Istanbul Recommendations, Updated
You probably told me you’re going to Istanbul and asked about any recommendations I have for you! You’re in the right place. Here’s my compiled list, grouped based on neighborhoods and experiences.
I have two earlier posts from years ago, one list and another step-by-step list. Some info on there is outdated, so I’ll consolidate some of them here and also share some more substantial recommendations with my personal suggestions on things to do in Istanbul.
Also, if you wanted to know if it’s safe to travel to Turkey/Istanbul, here’s my (likely helpful but slightly on edge) response to that as well.
In Beyoğlu, there’s been quite a shift over the past 10 years -- so you won’t be able to see/experience what it was like a while ago when it was on the news/media. However, there are lots to see in the area anyway.
Taksim Square is usually packed with tourists (especially once you start walking down İstiklal Street,) and while it used to be the center of a lot of movement in the city, it’s been transformed into an awkward pedestrian square with too much cement and not much. However, it’s still a landmark.
My favorite cafe in the entirety of the city is Ara Kafe which is up Istiklal street from Tünel. you can also get there from Taksim Square. it's in the middle point between Taksim Square and Tunel, next to Galatasaray High School https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/restaurants/kafe-ara/a/poi-eat/402334/360887
Right across from Ara Kafe there is the historical "flower passageway" aka Çiçek Pasajı which has a beautiful courtyard. I think it's worth seeing. http://www.tarihicicekpasaji.com/ on maps: https://goo.gl/maps/Hhk8KAYGJii2gEF96
Behind Çiçek Pasajı there is a whole bunch of rakı-fish restaurants. I recommend going there for dinner. You might need to make reservations.
The center of the city “life” has somewhat moved to Şişhane/Pera areas, at least according to my friends.
I recommend that you take the metro to the Şişhane stop, https://goo.gl/maps/z6AxeFzdcgYRDShB6 and just walk around on the side that goes towards the Galata Tower https://goo.gl/maps/n8pGa3ewC7Bfa7sAA You can walk up the steps to the top of the Galata Tower and see a view of the Golden Horn (which is like a side street of the Bosphorus.)
The Jewish Museum which is in Neve Shalom Synagogue is right there. The Quincentennial Foundation Museum of Turkish Jews Bereketzade, Büyük Hendek Cd. No:39, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul
https://g.co/kgs/RNv64Z
If you like a Western-style place to eat a meal, I recommend Big Chef. Our family eats here before/after weddings we attend at the synagogue.
It's a rather gentrified area so you'll see a lot of that. but know that you're walking in a historically Jewish & Greek-Orthodox area.
One of the few Turkish Nobel prize winners is Orhan Pamuk. He has a book called "The Museum of Innocence". If you read and buy the book there's a free ticket in for the actual museum, featuring different “artifacts” :) Here's the info for that. I heard good things: https://tr.masumiyetmuzesi.org/
Istanbul Modern Museum is a wonderful, off-the-beaten-path museum in that area. https://www.istanbulmodern.org/en They were originally based in Kadıköy, and I think they are now based in Beyoğlu for some time.
Then you can take the historic tunnel/funicular down all the way to Karaköy. (Alternatively, you can walk down the hill for like 30 minutes or so. It's a steep hill.)
The funicular stop in Tünel is located here https://goo.gl/maps/mhHNcjB6EDhRtBdD6 and drops you off here in Karaköy https://goo.gl/maps/xqiVxVA3vM51EWMM9.
Here, I recommend that you take the underground walkway to Karaköy İskelesi (mini-port) and walk to Güllüoğlu Baklava and have some yummy baklava. https://www.karakoygulluoglu.com/ https://goo.gl/maps/VYWWe4fopkV1NrB96
If you’re hungry, right next door is Namlı Gurme which has a selection of foods you can choose to eat.
If you’re there over dinner time especially in the summer, Akın Balık is a good place to check out for a nice, chill, and local fish dinner. You might need to reserve a table. Azapkapı, Fermeneciler Cd. Gümrük Han 40/A, 34420 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Turkey
+90 212 244 97 76 https://goo.gl/maps/vo4dGCbyLT14ZVLa6
You can go back and take the underground walkway this time to Galata Bridge, and walk on the Galata Bridge all the way across. On the bottom floor of the bridge, there are fish-bread sandwich places. The sandwich is made with fried small fish and a half loaf of bread. It’s cheap and delicious street food.
The bridge between Karaköy and Eminönü is a short bridge (because it crosses the Golden Horn). It should be a 15-20 minute walk depending on your pace. When you get to the end, you arrive at Eminönü.
Take the underground walkway to cross the street and get to the Spice Bazaar, my favorite bazaar in Istanbul. https://www.google.com/search?q=spice+bazaar+istanbul&rlz=1C1GCEA_enIL868IL868&oq=spice+bazaar+istanbul&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l7.3020j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
At the end of the Spice Bazaar, there’s the first store of Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, the largest Turkish Coffee distributor of Turkey. You can get a freshly ground batch of coffee, ground with the dibek. More info here: https://www.theguideistanbul.com/kurukahveci-mehmet-efendi/ www.mehmetefendi.com
There’s also the New Mosque right next to the bazaar, if you wanted to check out a Mosque.
Not so far from this area, there is a whole bunch of cool stuff to see in Eyüp.
My favorite off the beaten path museum in Istanbul is the Koç Museum: http://www.rmk-museum.org.tr/istanbul/en/visit-us https://goo.gl/maps/7gMFiRSX7ZXzxvXK7
Right nearby there is an old power/electrical plant, turned into a college campus of Istanbul Bilgi University, called Santral İstanbul. They have a restaurant there and a college atmosphere. I think the entrance is free to the public, and there may be a small museum - you can just say that you're tourists to enter if there’s an issue. https://www.santralistanbul.org/en/explore/
If you want to overachieve in your sightseeing, you can also go to Miniaturk which has mini-models of different Istanbul landmarks https://www.miniaturk.com.tr/en
I suggest taking cabs here because public transportation can get confusing.
