Istanbul’s oldest railway station Sirkeci buzzes with travellers. But look beyond the crowds, and at its tranquil edge, you’ll see its earlier life. In 1883, the building was created to welcome the world’s most glamorous train, the Orient Express which x in at Platform 1?. The xx set ou rom Paris and passed through Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest before arriving, 80 hours and 3,000km later, by the side of the Bosphorus on the tip of the city’s peninsula.

n the tip of the city’s peninsula, it was built in 1890 in the style of European Orientalism. You’ll find the Istanbul Railway Museum and, on Sundays, whirling dervish performances take place in the cavernous ticket office.