text:
Istanbul/Asian Side

The Asian Side (Turkish: Asya Yakası) or the Anatolian Side (Anadolu Yakası, which is the more common designation for the area in Turkish) is the half of Istanbul that is on the Asian mainland, east of the Bosphorus.

Understand
Kadıköy (ancient Chalcedon) and Üsküdar (ancient Chrysopolis or Scutari) form the historical cores of this area. Both started as independent ports — indeed Chalkedon was founded 30–40 years before the oldest parts of Istanbul — and were only incorporated into the city of Istanbul in the late 19th century. Regular steamer ferries began to ply the Bosphorus between them; it would be another 150 years before bridges and tunnels created a land connection.

Today Kadıköy and Üsküdar are the main areas of visitor interest on the Asian side. Inland are miles of bland suburbs, with high-rise apartment blocks and shopping malls, which sprang up when the first Bosphorus bridge made inter-continental commuting easier. The Asian Side houses about 5.6 million people (2021), a third of Istanbul's population, and more than 2 million of them commute daily to Europe. However there's a string of interesting places along the Bosphorus coast, with old palaces, mansions, and neighbourhoods with character, and stretches of parkland along the Marmara coast. In 2005 the city boundaries were extended to engulf the former "Istanbul Province" on both the Asian and European sides. So nowadays the city, and the scope of this page, goes all the way east to the boundary with Kocaeli Province, from just north of Gebze on the Marmara coast to Ağva Merkez on the Black Sea coast. These new areas of Istanbul are mostly rural, but suburban developers are eagerly marking out plots and cranking up their cement mixers.

From beyond Istanbul
And see main Istanbul page for details of these links.

By plane:

There's a hotel at the airport, some half a dozen (e.g. a Hilton) at Kurtköy 2 km north, then another dozen at Pendik town (on the Marmara coast near the YHT station) 6 km south.

By train: Istanbul's terminus for high speed trains from Ankara and other eastern cities is, near the disused historic terminus of Haydarpaşa. These trains also stop at near the ferry pier, and, which is convenient for reaching Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Bostanci and Pendik mainline railway stations are about 1 km south of the metro stations of the same name.

By bus, Harem is the main bus station, with buses arriving from all over Asian Turkey. It’s mid-way between Üsküdar and Kadıköy and has frequent ferry links with Eminönü/Sirkeci. There aren't many amenities, so bring a book or commune with your i-phone if you’re going to be there long.

By boat: Fast ferries from towns along the southern coast of the Marmara Sea, such as Yalova or Bandırma, land at the pier at Bostancı. Some are direct, while others transfer to a smaller ferry after arriving at Yenikapı pier on the European side. The fast catamarans offer a smooth and pleasant ride - a great option for reaching İznik or beyond.

From European Istanbul
Metro: the Marmaray line rushes between continents in a very few minutes.

By boat across the Bosphorus is the most pleasant method, and always quicker than trying to cross the congested bridges. The main ferry lines are:
 * Kadıköy - Eminönü
 * Kadıköy - Karaköy via Haydarpaşa
 * Kadıköy - Beşiktaş
 * Üsküdar - Eminönü
 * Üsküdar - Beşiktaş
 * Üsküdar - Eminönü and then on to Eyüp along the Golden Horn

Ferries from the western suburbs eg Bakırköy also run to Kadıköy and Bostancı, but they are much more expensive than local ferries.

Buses across the bridges are slow at any time, and tediously slow in rush hour (07:00-10:00 going west into Europe, 18:00-20:00 coming east into Asia). Buses across the bridges require two tickets (or the equivalent cash) rather than one (one exception is #129L Levent-Kozyatağı which visitors are unlikely to use). The most useful inter-continental buses are:

 * 110 - Taksim and Beşiktaş to Kadıköy
 * 120 - Mecidiyeköy to Kadıköy
 * 112 - Taksim and Beşiktaş to Bostancı
 * 128 - Mecidiyeköy to Bostancı
 * 129T - Taksim and Beşiktaş to Bostancı, via the foot of Çamlıca Hill

However the metrobüs (#34A) is quicker, as it has a dedicated bus lane, and only needs one ticket. It runs from Beylikdüzü out in the western suburbs via Edirnekapı just outside the old city and Mecidiyeköy in the business district to Söğütlüçeşme just east of downtown Kadıköy. Metrobüs stations are usually a little off the usual tourist trail, but easily reached by a variety of public transportation, including the metro from Taksim Square for Mecidiyeköy station.

Dolmuş routes run 24 hours a day between Taksim-Kadıköy, and Taksim-Bostancı. They depart from the street next to Atatürk Kültür Merkezi in Taksim Square (opposite edge of the square from Istiklal Street) and cost about 5.50 TL/person.

Or go overland, the wrong way round just to prove you can: see the infobox.

Around the district
The main transport hubs here are Kadıköy and Üsküdar, with dolmuş, bus and minibus routes across the district. Bostancı on the Marmara coast is a secondary hub. Dolmuşes ply between Kadıköy-Üsküdar, Kadıköy-Bostancı and Bostancı-Kadıköy until late at night, and also run from Kadıköy to Acıbadem, Koşuyolu and various points.

Marmaray, the cross-city train line (B1), picks up at Üsküdar (transfer to M5), Ayrılıkçeşme (transfer to M4; 1.6 km north of the Kadıköy waterfront), and Söğütlüçeşme (transfer to Metrobüs; 1.7 km east of the Kadıköy waterfront) and serves the neighbourhoods and suburbs on the Marmara coast, as far east as Gebze.

Metro lines:
 * M4 runs from Kadıköy eastwards as far as Kartal, Pendik and Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
 * M5 runs from Üsküdar eastwards to Çekmeköy.
 * M8 connects these two with each other and with Marmaray at Bostancı.

By car: the major roads on the Asian side mostly follow a west-east axis. These are the three major roads which connect Kadıköy to locations in the east (from south to north)

 * The causeway (Sahil Yolu), which follows the Marmara coast.
 * Bağdat Avenue (one-way, and that is east to west which means you cannot enter from Kadıköy).
 * the road colloquially known as Minibüs Yolu.

From Üsküdar, the major highway D100 (but colloquially better known by its former European route number E-5) stretches eastwards into Asia, while another road also named Sahil Yolu (Causeway) connects the neighborhoods on the bank of Bosphorus in the north to Üsküdar.

By bicycle: there are some 20 km of marked bicycle lanes along the park which follows the coast, starting from a few km east of Kadıköy, passing by Bostancı and eventually reaching the eastern edge of the city. The bike lane is well-maintained but watch out for pedestrians who haven't quite grasped the concept.

Tram line T3 loops from Kadıköy along pedestrian Bahariye Cd and then around the peninsula of Moda back to Kadıköy, but it's more a nostalgia trip than practical transport.

Around Kadıköy

 * Just north of Haydarpaşa station and a little difficult to find (it is surrounded on three sides by Turkish military barracks) is the British cemetery with an obelisk commemorating the Crimean war and many Crimean war, Victorian era (and later) graves as well as a modern British and Commonwealth war graves cemetery. This is a beautiful, leafy oasis of calm, with views on the Bosphorus.
 * Just north of Haydarpaşa station and a little difficult to find (it is surrounded on three sides by Turkish military barracks) is the British cemetery with an obelisk commemorating the Crimean war and many Crimean war, Victorian era (and later) graves as well as a modern British and Commonwealth war graves cemetery. This is a beautiful, leafy oasis of calm, with views on the Bosphorus.

Üsküdar to Beylerbeyi

 * [[Image:Kuzguncuk 4.jpg|thumb|A street in Kuzguncuk]]

Further out

 * Black Sea Coast (Asia side): there's a string of small coastal resorts, from Poyrazköy just beyond the north Bosphorus bridge, through Anadolufenerli, Riva, (the largest) to Ağva / Yeşilçay at the eastern edge of the province. Usual beach attractions, but the Black Sea is often rough, and drownings are not uncommon.
 * Black Sea Coast (Asia side): there's a string of small coastal resorts, from Poyrazköy just beyond the north Bosphorus bridge, through Anadolufenerli, Riva, (the largest) to Ağva / Yeşilçay at the eastern edge of the province. Usual beach attractions, but the Black Sea is often rough, and drownings are not uncommon.
 * Black Sea Coast (Asia side): there's a string of small coastal resorts, from Poyrazköy just beyond the north Bosphorus bridge, through Anadolufenerli, Riva, (the largest) to Ağva / Yeşilçay at the eastern edge of the province. Usual beach attractions, but the Black Sea is often rough, and drownings are not uncommon.
 * Black Sea Coast (Asia side): there's a string of small coastal resorts, from Poyrazköy just beyond the north Bosphorus bridge, through Anadolufenerli, Riva, (the largest) to Ağva / Yeşilçay at the eastern edge of the province. Usual beach attractions, but the Black Sea is often rough, and drownings are not uncommon.

Do

 * is Turkey's main motor-racing circuit, irregularly staging Grand Prix or Formula One racing. The last time it did so was in 2021 and it isn't in the tournament schedule for 2024.
 * is Turkey's main motor-racing circuit, irregularly staging Grand Prix or Formula One racing. The last time it did so was in 2021 and it isn't in the tournament schedule for 2024.
 * is Turkey's main motor-racing circuit, irregularly staging Grand Prix or Formula One racing. The last time it did so was in 2021 and it isn't in the tournament schedule for 2024.
 * is Turkey's main motor-racing circuit, irregularly staging Grand Prix or Formula One racing. The last time it did so was in 2021 and it isn't in the tournament schedule for 2024.
 * is Turkey's main motor-racing circuit, irregularly staging Grand Prix or Formula One racing. The last time it did so was in 2021 and it isn't in the tournament schedule for 2024.

