A Fun Night Out in Istanbul - Yahoo Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Istanbul is a beautiful and ancient city, filled with monuments and tourist sites. It's also a cosmopolitan, sophisticated international capital, with a restaurant and nightlife scene that can compete with any city in the world. While visiting the city recently, I put myself in the capable hands of some local Turkish friends to have a fun night out. Here's where to go to have a great evening in Istanbul, Turkey:

Dinner at X Restaurantbar
My evening started at X Restaurantbar (Sadi Konuralp, number 5) a trendy Turkish-Mediterranean fusion spot with a jaw-dropping view over the Bosphorus and Istanbul skyline. I liked the atmosphere immediately, there were a lot of large groups of locals having fun and enjoying the great food and drinks. Looking around at the other diners, you could also tell this was a very upscale place and it was a fun experience. The atmosphere was great and the food was amazing. If you go, get the risotto with lamb, truly an incredible dish. The restaurant is in the fashionable Sishane area of the city.

Music at IKSV

After my amazing dinner, I headed downstairs and discovered a concert. X Restaurantbar is located on the rooftop of the Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation, known as IKSV. This complex is a combination art gallery - museum - performance space - cultural center and it's a great place for tourists to really get a sense of the Istanbul art scene. I was there during a month featuring art from Norway and Norwegian singer Ane Brun was performing.

Late night party at Munferit
After listening to Ane Brun, we headed over to Munferit (Yeni Carsi Caddesi, number 19) in the city's trendy Beyoglu section. By day, Munferit is one of Istanbul's best restaurants and then at night, a transformation occurs. Slowly, one by one, the tables disappear, the music gets louder and the personal space decreases to zero. At night, Munferit is the hottest spot in the city, with models and professional footballers rubbing shoulders with the city's movers and shakers.

Getting to Turkey
Turkey, with a long history of good relations with the US, is a safe destination for Americans and I think it's a good introduction to Islamic culture for those with little exposure to it. US citizens need only a passport, tourist visas are available online or at the airport on arrival. Turkish Airlines serves Istanbul from Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Boston, Washington, DC and Houston.

Freddy Sherman is a world traveler and editor of the travel blog luxuryfred.com. In the past year, he has visited Turkey, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Canada, and Peru. You can follow him onTwitter -@luxuryfred and on Instagram - @luxuryfred.

More from this contributor:
My Visit to the Hagia Sophia Museum in Istanbul
Visiting the Blue Mosque in Istanbul
Four Seasons Istanbul at Sultanahmet: Hotel Review