Set in a gorgeous garden where masses of tulips and other flowers bloom in spring, this palatial art nouveau villa was built in 1906 as the summer residence of the hıdiv (khedive or viceroy) of Egypt, Abbas Hilmi II. Set atop a hill on the most dramatic promontory on the Bosphorus, it now functions as a restaurant, cafe and reception centre. Visits during the İstanbul Tulip Festival in April are highly recommended.
The khedives maintained close ties with the Ottoman Empire and many spent summers in İstanbul to escape the debilitating Egyptian heat. This villa functioned as one of their summer residences until the 1930s.
The villa is a 20-minute walk from the ferry dock. Head left (north) up Halide Edip Adivar Caddesi and turn right into the second street, Kafadar Sokak. Turn left into Hacı Muhittin Sokağı and walk up the hill until you come to a fork in the road. Take the left fork and follow the 'Hadiv Kasrı' signs to the villa's car park and garden.