Buy

 * You can go shopping in Kadıköy, Üsküdar and Bağdat Street. The sale (prices 50% off) season for winter is after New Years Day and for summer after July.
 * Smart locals do a lot of their shopping at the Salı Pazarı or Tuesday Bazaar, located in Hasanpaşa not far from the Fenerbahçe Stadium. You can get good deals here on everything from produce to clothes to housewares. This is a less touristy bazaar experience than what many see at the Grand Bazaar on the European side.
 * The fish bazaar in the Kadıköy market area is where the locals go for fresh fish and seafood. Fish shops are open all week long; most of them will clean the fish for you (though not necessarily the hamsi, or delicious local anchovies). Keep an eye out for stray cats sneaking off with bits of abandoned fish. In the upper streets, you can find anything from herbal stores to secondhand bookshops (which often have English language material in their stock).

Budget

 *  Balık-ekmek  (literally “fish-bread”, a grilled fish sandwiched inside half a bread) is an increasingly popular low-budget meal in buffets in Kadıköy coast, which can be had for 3-3.50 TL. The best balık ekmek can be bought from any of the stands just off the ferry dock. Some of the various fish restaurants in the market area a little inland also sell balık ekmek and mussel sandwiches with garlic sauce onto the street.
 *  Balık-ekmek  (literally “fish-bread”, a grilled fish sandwiched inside half a bread) is an increasingly popular low-budget meal in buffets in Kadıköy coast, which can be had for 3-3.50 TL. The best balık ekmek can be bought from any of the stands just off the ferry dock. Some of the various fish restaurants in the market area a little inland also sell balık ekmek and mussel sandwiches with garlic sauce onto the street.
 *  Balık-ekmek  (literally “fish-bread”, a grilled fish sandwiched inside half a bread) is an increasingly popular low-budget meal in buffets in Kadıköy coast, which can be had for 3-3.50 TL. The best balık ekmek can be bought from any of the stands just off the ferry dock. Some of the various fish restaurants in the market area a little inland also sell balık ekmek and mussel sandwiches with garlic sauce onto the street.
 *  Balık-ekmek  (literally “fish-bread”, a grilled fish sandwiched inside half a bread) is an increasingly popular low-budget meal in buffets in Kadıköy coast, which can be had for 3-3.50 TL. The best balık ekmek can be bought from any of the stands just off the ferry dock. Some of the various fish restaurants in the market area a little inland also sell balık ekmek and mussel sandwiches with garlic sauce onto the street.

Drink
Kadıköy has a nightlife scene of its own, almost as lively as Beyoğlu on the European Side, if a bit smaller. From the quays and seaside square, cross the main street, then turn right, and from the corner of Starbucks turn left. You’ll come across two churches facing each other; turn right there. On that street and the upper one parallel to it, you’ll find lots of bars (some of which offer live music), pubs, and Turkish taverns. A few blocks uphill from there is the street colloquially known as Barlar Sokağı (Turkish for “Bars Street”), where there are more places for a drink. If you somehow get lost, ask young people for directions to Rexx Sineması, a widely known cinema which is very near.

 * Coffee chains around the Anatolian side (Kadıköy and Bağdat Caddesi) are very popular: Starbucks, Gloria Jean's Coffee, and Kahve Dünyası (especially for Turkish coffee). Kahve Dünyası is well worth a visit as a comparatively upscale, indigenously Turkish take on the Starbucks theme.
 * Coffee chains around the Anatolian side (Kadıköy and Bağdat Caddesi) are very popular: Starbucks, Gloria Jean's Coffee, and Kahve Dünyası (especially for Turkish coffee). Kahve Dünyası is well worth a visit as a comparatively upscale, indigenously Turkish take on the Starbucks theme.
 * Coffee chains around the Anatolian side (Kadıköy and Bağdat Caddesi) are very popular: Starbucks, Gloria Jean's Coffee, and Kahve Dünyası (especially for Turkish coffee). Kahve Dünyası is well worth a visit as a comparatively upscale, indigenously Turkish take on the Starbucks theme.

Sleep
There's a slew of inexpensive places between Kadıköy ferry pier and the old railway terminus.

Connect
The area code of this half of the city is (+90) 216, which is different from the European Side.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Istanbul/Asian Side


text:
Istanbul/Bosphorus

The Bosphorus is the area of Istanbul along the banks of the channel of the same name that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, and separates Europe from Asia.

''This article only describes the European bank of the Bosphorus, and nearby sections of its Black Sea coast. For the Asian bank of the Bosphorus (and the more extensive eastern Black Sea coast) see Istanbul/Asian Side.''

Understand
In Turkish Boğaz means the Bosphorus channel, while Boğaziçi is the word for the neighbourhoods strung along it. These began as separate fishing villages, and even today have not completely grown into each other. So they each have a different character, with late Ottoman palaces, parks, and lush woodlands. This is one of the most scenic districts of Istanbul, especially in May when the Judas trees (Turkish: Erguvan, Latin: Cercis siliquastrum) swathe the shoreline and the hills with their deep-pink flowers.

By metro
Both the M2 and M7 metro routes serves the district, with the latter servering mostly the southern part around Beşiktaş. M2 runs in a north-south direction but takes a more inland route, away from most sights.

By bus
Buses depart at the Kabataş tram station, Taksim Square, and Beşiktaş among others. Most buses hug the waterfront, one especially useful being line #25E, from Kabataş to the northern district of Sarıyer—change buses there for villages on the Black Sea coast.

By dolmuş
They run to Beşiktaş from Taksim and Nişantaşı on the European Side, and Kadıköy and Bostancı on the Asian Side.

By boat
Ferries from Üsküdar and Kadıköy on the Asian Side dock at Beşiktaş quay and several others along the coast.

See

 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.
 * Along the European Black Sea coast, and  are two village resorts, close to the city so they're popular for weekend getaways.

Do

 * Bosphorus Cruise – The best way to see the Bosphorus in all its beauty is to take a boat trip. This is the strategic waterway connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, and dividing Istanbul into two continents. As the boat zigzags between Asia and Europe, you can admire the old Ottoman wooden houses, 6 Ottoman palaces, 2 suspended bridges, and 2 medieval castles.
 * It is somewhat of a tourist trap. One-way is 13 TL, return 26 TL. The standard price for one hop for locals is 1.5 TL. On Sundays there are fewer boats.
 * If you are not so lucky/fast to get one of the few deckseats it gets very hot inside, even hotter than in the city.

 * There are also daily trips from Eminönü, by 10:30 in the morning and come back by 16:30 in the evening. It costs 20 TL per trip per person. There is an additional boat at 13:30 in summer.
 * For travellers that don't want to bother with getting off the boat/taking the bus to take a deeper look into some of the Bosphorus neighbourhoods, there are also boats departing from Ortaköy which allow you to see waterfront from a distance up to the Second Bosphorus Bridge in the north, though they don't allow you to get off at any neighbourhood quay you like (in fact they don't stop anywhere until they get back to Ortaköy).

Sleep
Accommodation close to the Bosphorus is mostly upmarket. There is more mid-range & budget choice a little further south, around Taksim Square—see Galata page.

Connect
A number of standard internet cafés (i.e. which offer broadband connection, printer, and CD burner, and most likely a meager selection of canned soft drinks) can be found on the side alleys—especially on those to your left when Beşiktaş is behind you—of Barbaros Bulvarı, the large avenue going uphill from main square of Beşiktaş.

Stay safe
There are not many safety issues in this part of the city really, at least not as much as you'd expect from a city of this size.

There are some issues to keep in mind, though:
 * Some parts of the Bosphorus esplanade in the northern sections of the district, particularly from Yeniköy to Kireçburnu lack waterside guardrails, so watch your steps if you decide to take a stroll around there.
 * While you will see some people swimming in the strait (mostly poor children, who cannot afford to swim in pools), it is discouraged and is dangerous due to strong currents and depth. (There are red colored warning signs in Turkish dotting the shores of the Bosphorus, warning swimmers that swimming is dangerous due to strong currents, even though there is no ban.) Nor are there any real beaches, facilities and designated swimming areas on the Bosphorus for swimmers as a result. There is indeed a cape named Akıntıburnu (literally, "the cape of the current") just east of Arnavutköy, where the current is at its strongest, and is easily visible even from outside, like the strong flow of a river. Besides, the water is not that clean either, however blue it may look. So, if you can't wait for hitting a Mediterranean beach, better head for beaches on the Marmara coast, outside Istanbul instead.
 * You may want to steer clear of the dimly illuminated parks on the northern sections of the Bosphorus, especially around Kireçburnu, late at night to avoid harassment from homeless people likely abusing inhalants — there have been some cases of stabbings for the sake of whatever amount of money, no matter how little. Day hours and evenings are perfectly safe, though.

Go next

 * Frequent buses and minibuses run from Sarıyer into the countryside north of the city.

 * Anadolu Kavağı: take a ferry from Sarıyer to this pleasant village across the strait on the Asian coast, crowned by Yoros Castle on the hilltop, with views north over the Black Sea.

title: Istanbul/Bosphorus


text:
Istanbul/Galata

Galata is just north, across the Golden Horn, from the Old City of Istanbul. Further north is Beyoğlu: İstiklal Avenue is its thoroughfare, and adjoining Taksim Square is considered the heart of the city — if it were sensible to speak of a "downtown" for multicentric Istanbul, that would most likely refer to this area.

Besides the Sultanahmet/Old City area, this is where you will spend most time during your Istanbul trip — the district has its fair share of sights, dining, nightlife, and accommodation.

