Sakıp Sabancı Museum

The Sakıp Sabancı Museum (Sakıp Sabancı Müzesi) is housed in the former villa of Turkish industrialist Sakıp Sabancı, set on a hilltop above the Bosphorus in the Emirgan neighborhood. It's one of the more intimate of Istanbul's "wealthy patron" private museums, with a manageable size, a strong permanent collection, and a beautiful Bosphorus-side garden.

The permanent collection centers on calligraphic art — a remarkable selection of Ottoman and modern Turkish calligraphy, including pieces from the 16th century to the present. There's also a small selection of 19th-century European and Turkish paintings. The temporary exhibitions are often world-class — recent years have brought Ai Weiwei, Anish Kapoor, and Banksy shows that drew tens of thousands of visitors.

The Bosphorus-facing garden is the surprise. A stone terrace looks directly at the second Bosphorus bridge and the Asian side — a calm and uncrowded viewpoint. The museum's café, set in the garden, is one of the prettiest places for a coffee in the city.

~15 EUR, closed Mondays. Pair with a stroll through Emirgan Park next door, which is one of Istanbul's biggest public parks (and tulip-famous in spring).