Duncan Blake has lived in Istanbul for 30 years—most of his adult life—and is chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey as well as his own company Merko.

Where do you live and why?

Kemer Golf & Country Club. In less than half an hour I’m in the forest and it’s within two minutes of the golf course. It’s like going on holiday every evening when I leave the office.

What advice would you give a tourist? Any must-dos?

The musts are the obvious ones: the Blue Mosque and, in the same area, the Topkapi Palace Museum, Haghia Sophia and the covered bazaar, as well as the underground cistern and plenty of other delights if you look. Pick up a copy of the book Strolling Through Istanbul and do just that.

What advice would you give a visiting businessperson? Travel intelligently—a three-mile journey can take 10 minutes or an hour. Remember to buy your visa on arrival at the visa counter before waiting in the passport queue! Hotels are excellent and you’re spoilt for choice, but the city can fill up when there are congresses or Formula 1.

What and where have been your most memorable meals?

A little fish restaurant miles up the Bosporus towards the Black Sea, reachable only by ferry. Rejans is an old Russian restaurant near the consulate in an old part of town that is rapidly becoming very trendy

Where would you take a client to wow them?

If it’s in summer, one of the big multi-bar, multi-restaurant locales under the bridge in Ortaköy on the Bosporus, or to Vogue in Besiktas with its fantastic view and fusion cuisine.

What do you miss about Istanbul when you’re away?

The Bosporus, the joie de vivre and bustling energy of a city full of contradictions and, of course, the food and drink.