Understand
Galata (Turkish: Karaköy) has its beginnings in the apparently rural Byzantine port of Sykai ("fig orchard"). It rose to prominence in the 14th century as a trade colony of the Genoese, also with a large population of the Venetians, adjacent to the Byzantine seat Constantinople. After the Ottomans captured Istanbul, the previous arrangement was more or less left intact — Galata was still autonomous, but had its city walls razed just in case the Italians decided to go rogue as they habitually did in their relations with the Byzantines (the only remains of the once mighty Galata Castle are the Galata Tower, a short section of wall ruins below the Golden Horn metro bridge, and a couple of scattered, ruined towers incorporated into the dense urban fabric in the meantime). To the north, there were only a few lodges of the hermits seeking seclusion in wilderness as well as a few countryside mansions of the rich and powerful, including a son of a Genoese ruler of Galata. It was him whom the area is named after: Beyoğlu, "son of the lord" (Galatasaray was the likely site of his manor, and derives its name, literally "Galata palace", from it). Europeans knew this area after its Greek name, Pera, "the other side", as per the point of view of Constantinople. Beyoğlu/Pera wasn't urbanized until the 1850s, when the Grande Rue de Péra (Great Avenue of Pera) or present-day İstiklal Avenue (İstiklal Caddesi) was opened. Further north, Taksim Square (Taksim Meydanı) is even younger; it was developed as a city square as late as the 1930s.

Ever since its cornerstone was laid as a Western foothold (Northern Italian and Roman Catholic) just beside an Eastern Constantinople (Byzantine and Greek Orthodox, later Ottoman and Muslim), Galata has always been destined to represent the "West". This is quite easily visible from the area's architectural heritage — whichever style was in vogue in Europe was simultaneously adopted here — but there is more than meets the eye: the district has been the home to the first street lighting, the first underground railway (Tünel, built in 1875, also the oldest in continental Europe), and the first European-style hotel and theatres in the country. It was also the host to the main European population of the city, in addition to the Levantines, as the descendants of the original Italian settlers came to be known, and parts of the non-Muslim groups of the multiconfessional Ottoman society. During the last century of the Ottoman Empire, when the modernization and westernization efforts reached a climax, the decision of the Ottoman dynasty to abandon the Topkapı Palace, their centuries-old and distinctly Oriental seat in Old Istanbul, in favour of the western-style Dolmabahçe Palace near Beyoğlu was a symbolic act that clearly manifested the direction the country would get to take.

From the 19th century, Galata had been a major financial centre, and Beyoğlu the diplomatic district — impressive buildings of embassies, downgraded to consulates since the capital was moved to Ankara, and former bank headquarters still dot the area. In the 1920s the White Russians fleeing the Bolshevik Revolution settled in numbers. Their contribution to the local microcosm laid the foundations of the nightlife scene that would later become a distinctive feature of the district.

The most gruesome episodes of the 1955 Istanbul Pogrom were played out in Beyoğlu, and consequently many minorities, particularly the Greeks, left. This ended the district's truly multicultural period, which was the basis of its character and essence. In the later decades, the stock exchange and the headquarters of the banks and insurance companies moved north to the new business district, as did the fashion retail and the associated ateliers to Nişantaşı. Then the district became a shadow of its former self, and more or less degraded into an urban decay zone.

The 1990s saw a revival and the first gentrification efforts, and accordingly an exponential return of the nightlife scene. In 2013, here was the epicentre of the Gezi Park protests, which began as a peaceful sit-in against planned redevelopment of Gezi Park at the side of Taksim Square, but after a heavy-handed reaction by the government, turned into the largest demonstrations in modern Turkish history in opposition to the ever-growing authoritarianism and conservatism of the AKP government. Under the pressure of the government, perhaps seeking retaliation, Beyoğlu is in a transformation again as of the 2020s: more and more nightlife venues are moving out to areas such as Asmalımescit, Galata or elsewhere in the city, and the more Islamic-compliant hookah cafes are opening up in their place, and traditional stores and art galleries are being replaced by massive shopping malls. Held in the district since 2003, Istanbul Pride, the first and largest LGBT event in the Muslim-majority countries and attracted more than 100,000 people in 2014 has been banned from the next year on. A bulky Taksim Mosque, built in 2017, now looms over the square, sidelining the Hagia Triada Church which used to dominate the view. It remains to be seen whether this transition will lead to a permanent change and keep the district from a return to its roots.

But don't let your heart wither: the district is still beautiful and exciting to visit. Its core is pedestrianised İstiklal Avenue, thronged by people of all ages and origins strolling, enlivened by street musicians, and lined by restaurants and retail outlets. It's 2 km long and connects three squares: Taksim in the north is the biggest, Galatasaray Square in the middle is really just a widening of the street, and Tünel Square is at the southern end. A vintage tram trundles along its length.

By metro
Metro line M2 passes through Taksim Square from the northern districts and from as far south as Yenikapı. Additionally, when the east-west line M7 is extended in 2025 it will terminate in the northern part of the district at Kabataş.

By bus
Airport shuttle buses run by Havaş connect Taksim Square with Istanbul International Airport and with Asia-side Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Taksim Square is very central to the city life, so it’s possible to find a direct public bus from everywhere but the outermost suburbs. Dolmuşes also bring passengers from Beşiktaş, Bakırköy, Kadıköy and Bostancı (both in the Asian Side) to Taksim.

By tram
Modern tram line T1 connects the lower parts of the district on the Bosphorus (such as Karaköy, Tophane, Fındıklı, Kabataş) with the peninsula of the Old City. Funicular F1 connects its Kabataş station with Taksim on M2 metro. The vintage tram T2, although integrated into the ticket system of the city's public transport, is more of an attraction than a serious method of going somewhere.

On foot
You can cross to the Galata/Karaköy side from Eminönü via the Galata Bridge on foot.

By funicular
The Tünel funicular (F2) connects Istiklal Caddesi with Karaköy at the sea level on the Golden Horn. It's the second oldest urban underground railway in the world (after London’s Underground), dating back to 1875. Although the distance travelled is rather short between its two stations (a whopping 573 meters, which perhaps make it also the title winner for being the shortest metro line of the planet), it beats the effort one has to make to climb up the steep slope between its stations. For its lower station, look for the sign Tünel on the side of a building just over the Galata Bridge on the western side of the street. It costs 2.50 TL/person one-way (Istanbulkart is accepted) and departs every 5 minutes M-Sa 07:00-22:30, Su 07:30-22:30.

By ferry
Ferries from Kadıköy across the Bosphorus moor at Karaköy and Kabataş, the two largest ferry piers in Galata. There are also ferries across the Goldern Horn, from Sultanahmet.

Around Galata Tower
The bankers’ town of Galata was a cosmopolis crowned by the Tower.

Jewish heritage
Since 1492 the prosperity and creativity of the Ottoman Jews rivaled that of the Golden Age of Spain. Today the Jewish community in Turkey is about 26,000 and most of them live in Istanbul.

Along İstiklal Caddesi

 * [[Image:Istanbul asv2021-11 img71 StAnthony of Padua Church.jpg|thumb|View of S. Antonio di Padova Catholic Church.]]
 * [[Image:Istanbul asv2021-11 img71 StAnthony of Padua Church.jpg|thumb|View of S. Antonio di Padova Catholic Church.]]
 * [[Image:Istanbul asv2021-11 img71 StAnthony of Padua Church.jpg|thumb|View of S. Antonio di Padova Catholic Church.]]

Elsewhere

 * Aynalikavak Pavilion DSCF3310.jpg
 * Aynalikavak Pavilion DSCF3310.jpg
 * Aynalikavak Pavilion DSCF3310.jpg
 * Aynalikavak Pavilion DSCF3310.jpg

Buy
Checkout the Beşiktaş Market right besides Galata on the way to Beşiktaş ferry terminal.

Budget

 * Right at the corner of Taksim Sq and İstiklal Ave, there is renowned for their ıslak burgers: these are soaked in tomato sauce (therefore ıslak, "wet") and are smaller and spicier (garlicky, in particular) than the variety found in US-origin chains. While Kızılkayalar Burger is the oldest, all stalls offer basically the same menu: döner, french fries, toasts, various cold and hot snacks, freshly squeezed juices, as well as prepackaged soft drinks and ayran. All are open 24-hr and have sit-in and take-out options.
 * On the (literally Fish Market, next to Çiçek Pasajı and opposite Galatasaray Lisesi), there is a number of small eateries side by side, offering delicious fried mussels (midye tava, 3.50 TL per sandwich) with a yogurt sauce, best washed down with a pint of beer.
 * On the (literally Fish Market, next to Çiçek Pasajı and opposite Galatasaray Lisesi), there is a number of small eateries side by side, offering delicious fried mussels (midye tava, 3.50 TL per sandwich) with a yogurt sauce, best washed down with a pint of beer.

Drink
The golden days of the 1990s–2010s of Beyoğlu nightlife are now history. Nevertheless, Beyoğlu is still lively, and you won't go thirsty. Many clubs offer live music.

Cafés

 * Melekler Kahvesi Ayhan Işık Sk 32-A, Taksim, +90 212 251 31 01. Melekler Kahvesi which is a backstreet cafe is in Taksim. It is a very popular place among young people. You can play games such as Scrabble and drink Turkish coffee (6 TL). After drinking Turkish coffee, fortunetellers will look at the coffee grounds and tell your future for free.

Small streets south of Taksim Square offer a variety of cafes with more than reasonable prices. Tea can cost 1-1.50 TL instead of 5-6 TL in more touristy areas. A more authentic feel with locals spending their time there and also playing boardgames.

Hookah
In Tophane near the waterfront are a number of well-known hookah/shisha (nargile) cafes all clustered together. They don't serve traditional hookah unless you are on their outdoor patios due to the national ban on indoors tobacco smoking in public places — instead you have to go for a non-tobacco version marketed as bitkisel ("herbal") to stay within the legal limits, but those passionately in love with traditional hookah usually find it unpleasant.

Sleep
Much accommodation is business-oriented, for people on expenses. There's a dearth of mid-range hotels, and many hostels and other budget places have perished in the downturn. Nevertheless it's still possible to stay for budget to mid-range prices in this part of the city.

