Where to stay in Istanbul - areas of the city for tourists

Accommodation in Istanbul: where to stay in the city, choose a hotel and area, depending on whether it’s your first time in Istanbul and what attractions you want to see. For example, go shopping, hang out in cafes or bars, or just soak up the atmosphere of the city.

Sultanahmet – touristic center

For your first visit to Istanbul, I recommend the Sultanahmet district. This way you will have time to walk around all the main attractions. This area is located in the European part of Istanbul between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara.

Due to the large concentration of hotels in this area, there is a wide choice of accommodation for different budgets, whether it is simple guesthouses and three-star hotels, or apartments in restored Ottoman mansions with panoramic views of the sea and the minarets of mosques. But as for restaurants, in this area, they are all designed for tourists due to the fact that almost no locals live here and there is no demand for ordinary budget cafes.

Plus, Sultanahmet is adjacent to the Galata Bridge, and on the shore of the Golden Horn, there are several piers from where boats depart to different parts of Istanbul. I don’t mean tourist ships, but ordinary vapurs – water transport that connects the shores of the Bosphorus and different parts of the city: Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Beşiktaş, and others.

Overall, this is a great area to live in. But! There are some streets where you shouldn’t book a hotel.

Tip: Don’t stay near the Grand Bazaar. It’s noisy, dirty, endless shouts of porters. Also, don’t stay on Türkeli Cd. This is not a street, but a continuous row of wholesalers selling everything from slippers to bed linen.

Attractions and museums in Sultanahmet:

Blue Mosque – available for free visit during non-prayer times, dress code must be followed (women must cover their heads).
Hagia Sophia Mosque and Museum – this year the upper part of Hagia Sophia was opened for visiting – tourists are allowed here for a fee, and you can see Christian frescoes. Entrance to the lower part is only for local residents and Muslims.
Topkapi Palace – a museum and the main residence of the rulers of the Ottoman Empire, and today the most visited museum not only in Istanbul but also in all of Turkey.
Basilica Cistern (Yeribatan) – underground water reservoirs, where the museum is now located.
Feodosia Cistern – another underground water storage, which after an 8-year restoration was reopened in the summer of 2018. Interesting exhibitions and concerts are held here, you can also get in with an entrance ticket.
Grand Bazaar – a huge ancient market where you can buy everything from spices to jewelry.
Egyptian Bazaar – this is where locals (unlike the tourist Grand Bazaar) buy spices, olives, delicious cheeses and other products.
Suleymaniye Mosque – from the Suleymaniye observation deck, one of the brand views of Istanbul and the Golden Horn Bay opens.

Hotels in Sultanahmet district:

Aldem Hotel≫ – The hotel is in a perfect location in Sultanahmet – walking distance to all the main attractions. Very clean, with a terrace and rooftop restaurant.
Peyk Hotel≫ – the location is absolutely perfect! it’s right in the heart of the old city. Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar are just 6 minutes walk away. Metro stop 3-4 minutes walk away. Modern and well-maintained rooms and amenities. Large Turkish breakfast every day until 10:30.
Hotel Estambul >> – great location for convenient accommodation close to Istanbul’s main mosques within walking distance.

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Kadıköy and the Moda Quarter – the East in a European way

Oh, how I love this area of Istanbul. Everything is different here, although you can feel the Istanbul vibe. Kadıköy is located on the opposite side of the Bosphorus – directly opposite Sultanahmet. This is where Haydarpaşa train station is located – it burned down more than once and therefore is now closed. But it is no less beautiful, especially in the evening lights.

The popularity of the Kadıköy district in the Asian part of Istanbul has increased dramatically in recent years. Due to the fact that this area is interesting both during the day and at night. There are few museums here, but there are very cool third-wave cafes, a lot of fashionable boutiques, small art galleries, restaurants, cocktail bars and pubs with parties until the morning.

There is even a bar street – Kadife Sk, where on Fridays and Saturdays people drink and dance right on the street, the music does not stop until 4 in the morning.

It seems that every institution is a diamond, and Kadıköy is like a treasure chest.
But I have my favorite cafes:

I highly recommend breakfast at Küff Yeldeğirmeni – awesome atmosphere, music, books. Breakfast is huge (in the photo) for two, we almost burst.
Want hamburgers? Then you should go to 3. Peron Moda – a nice cafe with a pleasant atmosphere.
And here we ate delicious fish at an adequate price – DENİZYILDIZI RESTORAN.

Things to do in Kadıköy:

Stroll along the promenade and the Moda Quarter, enjoying the views of the Sea of Marmara.
Plan a party on Friday on the street of bars – Kadife. It is quite quiet here during the day, but on Saturday and Sunday evenings the traffic in the bars intensifies so much that in the end everyone spills out onto the streets and continues to hang out until the morning, chatting loudly and listening to music.
Shopping on one of the most colorful streets of the Moda Quarter – Bahariye Caddesi. It is not difficult to recognize it – a historic tram runs along the rails, and multi-colored balls are installed along the sidewalks.
Stroll through the antiques quarter: in colorful craft and antique shops you can spend hours looking at masterful products and old household items, learn about the traditions of handmade.
Take a ride on the old tram No. 20 to feel how antiquity meets modernity.