Other landmarks here are the Church of St. Stephen of the Bulgars and the Chora Church, but I’m not so familiar with either of them.
Kadikoy and Moda are more chillaxed/but still quite gentrified neighborhoods on the Asian side of Istanbul.
You can get there by boat from any of the ports. You can check the schedule here: http://en.sehirhatlari.istanbul/en/timetable/timetables-338.html I recommend having a cup of Turkish black tea on this boat and watch the sea and the city. It's a lot more authentic than taking a touristy Bosphorus boat tour.
For when you get to Moda and Kadikoy, I asked some friends for ideas on what to do there.
In Kadikoy, there is a bar/pub area. The easiest way to figure out where that is to get to the Kadikoy Bull Statue (https://goo.gl/maps/KjDBaqnQtBMY3YRZ8) and walk up that pedestrian street. On the right-hand side, there are lots of side streets with tons of bars/pubs/cafes.
A most recent exciting spot to grab a beer is apparently Bina https://www.timeout.com/istanbul/bars-and-pubs/bina
There's another bar there called Karga, apparently, it's one of the oldest buildings in the area. My friends recommend taking a peek inside. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293974-d3602063-Reviews-Karga_Bar-Istanbul.html
Pendor is apparently also nice to get beers. They have a Taksim location as well, which is older. https://www.facebook.com/pendorkadikoy/?rf=1410643425710353
Near that area, there's a famous chocolate store that has a cute garden in the back, called Asuman https://www.asuman.com/ Could be cute to check out, have some lemonade and chocolate there.
There is a Chef's Table episode (on Netflix) about Çiya Sofrası. I went there a while ago with a group of people, the food was good, but I didn't know the significance of the chef's efforts to reinvigorate Anatolian cuisine until I watched the episode. I assume you'd need to call and make a reservation before you eat there. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/restaurants/ciya-sofrasi/a/poi-eat/402382/1339754
In Moda, which is up the hill on that pedestrian street, a classic thing to do is grabbing some pastries from a stand (like simit, which is the round bread with sesame on it -- you'll see it everywhere -- and some cheese) and walking over to this "tea garden," ordering some black Turkish tea and have a peaceful and simple breakfast https://goo.gl/maps/LzWpNM3pLQerigk3A
Also in Moda, Cibalikapı Balıkçısı is supposed to be a great place to have mezes (appetizers) and some beer/rakı https://www.cibalikapi.com/ They also have breakfast.
Viktor Levi Wine House (note: not kosher) is supposed to have good wine. https://www.viktorlevimoda.com/
I recommend having a proper Turkish breakfast.
One place is in the Beşiktaş “shuk”/bazaar (çarşı in Turkish). It’s a lot more chill, less gentrified, really local. Must have: menemen (Turkish version of “shakshuka”) and bal kaymak (honey and cream to spread on bread). There are tons of places to also have fish in a sandwich there. It’s a thing in Istanbul (especially in the Besiktas and Karakoy areas). You should try it.
Here’s a Beşiktaş recommendation for a breakfast place: Çakmak Kahvaltı Salonu Sinanpaşa, Çelebi Oğlu Sk. No:8, 34353 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey https://goo.gl/maps/SuzYevpJaGYuD3hZ6
Some other nicer/more restaurant-like places to have Turkish breakfast:
Saray Muhallebicisi (multiple locations, though I recommend going to the one in Nişantaşı or Taksim) http://saraymuhallebicisi.com/ (You can type the restaurant name on google maps and it will show up).
Another is Aşşk cafe in Bebek (on the water) Aşşk Kahve Kuruçeşme, Muallim Naci Cd. 64/B, 34330 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Turkey https://goo.gl/maps/xNxTED3c6qdAVs9fA
In Bebek, you can take a nice walk around a well-to-do neighborhood on the sea. It’s the area where many of the famous Turkish soap operas take place.
Another off the beaten path museum is the Asiyan Museum. https://goo.gl/maps/X6j1mVw37tiPDJwd8 If you’re in the area I’d go there hike up the hill just for the view. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/attractions/asiyan-museum/a/poi-sig/1591615/360887
You can walk back or take a bus back over to Ortaköy, walk around the pedestrian area and buy some souvenirs, take pictures in front of the Bosphorus overlooking the Bosphorus bridge and the local mosque, go up to the terrace of a cafe to have hookah/tea/beers.
Beyond these, there are the classic, historical recommendations of things to do. General recommendations include:
Checking out https://www.theguideistanbul.com/ this website seems to have good recommendations.
I also like Lonely Planet's recommendations and find them to be authentic https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul.
Just so I don’t skip these, most first-timers do the old city tour of Istanbul.
This generally includes the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia Church/Mosque, Blue Mosque (across the park from Hagia Sophia,) the nearby Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici,) and the Topkapi Palace. Here is a general description from Lonely Planet (I have no idea if the actual tour guide they’re advertising is good or not): https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/activities/istanbul-old-city-tour/a/pa-act/v-8273P54/360887
My favorite palace is in Beşiktaş, called the Ihlamur Palace in Nişantaşı. I recommend going there, checking out the Palace, and having some tea in the garden. It is not touristy at all, still a palace, and beautiful. http://en.besiktas.bel.tr/entry/ihlamur-kasri/
And last but not least, if you want to get out of the city a little bit, and check out something completely different, I recommend going to the Princess Islands. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/princes-islands
And that’s all!
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