Stay safe
Generally, it is safe to walk around in this district, even by night, although crossing Tarlabaşı Boulevard (Tarlabaşı Bulvarı) towards the dilapidated and rough quarter of Tarlabaşı to the west of Beyoğlu/Istiklal Avenue wouldn't be wise after nightfall. Some other parts of this district also have some crime issues. A rule of thumb to follow would be to look for young people around having fun, which suggests that you are more likely in an OK zone.

In Taksim Square and Istiklal Street, there are always (7/24) police officers on patrol and security cameras. Do not be afraid. This is a safe area.

Beware of the common bar scams. These are detailed in the dedicated section of the main Istanbul article.

Connect
There are some internet cafes on the side alleys of Istiklal Avenue, especially on the ones nearer Taksim Square. Look for the signs when passing by, especially for those hanging from the second or third floors of the buildings. Most cost around 1.50 TL/hr.

title: Istanbul/Galata


text:
Istanbul/Golden Horn

The Golden Horn (Turkish: Haliç) is the district of Istanbul surrounding the banks of the body of water of the same name, which is a bay of the Bosphorus along its western, European coast.

This article focuses on the areas around the Golden Horn banks west of the city walls or the inner beltway (O-1). For the southeastern and the northern banks, often visited on a combined trip to the area, see the articles for the Old City and Galata districts, respectively.

Understand
The English name of the bay comes from its Greek counterpart, Hrison Keras (Χρυσόν Κέρας), which literally translates the "Golden Horn". The "horn" part perhaps comes from the deep curve the bay has towards its end in the northwest. The "golden" part is more obscure, but possibly it's a poetic referral to the reflections on the Horn's water during the beautiful sunsets.

The Ottomans named the Horn as Haliç, which in modern Turkish is a geographical term for an "estuary", although in its original Arabic, it simply means a "gulf".

History
The Golden Horn is the estuary of the Alibeyköy and Kağıthane Rivers (known collectively as the Sweet Waters of Europe by the early European travellers of the centuries past; joining each other northeast of Eyüp near Silahtar), formed when the waters of the Bosphorus flooded their common riverbed in prehistory. Always been the primary harbour of Istanbul, it can even be argued that Istanbul would never have existed in such a grand way if it weren't for this well sheltered, superb haven (and also the superb trading route through and across Bosphorus, by the way).

In the 18th century, the banks of the Horn and the rivers that form it were adorned with palaces and mansions that were surrounded by large tulip gardens (most of which are now lost without a trace), where the Ottoman high society were enjoying themselves in ostentatious parties. The banks of the Kağıthane River was especially favoured, where the partying suburb of Sadabad, "the happy city" was founded (the "sweet waters" simply wasn't a metaphor for the then-azure rivers, but it more was a referral to all the dolce vita going on). This was the Tulip Era (Lale Devri, 1718-1730), or as some call it, the "Debauch Era" (Sefahat Devri), which was later accused as one of the reasons for the economical weakening, and the eventual dissolution of the empire.

All this festive lifestyle abruptly came to an end with the Janisarry-led Patrona Halil Revolt of 1730, when some of the buildings in Sadabad was arsoned, and much later in the 19th century, with the inevitable arrival of the industrial revolution in Turkey, when the banks of the Golden Horn became one of the industrial powerhouses of the Turkish economy and remained as such until up to the 1980s. This had its heavy toll on what was once the "golden" Horn: the industrial effluents in addition to the untreated wastewater from the rapidly expanding city's sewers caused the Horn stinking to the high heaven, as much as that people were actually trying to avoid the avenues along its banks even if those routes meant a shortcut to where they are heading. Then in the late 1980s, the first attempts to bring the Horn to its former glory began. Today its water is much cleaner (although locals will surely advise against, it's borderline clean enough for a swim—the Epiphany celebrations of the local Greek community, in which several swimmers strive to grab the wooden cross thrown into the water by the Patriarch, have returned to the Horn after being relocated to the Bosphorus for decades), and its banks are surrounded by pleasant parks giving the city a new fresh breath, rising on what was once the lots of factories. Some of the neighbourhoods along its banks, Eyüp in special, put a special emphasis on celebrating the Ottoman roots of the area.

Orientation
According to the local convention, the Golden Horn has a southern coast, and a northern one, which are also the designations used in this guide. However, due to the almost meandering shape of the Horn, the "south" is sometimes more like west, and the "north" looks as if it's in the east. Simple rule of thumb: if you are standing on a contiguous piece of land with the Süleymaniye Mosque, the red brick & domed Phanar Greek College, or the Eyüp Mosque, then you are on the southern bank. Conversely, if you are seeing these landmarks on the opposite shore and are on the same land that the Galata Tower or the Kasımpaşa Shipyards stand, then you are on the northern coast.

Get in

 * The M2 line of the Istanbul Metro crosses the Golden Horn on a bridge (the only above ground section of that line). Haliç station in mid-channel is connected to both sides with pedestrian bridges. However Şişhane, the next station north, is better placed for the north bank locations.
 * Tram line T5 runs along a north-south axis from Alibeyköy Cep Otogarı down to Cibali. An extension will eventually link it to Eminönü.
 * Buses run from Eminönü and Taksim up the length of the Horn and beyond. Eminönü is better linked to the southern coast and Taksim is better linked to the northern.
 * Boats. Ferries across the Bosphorus from Üsküdar to Eminönü also zigzag between quays either side of the Horn and go as far west as Eyüp. Smaller ferries also shuttle across the Horn. These ferries still burn fossil fuels. The electric gondolas from Eyüp for nearby destinations on the opposite bank are quieter, cleaner and maybe more romantic. They carry up to 4 people but the price is per boat and destination.
 * On foot the main consideration is where to cross the Horn. The main crossing near Eyüp is the Old Galata Bridge (Eski Galata Köprüsü), the old pontoon bridge renovated and towed to its present location after badly damaged by fire in 1992. It is sometimes opened so you'll need a work-around when it does. Other bridges down the estuary are the Unkapanı, Metro (also accessible on foot), and (new) Galata, all between the vicinity of Eminönü and Karaköy.
 * A chairlift runs between downtown Eyüp and Pierre Loti on a hill overlooking the Horn; see the "Do" and "Drink" sections below.

See

 * Around the mosque complex are cemeteries and tombs from the Ottoman period, with their distinctively decorated marble headstones. Besides, there are a number of other mosques, streets, and stores surrounding the Eyüp Complex, all pleasantly preserved, and give the visitors an idea of how Ottoman Istanbul should be looking like. Here is where all of those "boys-to-be-circumsized photos" are taken, as it’s a tradition to take the boys in their special Ottoman prince outfits to this particular mosque before the event. In the adjoining streets, you can find shops offering interesting Ottoman-style stuff like wooden toys or traditional salty ring-shaped cookies (halka) not easily available elsewhere.
 * Around the mosque complex are cemeteries and tombs from the Ottoman period, with their distinctively decorated marble headstones. Besides, there are a number of other mosques, streets, and stores surrounding the Eyüp Complex, all pleasantly preserved, and give the visitors an idea of how Ottoman Istanbul should be looking like. Here is where all of those "boys-to-be-circumsized photos" are taken, as it’s a tradition to take the boys in their special Ottoman prince outfits to this particular mosque before the event. In the adjoining streets, you can find shops offering interesting Ottoman-style stuff like wooden toys or traditional salty ring-shaped cookies (halka) not easily available elsewhere.
 * Santralistanbul campus (9).jpg

Buy
Tons of souvenir shops around Eyüp Mosque Complex.

Sleep
There's not much accommodation in the Golden Horn; most visitors just walk here from nearby Sultanahmet Old City or from Galata.

Stay safe
Because of the effects of the refugee crisis due to the ongoing civil war in neighbouring Syria, in lonely times it's best to steer clear of the parks on the banks of the Golden Horn, especially those near its northwestern end, although many refugees are just shy and/or friendly.

Go next
A trip to Eyüp can easily be combined with some more sightseeing in the areas of Istanbul's old city that are close to the banks of the Golden Horn, such as the former Greek neighbourhood of Fener/Phanar, which houses the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Bulgarian church of St. Stephen, one of few prefabricated cast iron churches in the world. A variety of sights including an industrial museum, a miniature park, and an Ottoman palace also exist on the northern shore.

title: Istanbul/Golden Horn


text:
Istanbul/New City

Istanbul's New City is a modern district north of Taksim Square. Its neighbourhoods of Elmadağ, Nişantaşı, Kurtuluş and Şişli were built up in the early 20th century, then more recently appeared the business district between Mecidiyeköy and Levent-Maslak. While in the 2020s steel-and-glass skyscrapers are everywhere in Istanbul perhaps except a few deeply historic zones, this is the only area where they form a distinctive skyline rather than a jumble of irregularly spaced high-rises shooting up into the air with much lower buildings inbetween. The district's main thoroughfare is Cumhuriyet Caddesi between Taksim Square and Mecidiyeköy (passing through or near Nişantaşı and Şişli) and its extension Büyükdere Caddesi, which runs through Levent and Maslak and eventually reaches Sarıyer on the Bosphorus bank to the north.

Get in

 * The quickest way to reach the New City is by Metro line M2 which runs beneath Cumhuriyet Caddesi from Taksim to Maslak, with stations every couple of kilometres.
 * Metro line M11 runs from Istanbul airport to Gayrettepe passing through the district with a stop at Kagıthane.
 * Buses from other parts of the city run to Mecidiyeköy. The Metrobüs, a bus rapid transit system plying along its own lane between the western suburbs and the Asian Side also passes through the district, calling at Mecidiyeköy and Zincirlikuyu stations (close to those metro stations).
 * Dolmuşes ply between Beşiktaş and Nişantaşı.