Hotels in Kadikoy:

Fabesco Suit≫ – This is a newly opened hotel located in the heart of the Asian side of Istanbul, surrounded by cafes and restaurants. The shopping streets are also very close by. The rooms are clean and have everything you need, including air conditioning.
Kadıköy Viva Hotel≫ – also a new hotel, has clean new rooms, located in the center of Kadıköy.
Otel Kadıköy≫ – The hotel has a great location near the Kadıköy ferry terminal. It is easy to get to almost anywhere in Istanbul (5-10 minutes walk to the ferry/bus/metro). There are various restaurants, cafes, bars, and shops near the hotel.

Karakoy – Galata Bridge, hipster cafes and bars

A great area if you plan to explore three districts at once – Beyoglu, Fatih a,nd Karaköy. I love it for the abundance of third-wave cafes, bars, and restaurants. They also built the new Galataport promenade for cruises, which in itself is a great place to walk and visit modern museums and spaces.

I recommend reading: 6 untypical neighborhoods in Istanbul

So, where to go in Karaköy for coffee, gastro cuisine, and what to see around?

For coffee and nice bars, go to the youth quarter, which appeared on the site of old warehouses. Similar quarters are in Gdansk – in the old dock, in Lisbon – LX Factory, and in Tbilisi – Fabrika.
In addition to cafes, bars and gastro-pubs, there is also street art here: cool graffiti painted on walls, gates and doors. There is also a street with umbrellas – next to the Karaköy Bulldog cafe.
Take a walk through the Çukurcuğu quarter – there are many interesting cafes and small antique shops, wooden houses and white stone villas in French and Italian styles.
Visit the Museum of Innocence, which is located in one of the houses of the Çukurcuğu quarter – it was created by the famous writer Orhan Pamuk, who collected exhibits by carefully sorting through antique jewels in local taverns.
In addition to physical food, in Karaköy you can also enjoy spiritual food. The Istanbul Museum of Modern Art is located here. For those who appreciate modern design and art, a must-see.

There are good hotels in the Karakoy district:

Ada Karakoy Hotel >> – The hotel has a great location, everything is within walking distance and despite being located close to the never-sleeping center of Istanbul, the cozy hotel is the most valuable thing. There was no noise, which is very rare in Istanbul. There is a nice rooftop bar on the roof.
Nabu Hotel Karaköy >> – European style, and below is a youth quarter with cafes and restaurants. Just a few hundred meters walk from the Galataport embankment and the Museum of Modern Art.
Archeo Café and Hostel≫ – If you are looking for inexpensive accommodation located right near restaurants and a tram stop – I recommend this hostel, where we stayed several times and became friends with the cafe owner.
PANDAN KARAKOY SUİT >> – stylish small hotel.

Galata-Beyoglu – old tram to Istiklal

Another super-touristy area, home to the Galata Tower and Istiklal Street, where the old Istanbul tram runs, and a bunch of shops, where it’s nice to shop in rainy weather. This area, known in the past as Pera and Galata, was home to many of Istanbul’s Christian and foreign communities. Today, it houses numerous – sometimes beautifully restored – European-style apartments from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

And the Karaköy district is also bordered by the Galata Bridge, near which is the fish market. Right inside this fish market there are a couple of cafes where I ate the most delicious and inexpensive fish in Istanbul.

But! There are lots of stairs, descents ,and ascents here. When choosing a hotel – look at Google Maps – how long you will have to climb and descend in an embrace with a large suitcase. But you will be pleased with the prices – here is one of the best value for money for accommodation. Plus, proximity to the center.

Things to do in Beyoglu district:

Important cultural institutions such as the Pera Museum, the recently opened Istanbul Modern, SALT Beyoglu, SALT Galata (in the former headquarters of the Ottoman Bank).

Hotels in Galata-Beyoglu

Art Nouveau Galata >> – The hotel is very colorful, with an original design. The rooms have a view of the Galata Tower. The location of the hotel is perfect, you can’t think of a better one, at the intersection of streets near the Galata Tower.
Mesto Galata >> – boutique hotel located next to the main street of Galata Tower, but in a quiet alley, so it is quiet and peaceful. The rooms are spacious and.
Louis Appartements Galata >> – The apartments are located to reach all other parts of the city on foot or by public transport. There are restaurants and bars nearby.

Useful articles and links:

Bus schedule and bus tickets are available at InfoBus.ua
Find train tickets in Europe conveniently on Trainline
Green Card, CTP and Travel Medical Insurance – online on the portal HotlineFinance
Booking of hotels and apartments – Booking.com

Корисні статті та посилання:

Оренда авто – недорогі варіанти оренди авто в Rentalcars.co m
Зелена карта та Туристична медстраховка для подорожі за кордон – онлайн на порталі HotlineFinance
Бронювання готелів та апартаментів – Booking.com

Where to stay in Istanbul – choosing a hotel and area