Pera Museum, Istanbul

Step off the Orient Express and back into time (well, metaphorically speaking). A century ago, three grand hotels ruled Istanbul’s hospitality scene: the Pera Palace, the Grand Hotel de Londres, and the Bristol. While the first two still survive as hotels, the third one—the Bristol—since 2005, has been reincarnated as the Pera Museum—a cultural blend of Ottoman opulence, international flair, and, quite literally, ancient weights and measures.

Inside, the museum unfolds five floors with a sense of quiet precision. Two levels are devoted to permanent collections—featuring antiquities, Anatolian treasures, and Oriental art. On the second floor, the star of the show is a $3.5-million "The Tortoise Trainer" painting by Osman Hamdi Bey. Meditation on patience, this painting somehow feels right at home in a city famous for its slow traffic. The upper galleries rotate exhibitions by global icons—Joan Miró, Andy Warhol, and their artistic kin—so it’s always worth checking what’s hanging here before you go.

The museum's layout is straightforward, the staff is friendly and refreshingly not hovering about while you are viewing, plus the ground-floor café delivers a caffeine fix with a side of people-watching. The gift shop tempts with design-forward trinkets that your wallet might object to, but your suitcase will thank you for.

Beyond exhibitions, the museum nurtures creativity through workshops for kids and Pera Film, a program screening everything from avant-garde shorts to documentaries. In short, this is one former hotel that’s still checking in guests—just on a more imaginative wavelength.