Architecture
Probably no one in their right mind would visit Istanbul for the sole purpose of viewing high-rises, but if for some reason you need a change from the ancient to 19th-century architecture that dominates the most visited parts of the city, jump on the metro for Istanbul's skyscraper district clustered around Levent and Maslak. The heavy focus of the AKP government on construction projects means the building heights increasingly go upwards: as of 2022, the tallest in this area is 2019-built Skyland Istanbul at 284 m, in Seyrantepe west of Maslak (although the tallest building in Istanbul and all of Turkey, 301-m Metropol Istanbul, is in Ataşehir, a smaller business district on the Asian Side of the city), and many others are among the tallest anywhere between Moscow and Dubai, or even in the entirety of Europe. Much of the area is criss-crossed by motorways and motorway-like avenues so may not be very suitable for walking tours, and the most appreciable skyline views are from some distance away, e.g., across the Bosphorus.

On the other hand, the earlier developed southern sections of the district around Harbiye, Elmadağ, Osmanbey, Nişantaşı, Kurtuluş, and Şişli feature large numbers of neo-classical and Art Nouveau buildings from the turn of the 20th century, in a great contrast to the business district in the north.

Buy
This part of the city is characterized by having a modern shopping mall every few kilometers along the metro line. Here is a list of them:

 * City's Nişantaşı, about a 10-minute walk (250 m) from Osmanbey Metro statıon.

Additıonally, Nişantaşı, downhill from Osmanbey metro station, is quite literally full of upscale boutique shopping options (e.g.: Gucci, Prada, Armani).

Mid-range

 * Set Kebap at Nispetiye Cad. No:13 in Levent. Has a wonderful meze table and delicious Adana Kebab. The staff speaks very little English but are most anxious to be helpful.
 * Sosa. At Akmerkez Mall, Etiler. tel - +90 212 282 01 51. Fairly priced salads and wraps among others.
 * Sosa. At Akmerkez Mall, Etiler. tel - +90 212 282 01 51. Fairly priced salads and wraps among others.
 * Sosa. At Akmerkez Mall, Etiler. tel - +90 212 282 01 51. Fairly priced salads and wraps among others.

Drink

 * Reassürans Pasajı in Nişantaşı houses many bars and cafés and is a good place for bar hopping on a Saturday night.

Adult entertainment

 * The city's most reputable strip club, or gentleman's club, is Regina Revue, in Elmadag, near Taksim. It's not a sleazy place and has been running for nearly 30 years. Rather than a standard strip club with just a pole on the stage, Regina has many different decors and performances to music, with the girls acting out different scenarios on stage.

Sleep
At its south end this district shades into Taksim / Galata, where there's more choice.

title: Istanbul/New City


text:
Istanbul/Princes' Islands

An archipelago of nine islands in the Sea of Marmara just off the Asian coast of Istanbul, the Princes' Islands (Turkish: Prens Adaları, also İstanbul Adaları, Kızıl Adalar or just Adalar, "the Islands of Istanbul", "the Red Islands", and "the Islands" respectively) are a perfect escape whenever the frantic crowds of Istanbul start to overwhelm you.

Understand
Named after the dynasty members who were exiled here after falling out of favour during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, the Princes' Islands were back then desolate and remote, despite being within the eyesight of Constantinople (a fact which should have made exile here even more painful), and sailing to them was more of an expedition until the mid-19th century, when regular steamer transportation was introduced to the Sea of Marmara. Before then, only a handful of hermits seeking seclusion had voluntarily lived on these islands; this is how their Ottoman Turkish name, Keşiş Adaları, "the Monks' Islands", derived.

The Princes’ Islands consist of four major and five minor islands. Ordered west to east (also smallest to largest), the major ones are Kınalıada, Burgaz, Heybeliada, and Büyükada. Apart from these, the only other island of the archipelago with residents is Sedef east of Büyükada. The other minor islands are Tavşan south of Büyükada, Kaşık between Burgaz and Heybeliada, and the duo of Yassıada and Sivriada further out in the sea southwest of Kınalıada; these are all uninhabited, sort-of except Yassıada which was developed as an overbuilt exclusive resort in the 21st century. This article will focus on the four major ones, as public transport to the uninhabited islands is virtually non-existent, and Sedef and Yassıada are mostly private property with limited access.

The islands are an interesting anomaly because they allow for a very rare, albeit incomplete, insight into a multicultural society in modern Turkey, possibly alike to the multicultural society once existed during the Ottoman Empire in places such as nearby Istanbul/Constantinople. Prior to the 1950s, each of the inhabited islands had significant communities of the Turkish ethnic minorities, which still is the case to a much smaller extent. Since the vast majority of the residents and visitors are Turkish, today their legacy is of cultural rather than of demographic importance: Kınalıada ("henna island" due to its reddish soil; Greek: Proti, "first", implying its position on the approach from Constantinople) has been the summer retreat of the Armenian community of Istanbul, Burgaz (from Greek pyrgos, "fort tower"; Greek: Antigoni, after Antigonus I Monophthalmus, one of the successors of Alexander the Great and who had that tower built here) was a sleepy Greek village living off fishing, Heybeliada ("saddlebag island", from its geographical form; Greek: Halki, "copper" from its ore mined in antiquity) was the main Turkish settlement of the island group, while Büyükada ("big island", sufficiently descriptive; Greek: Prinkipos, "prince" or "foremost", also descriptive in itself) was mostly favored by local Jews and European residents of Istanbul, although members of all Ottoman / Turkish ethnicities could be encountered on Büyükada. This is partially responsible for the different characters of the islands that lie so close to each other.

These islands prove to be a good day-trip especially when you've had enough of the crowd, noise, and traffic of Istanbul. Quite a shock is what many travellers experience upon their return to the city, when full-blast car horns are still as prevalent as when they departed early in the morning.

The best times to be on the islands is during spring (Apr & May) and autumn (Sep & Oct). During these seasons, the temperature is pleasantly free of the extremes, and the islands are not very crowded. During early spring (around late Mar specifically), the silver wattles are in a yellow flush of their showy bloom, quite iconic to the islands and add to their charms. On the other hand, at summer weekends (Jun to Aug), expect crowds on the islands as well as in the ships. Avoid if you can. During winter (Nov to Mar), the exact opposite is the case. However, if you want to enjoy the islands blanketed by snow and/or in a very gloomy and almost deserted “ghost-town” experience and don’t mind the biting cold, then winter is definitely that season.

If you don’t have time to visit all of the islands, pick Büyükada: it’s undoubtedly the “queen” of the islands.

Online, you may run into various incorrect spellings for the name of the archipelago including the "Prince’s Islands" or the "Princess’ Islands".

Büyükada

Upon getting off the ferry, you’ll recognize the clock at a square just a block up in front of you. This is the main square, and is the focal point of the town centre. Most grocery stores are to your left, and so are the waterfront restaurants. From here, the main roads of the island diverge left (east), right (west) and straight ahead (south) towards the hill and there is a range of narrower streets and alleys connecting these. The main roads join again at Birlik Meydanı ("union square", perhaps because the roads "unite" there), the geographical centre of the island, on a piney plateau between the two main summits. From that square, taking either direction will bring you back to the same square, as the road encircles the southern half of the island, at some distance away and over the sea. The Church of St George is at the end of another, cobbled path uphill from Birlik Meydanı.

There is a large and detailed map of the island posted to the left of the port exit.

From Istanbul
The only way to get here is by sea: whether Istanbul ferries or fast ferries, available at various hours every day. From the European Side of Istanbul, you can take a ferry from either Beşiktaş, Kabataş or Eminönü. On the Asian Side, the piers with a connection to the islands are in Kadıköy, Bostancı, Maltepe and Kartal. The most frequent departures are from Bostancı (especially in winter), which also has private mid-sized boat connection to the islands in addition to liners and fast ferries. See the Asian Side article for an extensive detail of how to get to Bostancı from the more central parts of the city.

A trip on liners takes around 1½ hours from the European Side, and 45 minutes from the Asian Side, and costs about 25 TL one way with Istanbulkart and significantly more without it. Seabus fast ferries (deniz otobüsü) are more than twice as expensive but will get you much faster to the islands and have air conditioning. However their service quits earlier and they run less frequent.

Almost all ferries call at all four major islands in a row when departing from the European Side, so you can also use them for island-hopping. From Bostancı, Mavi Marmara ferries typically go to Büyükada and Heybeliada islands, and the second route to Kınalıada and Burgazada islands (ada = "island"). The island names are not announced by voice inside the ships, but the signs on the quays are large enough. Besides the Mavi Marmara line you find also the city line of ferries (Şehir Hatları) which are larger than the Mavi Marmara ferries which are more like large boats rather than ships.

On the islands
Due to animal welfare issues, the horse-drawn carriages (fayton), which became iconic for the islands, were banned in 2020 and replaced by custom designed electric minibuses with open sides. These are run by the metropolitan transportation authority, İETT, on fixed routes and schedules.

Other than these minibuses, and service vehicles such as ambulances or garbage trucks, any motorized traffic is prohibited on the islands.

Renting a bike is an alternative. The fare was 20 TL per day in 2018. Most renters require you to leave an official identification to be returned after the payment is made. A student ID may suffice. Some renters distribute a road map of the island free of charge, don’t forget to ask for it.

Walking the streets of the islands, past some of the country's most beautiful residential buildings surrounded by well-landscaped gardens, is also a very pleasant alternative.

See

Do

 * Great Tour (Büyük Tur, the full circumference of the island, about 15 km in Büyükada) by bike. The roads are well paved, are scenic, and there are few gradients.
 * Have a picnic in a scenic spot.

Sleep
Most of the islands' accommodation is on Büyükada close to the ferry pier. Some can also be found on Heybeliada.

Stay safe
If you are doing the great tour of Büyükada by bicycle, near the cemetery beware of dogs, which suddenly start barking at and chasing you when you are about to re-enter the built-up area in the east of the island if your tour is counter-clockwise, or after you have just entered the forested section if clockwise. The best reaction is to speed up as much as your legs and the bicycle can endure, as they give up after a certain length of chase. Be particularly careful in winter.

Don’t be fooled by the absence of private motorized vehicles: Always check the road first when crossing a road.

