In the latest issue of BESPOKE Magazine, Martine Bury explores the hottest shopping districts around Istanbul. High and low, haute and hip, the ancient city on the shores of the Bosphorus is a shopper’s paradise. A shopping spree in Istanbul takes time. Storeowners often offer chocolates, tea and Turkish delights, tell engaging stories and invite customers to participate in an ageold dance of buyer and seller. With a rich tradition as a center for trade and retail that dates back 2,000 years, Istanbul is the ideal destination for modern day hunters and gatherers up for adventure. First, visit the illustrious […]

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In search of the perfect, water-front hideaway for your next relaxing escape? We’ve gathered 15 of our favorite luxury private villas from all over the world. The breathtaking views of the water and all the amenities calm the senses and leave you speechless. Australia, Qualia Beach House Surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef, Qualia’s private beach house is set on 30 acres of garden landscape at the northern-most tip of Australia’s Hamilton Island. It’s designed to draw the outside in. To begin with, an open layout with a wall of glass doors can be completely pushed open. This effectively blurs […]

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Summer is quickly approaching, but there’s still time to plan the ultimate Ker & Downey journey with your family, and world travel is not out of the question. There are plenty of places where children of all ages are not only welcomed, but truly engaged. Plan a summer vacation that will create unforgettable memories and maybe even give the “travel bug” to your own little trailblazers. We’ve put together some options, sure to please everyone in your family. Cruise the Blue Bodrum Peninsula, Turkey For a truly unique and tranquil holiday, board a luxurious private gulet, a traditional Turkish wooden […]

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Go way outside the box and spoil your loved ones with the gift of epic, experiential travel. Whether there’s outdoor adventure or a quiet hideaway on their list, our picks will wow them. There’s something for everyone in every corner of the big, beautiful world, only from Ker & Downey. Teeing off from a sheer cliff face 1,400 feet above a green shaped like Africa… It’s the stuff a golfer’s dreams are made of, and it’s only found at The Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa’s Limpopo. This spectacle of glitter, color, feathers, and lots of skin is […]

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Many areas of the Middle East are now synonymous with luxury travel, less like the sandy, rugged environments portrayed in the past. Ker & Downey’s Tales of Turkey journey takes visitors through Istanbul and the wonders of the Hagia Sophia, to Cappodocia and the “fairy chimneys” of an alien landscape and to Pumukkale, the site of ancient mineral baths. Coveted for centuries by royalty, these ancient spas are yours to experience when you travel to Turkey. Mineral Springs Warm, calcium-laden mineral waters spring from the earth and cascade over a steep cliff, forming gleaming white travertine pools. Believed to be […]

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At the intersection of Europe and Asia lies a country appropriately known for its blended history, a synthesis of modern marvel and old-world origins. This history of Turkey is as old as mankind itself. Previously known as Anatolia, or even more previously as Asia Minor, this Mediterranean country has witnessed the rise and fall of empires and conquerors alike, from the early Hittites to the Greek, Roman, and Ottoman Regimes. And yet each of these cultures have left their own unique mark on this land, opening wide the door for the later exploration and discovery of their bygone legacies. Ker […]

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Cappadocia is an area in central Turkey known for its unique moon-like landscape. For millions of years, the volcanoes of the Central Anatolian Plateau spewed their contents across the lands that would later become the cradle of civilization. Blessed with a moderate climate and fertile volcanic soul, one of the world’s earliest communities was founded 10,000 years ago at Catalhoyuk along the river banks of the Casambasuyu near Konya. Mankind’s first nature painting, found here, portrays the most recent eruption of Hasan Dagi nearly 9000 years ago. Now, its snow capped peaks dominate the Konya plain. Here, in the shadow […]

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