We arrived in Istanbul late at night, transferring from the airport by boat. Traffic jams here are a nightmare these days.

We made much better speed chugging along the Bosphorus in our hotel's polished wooden launch, gazing up at the minarets of the Blue Mosque, the graceful outline of the Topkapi Palace, the sweeping Bosphorus Bridge and the sturdy 15th century Fortress of Europe. But we didn't disembark in Europe. This, after all, is the only city in the world with a foot on two continents.

“Welcome to A'Jia!” said the porter as our bags were handed up on to the quayside. Hotel A'Jia enjoys its joke. Not only does this beautiful white wooden structure take its name from the Japanese word for Asia, it is also the first Istanbul hotel you reach on crossing the Bosphorus.

Breakfast of feta, tomatoes, cucumber, olives and simit (a sesame-encrusted ring-shaped bread) was taken early the next day in the dining room looking out on to the quay where Elton John and Cesaria Evota have played.