Connect
The telephone code for islands is (+90) 216, shared with the Asian Side. Landline calls to the European Side are "intercity" and require dialling the area code (212).

Go next
If you are not going to stay overnight in the islands, don’t forget to take a note of departure times of ships back to the city before leaving the quay building. Ships are less frequent after the night falls, especially in winter. Generally the most frequent line (and the one with the latest departure) links to Bostancı east of Kadıköy. From Bostancı, you can take dolmuşes and public buses to the European Side, from the stops north of the railway station, as well as the Marmaray suburban rail.

The sea can be rough in spring, autumn and winter, and the islands are sometimes cut off from the outside world when the ferry services are cancelled due to storms and high waves.

title: Istanbul/Princes' Islands


text:
Istanbul/Sultanahmet-Old City

The Old City of Istanbul (Turkish: Eski İstanbul, "Old Istanbul", also Tarihi Yarımada, "Historic Peninsula" and Suriçi, "Walled City") is the oldest part of the city, and the location of most of its historic sights.

Understand

Constantinople exclusively referred to this peninsula surrounded by water to its north, east, and south (the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, and the Sea of Marmara, respectively) and by the old city walls to its west. The rest of what is today Istanbul were independent urban and rural communities, fields or even complete wilderness later absorbed by the city. This process is still going on as Istanbul grows with an increasing speed.

The construction of Yenikapı train and subway station, from 2004 to 2014, on the southern coast of the peninsula, revealed archeological finds that date the very first time of Istanbul's settlement back to about 8000 years ago, which makes the city one of the oldest still-inhabited spots of the world. However, tradition states that Byzantium was first settled by Greek colonists from Megara on the Greek mainland in 667 BC. According to this tradition, they and their leader Byzas consulted the Delphi oracle, who said they would create a great harbor city "across from the land of the blind". After much sailing, they arrived at the strategically superb peninsular site of the Seraglio Point (Sarayburnu) and encountered some fishermen who told them they lived in Chalcedon, a very less privileged site across the Bosphorus. ("They are the blind!", said Byzas to himself). This spot that the Megarans chose to found their new colony is now occupied by Gülhane Park and the Topkapı Palace. The urban area was greatly expanded by Constantine the Great for his Imperial capital, inaugurated on 330 AD: foundations of the Constantine walls were uncovered by the digs for Yenikapı station. Later on, Theodosius II extended the urban development even further out — the Theodosian Walls built during his reign in the 5th century have enclosed the entirety of the peninsula.

By the time of the Ottoman conquest, the peninsula was the last vestige of the Byzantine Empire, except a strip of land along the Black Sea up to the Bay of Burgas and arguably the far-away territories held by loosely associated entities in the Peloponnese in the west, Crimea in the north, and Trabzon in the east.

Once the starting point of the Hippie Trail, the Sultanahmet area has been the main tourist district of the city since the 1960s. As the Hippodrome of Constantinople, it was for long one of the main social centres in the city — a role it still seasonally plays during the evening feasts in Ramadan — and hence is a part of the old city with an exceptionally disproportionate number of historic sights. The name of the district derives from the Turkish name of the imposing Blue Mosque on one side of its main square, which in turn is named after the Ottoman sultan Ahmet I (r. 1603–1617), who had the mosque built, and is buried in a mausoleum on its grounds.

Parts of the peninsula have been in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.

In an administrative reform in 2009, the area covered in this guide was declared the district of Fatih, after a quarter in the northwest of the peninsula and its central mosque (see the listing below). While you may see this naming in use in official material and e.g. the postal addresses, this guide sticks with the colloquial usage which applies the narrower definition, and Fatih refers to the said quarter only.

Orientation
The peninsula is formed by a number of elongated plateaus, which gently descend to the valleys in-between and rather more steeply to the coastlines. Some points of these plateaus are relatively higher than their surroundings, and these are known as the "seven hills of Constantinople/Istanbul", replicating the model of Rome, which also has seven hills in its ancient core. Obviously, all of this is heavily built-up now, but the topography is still there.

The ancient Mese ("Middle Street") of Constantinople still forms a major thoroughfare. Its present-day names are Divan Yolu Caddesi ("the state council road", the Ottoman-era ceremonial route leading to the palace, and lined by numerous 16th–19th-century Ottoman imperial tombs in various styles) between Sultanahmet (ancient Augustaion, the Ist hill) and Çemberlitaş (Forum Constantini, the Forum of Constantine, the IInd hill), Yeniçeriler Caddesi from Çemberlitaş to Beyazıt (Forum Tauri, the Forum of the Bull, or of Theodosius, the IIIrd hill), and Ordu Caddesi gradually sloping down west from Beyazıt through Laleli, where fragmented and unidentified antiquities from the Theodosian forum are displayed along the southern sidewalk, to Aksaray (Forum Bovis, the Forum of the Ox). The tram line runs along its entire course, and the section between Beyazıt and Sultanahmet is closed to motorized traffic.

East from Sultanahmet, the tram line curves around the contour of the peninsula, following Alemdar Caddesi and then Ebussuud Caddesi through Gülhane down to Sirkeci — Ankara Caddesi forms a helpful, more direct shortcut here for pedestrians and other traffic.

From Sirkeci and adjoining Eminönü (connected to Galata by the Galata Bridge), a major street follows the shoreline of the Golden Horn, successively named Ragıp Gümüşpala Caddesi, Abdülezelpaşa Caddesi, and Ayvansaray Caddesi towards northwest. It is served by the tram line.

At Aksaray, Ordu Cd connects to Atatürk Bulvarı, the central north-south boulevard in one of the valleys. Atatürk Blv runs from Yenikapı on the Marmara coast to the Unkapanı Bridge crossing the Golden Horn (beyond to Beyoğlu and Taksim Square). The metro line roughly follows the same direction underground, albeit some distance away to the east. West of Aksaray, Ordu Cd splits into two 1950s-built boulevards leading towards the city walls on either side of the Topkapı gate (the VIIth hill; a word of caution: this is nowhere near the identically named Topkapı Palace): Millet Caddesi, or officially Turgut Özal Bulvarı, is the southern one where the tram line continues along the central strip. The sites in the southwest are most easily accessed by diverging off west of Aksaray into Cerrahpaşa Caddesi. To the north, Vatan Caddesi, officially Adnan Menderes Bulvarı is the other modern boulevard — resembling more of an urban motorway for better and worse — and follows the valley of the ancient Lycus River, with the metro line underneath.

Vezneciler Caddesi branches off from Ordu Cd at Beyazıt, where a series of alleys leads north to Süleymaniye. Past the interchange with Atatürk Blv, the street is named Fevzipaşa Caddesi. Paralleling southerly Vatan Cd from that point on, Fevzipaşa Cd follows the ridge to Fatih (the IVth hill) and eventually to the Edirnekapı gate (the VIth hill) of the walls. At Fatih, a collection of streets leads down to the Golden Horn, through Istanbul's ultraconservative quarter (see the "stay safe" notice below) of Çarşamba (the Vth hill).

Finally, Kennedy Caddesi, built on land reclaimed from the sea in the late 1950s thus stranding the sea walls inland, roars its way from Sirkeci around the Seraglio Point and then along the Marmara coast, through Cankurtaran, Kumkapı (the location of the European portal of the Eurasia Tunnel, Avrasya Tüneli, linking under the Bosphorus with the Asian Side), Yenikapı, Cerrahpaşa, Samatya, and Yedikule towards the western suburbs. The tram line, running along the right-of-way of the old railway into Sirkeci in the heart of the Old City, more or less tracks the same route.

Of course, there are innumerable secondary streets and a labyrinthine network of perhaps thousands of alleys connecting with these main roads and each other, but fear not: getting lost is one of the joys of strolling Old Istanbul, and the rough areas you may unknowingly stumble into are few and far between. If you feel really lost, head towards the first glimpse of the sea, and you will soon meet one of the above routes.

Get in
Being central, the Old City is easy to reach by public transport. See also Istanbul main page: note especially that Atatürk Airport closed in April 2019, and that Sirkeci railway station has closed - trains from Europe terminate at Halkali.

By metro
The Marmaray cross-city line runs between Halkalı in the western suburbs, via several dozen stops including Sirkeci, under the Bosphorus to Kadıköy, then out east to Pendik and Gebze. Trains run 06:00-23:00 every 15 mins, fares are by distance but won't exceed 21,91TL. This is the quickest way to reach Asia side, and to connect with mainline trains east and west. For a more direct route to Sultanahmet from the Asian side, consider taking the Marmaray train line from Üsküdar or Ayrılık Çeşmesi stations, which passes under the Bosphorus and arrives at Sirkeci station, within walking distance to Sultanahmet.

Metro lines from the western suburbs (including the main bus station at Esenler) and  from north of the Golden Horn meet each other and Marmaray at Yenikapı, which is useful for a transfer to the tram line T1 (Aksaray station, 600 m apart) as well as to the nearby ferry port. On M2, the other useful stations are Vezneciler for the scattered sights around Süleymaniye and Fatih, and another chance to change to T1 (Laleli-Üniversite, 280 m), and Haliç station on the Golden Horn metro bridge, where you can change to the tram line T5 (Cibali, 750 m). On M1, Aksaray is the transfer station to T1 (Yusufpaşa, 250 m away) and Emniyet-Fatih provides a secondary approach to the Fatih area (some uphill walking).

By tram
The tram line T1 is the most useful public transportation route, with stations close to most of the major sites. It runs the length of the peninsula, and links with Galata and further north, and the suburbs in the west. Within the old city, the most helpful stations are at Eminönü, Sirkeci, Gülhane, Sultanahmet, Beyazıt, and Aksaray. With a transfer at Kabataş from the funicular line down from Taksim, this line also offers one of the easiest approaches from that area. Trams can be very crowded, but services are frequent and journey times are short.

