Fahri Bey Han

Fahri Bey Han is an unassuming Ottoman han tucked at the edge of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, its real reward revealed only after climbing several flights of stairs: a small rooftop tea and coffee café run by a welcoming owner, with free entry. The terrace looks directly over the undulating granite rooftop sea of the Kapalıçarşı, with sweeping views toward Eminönü and the Bosphorus — the same vantage point that official Grand Bazaar rooftop tours charge upwards of 30 euros to access. There's no signage and finding it requires a bit of navigational instinct and willingness to follow a narrow stairwell. The payoff is calm, a glass of çay for a handful of lira, and one of the most honest city panoramas in Istanbul.