Commissioned by Sultan Abdülmecid the Büyük Mecidiye Camii in Beşiktaş is Ottoman Baroque in style,…read morefamous for its low-hanging crystal chandeliers and natural lighting. Located near the first Bosphorus Bridge and Ortaköy's famous Baked Potato vendors do pay attention to the calligraphies created by the Sultan himself.

What a beautiful building! This mosque is a little further off the beaten tourist path, but it's…read morewell worth heading out of your way for a visit (at least, when combined with my suggested itinerary below.) You might be thinking to yourself: I've already seen a half a dozen mosques, each one with more beautiful tilework than the last. What's special about this one? It's a completely different style -- it's a neo-Baroque style, and very light and airy inside, with high arched windows. It feels like it belongs in 18th or 19th century Western Europe. It's peaceful and serene, and different enough to be interesting. Like all mosques, entrance is free. Men, don't wear shorts; women, cover your legs and head/shoulders. As at most mosques in the city, scarves/skirts are available to borrow if you need them. For a lovely and slightly different evening in Istanbul, here's my suggestion: head up to Ortokoy, grab some kumpir (huge potatoes stuffed with a wild mish-mash of awesome toppings) and/or waffles (also covered in toppings) from the food vendors nearby, take in the beauty of the mosque, and hop on a cheap 1 hour night-time Bosphorus cruise from the nearby Ortokoy port. (The tours are cheaper than the ones that leave from the busier and more touristy areas. The boat's not as fancy, but you'll pay half or less what you would leaving from closer to Sultanahmet.)