The tram line T5 runs north from Eminönü (although from a separate station from that of T1) along the Golden Horn to Fener, Balat, and Ayvansaray, eventually reaching Eyüp and Alibeyköy Cep Otogarı, the secondary intercity bus station on the outer beltway.

The tram line U3/T6 skirts the eastern and southern coast and serves the southwest, with transfers to T1 at Sirkeci, M1A, M1B, M2 and Marmaray B1 at Yenikapı, and once again to Marmaray B1 at Kazlıçeşme.

The tram line T4 is outside the district, but marginally useful: the stations near its southern terminus are just outside the city walls (including Topkapı, where it's possible to change to the T1 station of the same name). It diverges off at Edirnekapı towards the northwestern suburbs.

By bus

 * Any bus to Eminönü or Beyazıt will pass within 10 mins walk of Sultanahmet.
 * Buses bound for Kocamustafapaşa (#35 from Eminönü, #35A from Aksaray, #35C from Taksim) and Kazlıçeşme (#80 from Eminönü, #80T from Taksim) are the only reasonable public transport option for the sites in the southwest.

By boat
Ferries cross the Bosphorus from Kadıköy and Üsküdar to Eminönü. There are also smaller private boats plying on the same routes. Another option is to take the ferry from Üsküdar to Kabataş and take the tram. If you are arriving in Istanbul by one of fast ferries from towns across on the southern and southeastern coast of Marmara, your likely point of entry to the city is Yenikapı on the southern shore of the peninsula.

By taxi
In Istanbul there are plenty of yellow taxis and cab fares are not expensive. A ride from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Sultanahmet is about 45 km and costs around 145 TL, as of Feb 2018.

On foot
Most of the sights in the old city are close enough to be negotiated on foot, as they are in or near Sultanahmet Square. For many others, just follow the tram tracks. However, between Eminönü/Sirkeci and Sultanahmet, it's quicker to shortcut along Ankara Cd as the tramline makes a roundabout loop through that part of the city.

The sidewalk along the street between Sirkeci, Gülhane, and Sultanahmet is not very wide and trams pass along fairly close to the sidewalk, so watch your step especially when you hear tram's bell.

See
Many of Istanbul’s historical gems, mostly Byzantine and Ottoman-built monuments are within the Old City. Most are located a short walk away from Sultanahmet Square, if not immediately on the edges of it. Some other sights are scattered throughout the peninsula.

Sultanahmet Square

 * [[Image:Turkey - Blue Mosque.jpg|thumb|Sultanahmet also known as the Blue Mosque]]
 * [[Image:Basilica Cistern Istanbul.JPG|thumb|Basilica Cistern]]
 * [[Image:Turkey - Blue Mosque.jpg|thumb|Sultanahmet also known as the Blue Mosque]]
 * [[Image:Basilica Cistern Istanbul.JPG|thumb|Basilica Cistern]]
 * [[Image:Basilica Cistern Istanbul.JPG|thumb|Basilica Cistern]]
 * [[Image:Basilica Cistern Istanbul.JPG|thumb|Basilica Cistern]]
 * [[Image:Basilica Cistern Istanbul.JPG|thumb|Basilica Cistern]]

North of Sultanahmet to Eminönü

 * [[Image:Gulhane park Istanbul 2007 003.jpg|thumb|Main footpath of Gülhane Park lined with plane trees]]

North of Beyazıt: Vezneciler and Süleymaniye

 * Valens 2012 DK.jpg
 * [[Image:Molla Zeyrek Camii.jpg|thumb|Zeyrek Mosque with the three former churches making it up still distinguishable]]
 * [[Image:Molla Zeyrek Camii.jpg|thumb|Zeyrek Mosque with the three former churches making it up still distinguishable]]

Northwest: Fatih to Edirnekapı

 * [[Image:Chora Church Constantinople 2007 010.jpg|thumb|Interior of Chora Church]]
 * [[Image:Chora Church Constantinople 2007 010.jpg|thumb|Interior of Chora Church]]

Along the Golden Horn: Fener, Balat, and Ayvansaray
This was the traditionally non-Muslim inhabited part of Ottoman Istanbul.

 * [[Image:Vas pat blz.jpg|thumb|The tower of Phanar Greek College]]
 * [[Image:Vas pat blz.jpg|thumb|The tower of Phanar Greek College]]
 * [[Image:Vas pat blz.jpg|thumb|The tower of Phanar Greek College]]

Do

 * Walk Along the Golden Horn Poke around forgotten corners just over this hauntingly beautiful inlet from the Bosphorus. You make some thrilling - and chilling - "finds" on cobbled streets as you trace its narrow alleyways and ancient squares. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate housing a column which is believed to have been used for the binding and flogging of criminals in Jerusalem is here. The magnificent Neo-Gothic, Neo Baroque - well literally hand-made doll house - St. Stephens Church is on the western shores. The cascading domes and four slender minarets of the Imperial Suleymaniye Mosque dominating the skyline. One of Istanbul’s surviving mediaeval synagogues, and trendiest houses in town that are now enjoying their second or even third type of use. Highlight is the famous Chora the Byzantine marvel of mosaics and frescoes.

Hamams
Most of Istanbul's historical Turkish baths, known as hamam and quite an inevitable part of any Istanbul experience, are located in Old City around Sultanahmet.

Buy
You can buy tourist-kitsch souvenirs all around the city. A magnet with coloured picture of Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia will cost 2 TL each. Haggling over the price is the norm when shopping. Shopkeepers usually let you offer a price lower than the retail price; once a price agreeable to both is met, then the sale can be finalized.

Shops

 * Rugs and kilims

Areas

 * is the main centre of textile wholesale business, with many stores specializing in leather.
 * , extending from Eminönü uphill to Beyazıt, form the main commercial area for the local clientele. Always busy and crowded, thousands of shops often within centuries-old buildings lining its streets join to create an open-air bazaar atmosphere, where anything from electronics to ornamental plants are in offer. If you can't find what you are looking for here, it's doubtful you can anywhere else.

Eat
Restaurants around Sultanahmet are mainly targeted at tourists, and charge much higher prices than those in places such as Galata. The quality of the restaurants aimed at tourists varies, so it's well worth looking for online reviews or following the recommendations of a good guidebook when making your selection (this also reduces your exposure to the aggressive touts employed by many of the restaurants). If you don't want to spend too much money on food, consider walking away from the Sultanahmet area north or westwards for 10 minutes to have much cheaper – and probably nicer – meal.

Budget
For budget meals it is advisable to avoid the restaurants along the tram line and to the immediate west and south of the Blue Mosque. For really budget places, where locals eat, head to Gedik Paşa Cd, south of Beyazıt, and look around in the side streets. Peykhane Cd, closer to Sultanahmet, features restaurants with meals costing a little more, but still lower than Sultanahmet proper.

Other cuisine
Admit it, you might want a break from Turkish - especially if you've been touring away from the city, where alternatives are rare.

Splurge

 * There's a cluster of fish restaurants beneath the Galata Bridge over to Kadikoy. Their open-air decks have great views of the Old City, with the water traffic bustling past as if you were on a liner in harbour. The sea reflects the view and so do the prices. These places are happy for you just to sit and drink without eating.
 * There's a cluster of fish restaurants beneath the Galata Bridge over to Kadikoy. Their open-air decks have great views of the Old City, with the water traffic bustling past as if you were on a liner in harbour. The sea reflects the view and so do the prices. These places are happy for you just to sit and drink without eating.
 * There's a cluster of fish restaurants beneath the Galata Bridge over to Kadikoy. Their open-air decks have great views of the Old City, with the water traffic bustling past as if you were on a liner in harbour. The sea reflects the view and so do the prices. These places are happy for you just to sit and drink without eating.
 * There's a cluster of fish restaurants beneath the Galata Bridge over to Kadikoy. Their open-air decks have great views of the Old City, with the water traffic bustling past as if you were on a liner in harbour. The sea reflects the view and so do the prices. These places are happy for you just to sit and drink without eating.

Drink
Bars: Sultanahmet doesn't really do freestanding bars, they're usually part of a restaurant or hotel. Some options are: Galata Star on the bridge, Wagon Bar and Red River Pub adjacent off Hüdavendigar Cad, Beni Afet on Atmeydani Cad, Just Bar on Akbiyik Cad, Pierre Loti off Divan Yolu Cad, and Room Bar off Ataturk Blvd.

, an old fishermen quarter south of Beyazıt on the Marmara coast boasts traditional taverns specializing in seafood, with tables lining the streets.

in the southwest was also a fishermen quarter. It is the other area renowned for its taverns, additionally featuring kebabs in their menus.

Cafés and dessert restaurants are numerous. They include:
 * Cagaloglu Hamami Café, Prof. K.I. Gurkan Caddesi, Cagaloglu. Within a former hammam, dating 1741, where you can listen to live traditional Turkish music. Cash only, open W-M 12:00-22:00.

Water: the Ottoman Drinking Fountain is at the corner of Şeyhülislam Hayri Efendi Cad and Bankacilir Sk. It's probably okay to drink; it's definitely okay for rinsing face and hands when you're sticky with baklava from the cafes.

Sleep
Accommodation in the peninsula is mostly around Sultanahmet. Budget hotels and hostels are clustered in Cankurtaran, the neighbourhood just south of Sultanahmet Square towards the coastal strip of Kennedy Cd.

Istanbul has a large community of CouchSurfing.com users who will let you stay at their home free. In return you take your host out for a meal, and spend time sharing your culture with them.

Splurge

Post
Post offices are numerous across the district. The (Büyük Postane), in Sirkeci, is a sight in itself. Once the headquarters of the Ottoman ministry of post and telegraph, it's a grand building from the early 20th century in the first national style (also known as Turkish neoclassical), and hosts a postal museum.

Don't expect the odd post box you may spot in the streets or at the entrances of the museums to be emptied frequently or even at all. Take your postage to the offices instead.

