Common physical pursuits in Istanbul include rambling through the streets of the Grand Bazaar and scaling one of the often-steep seven hills of Istanbul. For more traditional physical activities, most four- and five-star hotels come equipped with modern fitness centers. If your hotel has no such facilities, most major hotels allow nonguests to use their private fitness centers, which generally include use of a pool, if there is one. Five-star hotels hover around 25€ ($30) a day (weekend prices may go as high as 37€/$45), a small price to pay for spalike luxury at The Marmara Hotel, the Çiragan Palace, or the Hyatt Regency. (Day pool and spa facilities also available at the Ceylan Inter-Continental and the Hilton Hotel.)
Links fans should go to the Swissôtel (tel. 0212/326-1100) or Ceylan Inter-Continental (tel. 0212/231-2121), whose fitness centers include golf simulators.
Istanbul also has a number of modern, if not fashionably chic, health clubs, most of which require at least a monthly membership for use of the facilities. The young and successful go to Vakkorama Gym, in the Vakkorama department store near Taksim (tel. 0212/251-1571), where a monthly membership on the three-times-a-week plan costs about 135YTL ($100). The gym is open weekdays from 7:30am to 10pm and from 10am to 6pm on weekends. You can become a member of the health club at the Ceylan Inter-Continental Hotel (tel. 0212/368-4444) for 450€ ($550) for 3 months, or 225€ ($300) for 1 month.
