hy Go Now

After getting a green light in December to negotiate entry into the European Union, Turkey is buzzing with change. Turkey has reinvented its currency as the new lira, opened a new modern art museum and is feeling a new burst of confidence. Shakeups at the political level have led to a merged Ministry of Culture and Tourism and larger budgets for the arts, a move designed to push Turkey's cultural profile into the international news, even as Istanbul grabs headlines with its human rights reforms.

The new Istanbul Museum of Modern Art makes an unmistakable statement about Istanbul's self-perception as a major cultural capital. The gravel courtyard and warehouse-like exterior are reminiscent of P.S. 1 in Long Island City, Queens, and the interior - with its industrial feel and long, fluorescently lighted hallways lined with amply spaced paintings - brings to mind the Pompidou Center in Paris.

The lively cafe culture in the artsy Beyoglu district reflects this renewed energy. Beyoglu was a renowned intellectual center in the 1960's and 70's, and, despite a period of decline, the narrow streets again resemble the Beyoglu of 350 years ago, which the contemporary travel writer Evliya Celebi described as a place where "the word guhana, temptation, is most particularly applied . . . because there all kinds of playing and dancing boys, mimics and fools, flock together and delight themselves day and night."

Where to Stay

Try running the names of hotels through a search engine before you book; some travel agencies' Web sites offer lower rates than those quoted below. In winter, prices can drop by as much as 50 percent.

Film directors, actors and writers thrive in the rundown, eccentric atmosphere of the (1) Buyuk Londra Hotel, with its threadbare wine-red carpeting and old crystal chandeliers in the lobby. The hotel, at Mesrutiyet Caddesi 117, (90-212) 245 0670 or (90-212) 293 1619, has recently redone some of its rooms with water views and added such amenities as televisions and air-conditioning and is billing them as "special rooms." The owner has an interesting collection of antique radios. Special rooms are $82 to $205, at $1.37 to the euro; old rooms are sometimes discounted to $41 to $55.

Up the street, at Mesrutiyet Caddesi 130, (2) Ansen 130 Suites, (90-212) 245 8808, at www.ansensuite.com, is a new boutique hotel in an ornate, creamy building that dates back to Ottoman times. It has 10 suites, each bigger than many Manhattan one-bedrooms , furnished in glass, steel and sleek wood, and equipped with wireless Internet access and a full kitchen, for $200 a night.

Most of the rooms at the charming (3) Anemon Galata, Buyukhendek Caddesi 11, (90-212) 293 2343, www.anemonhotels.com, have a view of either the 15th-century Galata Tower or the Bosporus. Rooms at the ends of the floor have fine views, but if you don't get one of those, spend some time in the restaurant on the top floor. Its floor-to-ceiling windows offer a spectacular panorama. Doubles for $218 a night.

On the Asian side of the Bosporus, the new (4) Ajia hotel, Cubuklu Caddesi 27, (90-216) 413 9300, www.ajiahotel.com, brings elegant modern design to a sleepy little fishing village. The 10 rooms and 6 suites in the restored mansion are tucked behind the coastal road, with a dining room and terraces perched on the water. The luxury comes at a price: doubles begin at $341, plus tax and breakfast.

Where to Eat

Just up the hill from Taksim Square in Harbiye is (5) Loft, located in the Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Center, (90-212) 219 6384 or (90-212) 219 6385, on the Web at www.icec.org/rumelimed.htm. The Mediterranean cuisine is flawless and the service impeccable; the menu includes excellent seafood pancakes, tender filet mignon, and homemade goat cheese ravioli. Dinner for two, with wine, about $140.

The new cafe at the Istanbul Modern museum (6)overlooking the Bosporus is operated by the managers of Loft. Elements of the Loft menu have made the move, but the excellent service and painstaking care in the kitchen seem to have been lost along the way. Spoonfuls of the Turkish baked rice pudding, however, which emphasizes milky pudding over rice, will ease thoughts of the forgetful waiter from your mind. Lunch for two, $35.

Or, save your new lira (one new lira is a million old lira) and get a quick bite at (7) Gulluoglu, Mumhane Caddesi 171, (90-212) 249 9680 in Karakoy, a few blocks from the Modern. It's known for the best pastry in Istanbul, and a superior su borek, a lasagne without meat and sauce, made from sheets of pasta layered with cheese and covered with a flaky pastry crust ($2). Eat inside at the freestanding counter to get a glimpse of big-bellied Turkish men attempting to stretch their mouths wide enough for the large diamonds of unfathomably rich sweet baklava to pass through whole. A plate of assorted pastry goes for around $4.