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Visiting the 17th-century Büyük Valide Han in Eminönü is my all-time favorite experience in Istanbul. It’s an Ottoman inn that accommodated traveling merchants over 350 years ago and also stored the Oriental and European wares from the wooden ships moored in the Golden Horn. The han is hidden away in the backstreets of the Spice Bazaar, though got some big-time exposure when featured in a montage in the 007 movie Skyfall. Artisans still make and repair some of Turkey’s well-known handicrafts in the timeworn workshops upstairs, but my favorite feature is the view from the roof. To experience this you need to locate the building off Çakmakçılar Yokuşu. Then go up the steep stairs and say, “Merhaba” (hello) to the craftspeople. If you’re lucky, the caretaker will agree to unlock a door that hides a secret staircase to the roof. Do give him a tip for his kindness and time because the view of the Bosporus, dividing Europe and Asia, is spectacular. A little word of warning: The roof is flat (with some domes), and there are no safety rails—so watch your step. Please respect the history of the building too and collect only memories and leave only your fondness for Istanbul to waft away in the Bosporus breeze.

The Maiden’s Tower, which seemingly floats in the Bosphorus off Asia, is one of the more popular symbols of the city. Once a Byzantine tollbooth and later an Ottoman lighthouse, it’s most famous for a legend involving a princess and a prophecy that she would die from a snakebite. Her father exiled her to the tower in the hope of protecting her but, alas, the prophecy could not be avoided—a snake made its way to the island, either in a bouquet of flowers or a basket of grapes (depending on the version of the tale).

The historic MV Liemba is the oldest functioning ferry in the world, and a voyage down Tanzania’s Lake Tanganyika on this landmark is a colorful experience. Your fellow passengers will include traders loading and unloading cargo (anything from pineapples to flip-flops) and locals using the ferry for transport. On the southbound journey, the boat departs from the town of Kigoma and travels 300 miles to Zambia, where its makes its first port of call on land. But in between those two stops, while still on the water, travelers can transfer to smaller ships in order to reach places like Lagosa (a jumping-off point for the Mahale Mountains National Park) or the peaceful beach area of Kipili.

A cultural hub for Turkish and international art, Istanbul Modern opened in 2004 as a permanent home for the contemporary Istanbul Biennial. The 8,000-square-foot warehouse sits along the Bosphorus next to the Golden Horn, a historically important port for thousands of years. The water views rival the exhibitions for your attention and appreciation, and the museum has an excellent restaurant and terrace to take advantage of the location. Back inside, the permanent collection shows contemporary and modern artists from Turkey, with rotating exhibitions of photography, design, and new media. The downstairs cinema has several screenings a week of films that complement exhibitions or feature distinctive work, often accompanied by panel discussions. The gift shop is one of the best places to buy unusual and beautiful souvenirs such as upcycled jewelry and kids’ coloring books of museum art.

The castles, bridges and palaces overlooking the Bosporus may be impressive, but it’s the smaller yalılar (waterfront mansions) that whip many people into a photo frenzy on a Bosporus cruise. These ornate multimillion-dollar Ottoman mansions are hot properties, with prices for prime estates starting at $20 million. Buying one is no easy feat. Sales are conducted in the utmost secrecy as many high-profile owners seek to avoid gossip and prefer anonymity.

This 4th-century Greek Orthodox monastery clings to a cliff face 1,200 meters above the Altındere Valley National Park. With its admired Rock Church, complete with biblical frescoes inside and out, this rock-hewn historical site is like no other in the country. Visitors should be aware that the 300-meter walk to the entrance is no easy feat: A path of gnarled undergrowth leading to steps may challenge those with limited mobility. While the monastery is closed for renovations until 2017, its exterior is still impressive.

Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar may be a global tourist trap, but isn’t nearly as rage-inducing as the squawking group tours inside the Grand Bazaar. Here, a remnant of authenticity lives on in this 17th century building, created by commission for Sultana Turhan Hatice. Visually-arresting piles of spices and Turkish delight, and rows of pushy men, make for a wild afternoon of souvenir shopping and colorful conversation. Inside the Ucuzcular stall the sellers are friendly and happy to let you browse. A bag of “love tea” ensures romance in a pot. In that vein, on my way through the bazaar, a man trotted up to me and said, “Excuse me. I think you dropped something...” I looked puzzled. He smiled and theatrically clutched his chest, "...my heart.” He probably does that for all the Westerners, but I pretended it was as real as the magic in the spices.

The Kuşadası Bazaar actually consists of two bazaars. The Grand Bazaar is a vast collection of small stores and is the second-largest bazaar in the country, after Istanbul’s. The Orient Bazaar is an open-air alternative. Savvy shoppers will be able to find bargains on everything from Turkish towels to designer knock-offs, but be prepared and know that haggling is expected and the pressure to buy can be intense.

