.

4:00 p.m. Unwind with a traditional Turkish bath at the celebrated Cagaloglu Hamami in Sultanahmet (Yerebatan Cad., Cagaloglu, +90 212 522 2424). Built in 1741 and regally appointed, the bathhouse claims Kaiser Wilhelm and Florence Nightingale as former patrons.

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