Internet
All of Sultanahmet Park (between Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque) is a wifi hotspot free of charge.

There are also a couple of internet cafes along the tram line between Sultanahmet and Gülhane.

Stay safe
The focal point of the peninsula for travellers, Sultanahmet Square, is safe and policed during day and night, so by staying within the realms of common sense, you shouldn't encounter problems there. However, there are some issues to keep in mind for the rest of the old city:
 * The dilapidated, though picturesque, neighbourhoods around Süleymaniye, Zeyrek, the banks of the Golden Horn west of Atatürk Boulevard (i.e., parts of the neighbourhoods of Balat, Fener, Ayvansaray), and along the Marmara coast (especially Kumkapı west to Yenikapı and around Samatya) are home to the impoverished recent immigrants to the city. While this doesn't automatically translate to these neighbourhoods being dangerous, it is best to avoid them (especially narrow back lanes) during the evening and night. The main tourist sites in these neighbourhoods, such as Süleymaniye Mosque or the taverns at Kumkapı, and the main streets leading to them are perfectly safe, though.
 * Too skimpy clothing (which might be defined differently by the locals than you do) will likely attract unwanted attention and perhaps reaction from the ultraconservative inhabitants of Çarşamba, a neighbourhood between Fatih and the Golden Horn.
 * Taking a close look into the details of the city walls (both land and sea) near the gates, major sights or along the major roads that cross them is okay, but elsewhere keep a respectable distance while enjoying their view. Although rare, stabbings and even murders of those who ventured too far into the lonely sections of the walls aren't unheard of.
 * Scams involving extremely overpriced drinks are common at nightclubs around Aksaray, which are best avoided completely. These are quite dangerous with the possible involvement of organized crime. See the "stay safe" section of the main Istanbul article for more details on this.
 * Around Aksaray and Laleli, there are a number of illegal brothels which are not controlled by health authorities in any way. If you choose to engage in such activity, keep in mind that the (usually Eastern European and Central Asian) women you will encounter are more often than not involuntarily forced into prostitution to "pay off" the cost of their trip to Istanbul (where they were hoping to get decent jobs) and had their passports seized by their "boss". 24-hr national hotline phone # 157, with operators speaking in English, Russian, and Romanian in addition to Turkish is where you can report such incidents to bring the victims to safety.
 * In Eminönü's crowded underground passages (and in the rest of Eminönü, in general), be extremely wary of pickpockets, especially when climbing up and down the stairs.

Istanbul Police Department has a "tourism police" office with multilingual staff in Sultanahmet, just across the street from Hagia Sophia, where you can report passport loss or any other problems.

title: Istanbul/Sultanahmet-Old City


text:
Istanbul/Western Suburbs

The Western Suburbs are a collection of Istanbul neighbourhoods, lying west of the Old City walls and sprawling across the Thracian (European) peninsula.

Understand
The Western Suburbs are residential, from rough slums to plush apartments but mostly bland burbs. The Marmara Sea coast has a string of resorts which the city has now engulfed; here and inland is commuter belt. The Black Sea coast has small resorts, lagoons and beaches and is less developed. Inland is rural, scarred here and there by quarries. In 2005 the city boundaries were extended to engulf "Istanbul Province" on both the European and Asian sides, so the "Western Suburbs" and scope of this page now reach 50 km west to the edge of Tekirdağ Province.

Get in
These suburbs are the main ports of entry into the city, as the major airport, the main bus station (otogar) and (for the time being) the European mainline railway terminus are all here. By car you cross this district on the way to central Istanbul from Gallipoli, Bulgaria or Greece.

Local transport radiates out from city centre, east-west. There are some north-south links near the centre, but not further out. Travelling between this area and Istanbul airport either means doubling back via the centre, or a taxi ride across the peninsula.

By air

The city's former main airport "Atatürk" closed in April 2019. Beware out-of-date road signage, maps, and crooked taxi drivers who will try to take you to what is now a demolition site.

By metro
Metro line M1 (red) runs from Aksaray downtown and runs northwest to Esenler bus station. It then divides: one branch goes west towards Kirazli, connecting with T1 (dark blue) from downtown, M3 (light blue) north to Başakşehir, and M9 (yellow) northwest to the Olympic Complex. The other branch goes south to Zeytinburnu transport interchange via Bakırköy (though the station is 3 km north of that township) and Ataköy. Tramline T1 runs from near Kirazli via Zeytinburnu to Aksaray then Sirkeci in the old city. Light rail line T4 (orange) runs from Topkapı just outside the city walls and serves the suburbs north of those along M1. Metro line M7 (pink) serves further north, and runs from Mecidiyeköy in the business district.

By bus

The most useful local bus lines are:
 * 71T Taksim-Ataköy (via Aksaray in old city and Bakırköy)
 * 72T Taksim-Yeşilköy (via Aksaray in old city and Bakırköy)
 * 81 Eminönü-Yeşilköy (via the coast road)
 * 94A Beyazıt-Bakırköy

The hybrid bendy Metrobüs runs up the centre strip of the crosstown D100 highway. These run from Beylikdüzü to the west via Zeytinburnu to Mecidiyeköy and then Söğütlüçeşme on the Asian side. Since the Metrobüs runs along its right-of-way, it cuts travel time dramatically, but expect crowds no less denser than some infamously packed Asian public transport systems.

The main dolmuş routes, which run virtually round the clock, are from Taksim to Bakırköy, Ataköy and Yeşilköy.

By ferry
There are several ferry routes connecting piers along the coast with central and eastern Istanbul.

See
Two lagoons indent the Marmara coast west of Yeşilköy, the little (Küçükçekmece) and the big lagoon (Büyükçekmece):
 * [[Image:StEphremSyriacOrthodoxChurchInYesilkoy.jpg | thumb | 300px | Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church]]
 * [[Image:StEphremSyriacOrthodoxChurchInYesilkoy.jpg | thumb | 300px | Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church]]
 * [[Image:StEphremSyriacOrthodoxChurchInYesilkoy.jpg | thumb | 300px | Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church]]
 * [[Image:StEphremSyriacOrthodoxChurchInYesilkoy.jpg | thumb | 300px | Mor Ephrem Syriac Orthodox Church]]
 * CaveMonasteryİnceğiz (1).jpg
 * There's a string of small resorts and beaches along the Black Sea coast. Those furthest east, Rumelifeneri and Kilyos, are described under Istanbul/Bosphorus. These continue west along the coast to Arnavutköy. This formerly quiet area (not to be confused with the downtown district of the same name) now hosts Istanbul's new airport, so it's likely to become rapidly industrialised.
 * Istanbul çayalca yalıköy açıkları.jpg
 * CaveMonasteryİnceğiz (1).jpg
 * There's a string of small resorts and beaches along the Black Sea coast. Those furthest east, Rumelifeneri and Kilyos, are described under Istanbul/Bosphorus. These continue west along the coast to Arnavutköy. This formerly quiet area (not to be confused with the downtown district of the same name) now hosts Istanbul's new airport, so it's likely to become rapidly industrialised.
 * Istanbul çayalca yalıköy açıkları.jpg
 * CaveMonasteryİnceğiz (1).jpg
 * There's a string of small resorts and beaches along the Black Sea coast. Those furthest east, Rumelifeneri and Kilyos, are described under Istanbul/Bosphorus. These continue west along the coast to Arnavutköy. This formerly quiet area (not to be confused with the downtown district of the same name) now hosts Istanbul's new airport, so it's likely to become rapidly industrialised.
 * Istanbul çayalca yalıköy açıkları.jpg
 * Istanbul çayalca yalıköy açıkları.jpg
 * Istanbul çayalca yalıköy açıkları.jpg
 * Istanbul çayalca yalıköy açıkları.jpg

Do

 * Swimming and beach – In the series of little beach resorts, and middle-of-the-forest beaches with no facilities, along the Black Sea coast west of the Bosphorus. Beware of strong currents when swimming anywhere along this coast. The Marmara coast also has resorts which are much more built up.
 * Forest hikes and cycling – The best areas are in Çilingoz Nature Reserve.
 * Paragliding – the beach north of Ormanlı is relatively popular, with flights launching from the cliffs just above. Mod Extrem offers tandem flights, where you are strapped to an instructor, so you don't need any prior training or experience.
 * Paragliding – the beach north of Ormanlı is relatively popular, with flights launching from the cliffs just above. Mod Extrem offers tandem flights, where you are strapped to an instructor, so you don't need any prior training or experience.
 * Paragliding – the beach north of Ormanlı is relatively popular, with flights launching from the cliffs just above. Mod Extrem offers tandem flights, where you are strapped to an instructor, so you don't need any prior training or experience.
 * Paragliding – the beach north of Ormanlı is relatively popular, with flights launching from the cliffs just above. Mod Extrem offers tandem flights, where you are strapped to an instructor, so you don't need any prior training or experience.

Budget
These are mostly near the transport hubs, set back from the beach front.

Mid-range
There is a string of places around the harbour/marina of all the resorts along the Marmara coast. The main concentrations are in Yeşilköy/Bakırköy south of the old airport, Büyükçekmece both sides of the lagoon, and away west to Silivri.

Drink
You're never far from a beer in all the conurbations of this district.

Sleep
Hotels in this district are mostly upmarket.

Stay safe
There are some sections of waterfront park between Bakırköy and old city walls, where you may feel uncomfortable due to the homeless people and inhalant abusers—best avoided at night.

Go next

 * Bus and train terminals for long-distance destinations to the west are all in this district.
 * Regional transport runs into Eastern Thrace, notably Saray, Vize, and Kıyıköy on the Black Sea coast.
 * Tekirdağ – The provincial capital to the west, a large coastal town noted for its meatballs and rakı.
 * Keşan – West of Tekirdağ. Either carry on west to the Greek border, or turn south down the Gallipoli peninsula.
 * Edirne – A beautiful city and former Ottoman capital near the Bulgarian border.

title: Istanbul/Western Suburbs