Set in Kerala’s quiet northwest corner, the 26-acre Vivanta by Taj Bekal Resort is home to the excellent Jiva Spa, a staggering 165,000 square-feet devoted to wellness and relaxation. As Kerala is considered to be the birthplace of Ayurveda (India’s millennia-old “science of life”), the menu is heavy on treatments that highlight traditional techniques and ingredients, and that are designed to both target specific issues and provide general pampering. The signature Abhyanga massage—great for travel-weary bodies—is performed with potent, heated herbal oils, while the Mukhalepa facial brightens the complexion with natural products like saffron; decadent two-hour signature services are also available, along with scrubs, wraps, yoga, meditation, and more. Book a complimentary consultation to find the services that fit your needs, or go all in with a multiday or multiweek program for yoga, detoxifying, Ayurvedic wellness, and other customized goals.

Surrounded by acres of manicured gardens, marbled colonnades, and flower-filled pools, the complex of the Taj Rambagh Palace hotel—once the home of the Maharajah of Jaipur—is one of the most serene spots in the Pink City. Even if you’re not staying here, come soak up the history—and escape the city bustle—with a lunch, afternoon tea, or a light supper at the al fresco Verandah Café, where the tables are arrayed under archways and out onto the lawn. Come during the day and you might catch a glimpse of the hotel’s signature VIP guest welcome ceremony (performed by colorfully painted elephants), or call ahead to find out if there will be a dance or musical performance on the lawn in the evening. The menus feature both Indian and international dishes, with choices ranging from sampler thali platters and ratatouille-topped potato pancakes to charred German bratwurst and Caribbean chicken salad. Afternoon tea harkens back to the royal days with traditional English scones, finger sandwiches, and a tower of freshly-baked sweets; go for the Champagne add-on for an extra-regal experience.

For centuries, Rajasthan—and Jaipur in particular—has served as the epicenter of India’s gemstone industry; as far back as the early-1700’s, the skilled craftsmen of this region were cutting, shaping, and polishing about 90 percent of the stones used by the country’s jewelry makers. This legendary Jaipur shop has been witness to nearly all that history, with the founding Kasliwal family serving as jewelers to the Maharajas of the Mughal empire—followed by a long list of international royalty, presidents, and celebrities; they’ve even been granted honors by the British Crown, and their pieces have been exhibited at London’s Somerset House and New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Stop in to ogle the glittering goods—which are available in traditional, modern, and vintage-inspired styles—and learn a bit about the expert artistry and craftsmanship that goes into creating them. Prices run the gamut, so there’s something for most budgets, but be warned that most of the pieces are designed to dazzle. There are also Gem Palace outposts in luxury hotels throughout India (including some Oberoi and Taj locations), as well as a few partner boutiques outside of the subcontinent.

When the crush of 14 million people (and what seems like an infinite number of rude taxi drivers) gets to you, Istanbul has a cure for what ails you: a peaceful ferry ride across the Bosphorus and a seat in the leafy garden at Viktor Levi wine house. The son of a fisherman, Viktor Levi started bringing back his favorite wines from the Aegean Islands more than a century ago, and his namesake restaurant, tucked into a side street in Moda in Kadiköy, now has more than a dozen house varietals, most under 100 lira. A meal by the fountain or inside the restored town house might inspire your own trip to Bozcaada, or just a return trip on the ferry.

The Grand Hotel de Londres (also known as Buyuk Londra) has been open for more than 100 years, and while its interior is immaculately kept, there’s something about it that is charmingly stuck in the past. You can imagine Ernest Hemingway at the bar in 1922, reviewing notes for his story in the Toronto Daily Star. Wander through the lobby with its antique furniture, past the requisite portrait of Atatürk, to the tiny elevator that will take you up to the rooftop. The bar there is scenic without being a scene: no seasonal cocktails or artisanal ice cubes here, just a simple but serviceable menu and gorgeous views of the Golden Horn and the Old City. If you can, try to arrive before sunset to hear the call to prayer echo throughout the streets, then descend the grand staircase back into the noisy nightlife of Pera.

Pick up any glass in Turkey and chances are there’s a letter P on the bottom of it, standing for Paşabahçe, Turkey’s top manufacturer of glassware and housewares. Blue-glass eye amulets (nazar in Turkish) that ward off the evil eye are sold everywhere in Turkey, but the items here are actually locally made. They range from simple, silver-dollar-size keychains to hefty, gilded wall hangings. Other souvenirs include the tulip-shaped glasses seen in every teahouse in town and ornate Ottoman-inspired vases that look like they could have been lifted from Topkapı Palace. Another contender for your collection: a piece of twisted blue-striped çeşm-i bülbül (nightingale’s eye) glass, a Venetian glassblowing technique made distinctively Turkish.

From the fertile lands of Anatolia to gourmet kitchens around the world, Nar Lokanta is a restaurant with a gourmet shop that offers a range of natural products grown, produced and packaged to the highest international standards in Turkey. The olive, hazelnut and pistachio oils as well as nuts, dried fruits, preserves and Turkish delight make ideal gifts for your friends back home—or for yourself.