Cicek Pasaji (Flower Passage), Istanbul

Roughly halfway down the ever-buzzing Istiklal Avenue lies a string of elegant arcades, half bathed in sunlight, half tucked under glass. The most iconic of them all is the Çiçek (or “Flower”) Passage. Opened in 1876, this glamorous arcade was Istanbul’s answer to Parisian chic, complete with fancy shops and polished apartments for those who fancied themselves the crème de la crème of Ottoman society.

Then came 1917, and history took a dramatic turn. As the Russian Revolution scattered its nobility across Europe, some of those exiled and impoverished aristocrats — baronesses included — landed here, selling flowers to make ends meet. By the 1940s, the building had been completely taken over by flower shops, giving the passage its new name and its delicate perfume of nostalgia.

These days, the Flower Passage has had a facelift or two, but it still oozes atmosphere. Wander beneath its glass canopy, spot the faded signs of past decades, or pull up a chair at one of the bustling taverns (known locally as "meyhanes") serving up seafood, chatter, and raki — the local anise spirit that can either charm or floor you, depending on your water-to-raki ratio...

By evening, the lights glow warm, musicians weave through the tables, and laughter spills out onto the street. It may no longer be the haunt of baronesses, but it remains one of Istanbul’s most intoxicating blooms.