In a city of 13 million people covering 2000 square miles, how do you know where to begin? Istanbul is one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean and it is easily the largest city in Turkey. It’s been growing since the 1950s when migrants from Anatolia flocked to the city in search of economic prosperity and the city has been expanding to accommodate them. There are so many great Istanbul Neighborhoods to choose from, where do you start?
What does this mean for you – one of 7 million visitors to Istanbul every year? It means you have some tough decisions to make when you are trying to decide where in this vast metropolis you want to stay and what you want to do!
Istanbul Neighborhoods Are Diverse
During my four-week stay in Istanbul, I stayed in 3 completely different neighborhoods and visited about 4 more in-depth via some great walking tours. Like most cities, each neighborhood has its own feel so I’ve tried to provide you with my opinion on what each neighborhood can offer you – the visitor – as well as give you a peek into what the neighborhood culture there was like.
Hopefully, this Istanbul Neighborhood Guide will help you figure out where to stay during your time in this beautiful city!
Istanbul Neighborhoods Map
Neighborhood Guide
1- Sultanahmet
2 & 3 – Eminoju and Grand Bazaar
4, 5, 6, 7 – Beyoglu District (4 represents Galata)
8 – Fener and Balat
Northwest of 9 – Eyup
North of 5 – Tarlabasi
North of 6 – Sisli
This isn’t the best Istanbul neighborhood map – but it’s the best one I can find that includes all of them at once so you can get the big picture. Some of the Istanbul neighborhoods I’m talking about aren’t really marked on this map – but I’ll try to do my best to describe their location
The Best Time to Walk Through Istanbul Neighborhoods
One of the best times to really see a city is in the wee morning hours as the sun wakes up the homes, hills, and waterways with its golden glow. Commuters in Istanbul slowly move through their familiar paces and make their way to offices, mosques, stores, and stalls.
I woke up early and wandered aimlessly around the ferry docks watching commuters pour off of boats and through the back streets of the Spice Market. In the early morning hours, it looks quite different – it’s softer. Men drink tea and have their morning breakfast reading the paper and socializing with their friends and workmates. People smile at me, but don’t say a word. Trucks…
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