Top 5 Coolest Neighbourhoods in Istanbul
Spending some time in Istanbul and looking to uncover the best this city has to offer? Want to know the top places to grab a coffee or cocktail or where to find delicious vegetarian restaurants in this vibrant city? Bored of the uber-touristy Sultanahmet region and want to explore more alternative locations? Then read on to discover the coolest neighbourhoods in Istanbul.
With fabulous restaurants, hip bohemian cafes, cool vintage shops and street art galore, our list has some of the most exciting and up-and-coming areas this world-class city has to offer.
Step away from the predictable and explore some of Istanbul’s trendiest areas with us.
Istanbul’s Coolest Neighbourhoods #1 Kadikoy: The Local
The are so many reasons why Kadikoy tops our list of the coolest neighbourhoods in Istanbul: it’s edgy, fun, interesting and bohemian while still remaining friendly and true to itself. This Asian-oriented neighbourhood is worlds away from the tourist centres of Sultanahmet and Taksim Square. Unsurprisingly, travellers who make the effort to cross the Bosphorus are rewarded with cheaper prices and a more bona fide experience.
Kadikoy is the kind of place where you can walk out of the metro and not feel as though you’re just another tourist but instead, feel like you’re right at home.
While Kadikoy doesn’t have many large-scale tourist attractions, the main draw here is simply the vibe. And the vibe is high!
As for culinary delights, Kadikoy has no shortage of excellent restaurants, including a high concentration of vegetarian and vegan options. Rulo Luzzetler and MahatmaCafe&Restoran are our favourites. Additionally, the neighbourhood has literally hundreds of cafes, particularly around Karakolhane Road with Wanderlust being one of its best.
Pro tip: While you’re in the area, it’s worth venturing over to the quaint neighbourhood of Moda to enjoy its ocean-front laid-back vibe. The library and cafe located inside the Moda Pier are particularly noteworthy
Kadikoy really is one of the best neighbourhoods in Istanbul and easily takes first place on our list. Keen to gain an insider’s perspective? Check out this popular tour for an enhanced experience.
Discover: Bangkok’s Coolest Neighbourhoods
Where to stay in Kadikoy
Budget
Midrange
Top End
Wyndham Grand Istanbul Kalamış Marina Hotel
Istanbul’s Coolest Neighbourhoods #2 Besiktas: The Hipster
Located on the shores of the Bosphorus, Besiktas is a lively, student-filled neighbourhood jam-packed with bars, cafes and restaurants. While the neighbourhood is close to the tourist area of Taksim Square and Istiklal Street, its proximity to a large number of universities ensures that it remains a local stronghold.
The community is also home to one of Turkey’s oldest and most respected football clubs, Besiktas Jimnastik Kulubu. This means things get extra lively on match days.
The best thing to do in Besiktas is to wander around and soak in the atmosphere – the area surrounding Fisherman’s Market is particularly fun to explore. It’s filled with lots of cheap bars and restaurants galore. Our top picks here are Craft Beer Lab, Vegan Masa, and Yalla Falafel.
While you’re in the area, be sure to check out the opulent 19th-century Dolmabahçe Palace for a neat cultural experience. Or, simply head to one of the many nearby bars to use the money you saved from the entrance fee on beer. Your call.
If you’re interested in trying the very best Turkish foods, then this tour is a must.
Want to explore more fascinating cities? Check out the Top 10 Coolest Neighbourhoods in Melbourne
Where to stay in Besiktas
Budget
Midrange
Top End
Istanbul’s Coolest Neighbourhoods #3 Karakoy: The Favourite Child
As one of Istanbul’s fastest growing neighbourhoods, Karakoy packs a big punch. This European neighbourhood is teeming with fun tourist attractions, hip third-wave coffee shops and bustling nightlife. And while, yes, it is touristy, if you poke around, you’re sure to find lots of authentic and genuine charm. Undoubtedly, this happening neighbourhood has something for everyone!
Our picks here include:
- Catching a Whirling Dervish show at the Galata Mevlevi Museum;
- Exploring the area around Galata Tower. The tower looks particularly mesmerising at night when elaborate designs are projected onto its brick walls;
- Asmalı Dürümcü – An excellent restaurant that you don’t want to miss; and
- Jewish Museum of Turkey – A great place to learn about the historical roots of Istanbul’s several Jewish communities.
Oh yeah, make sure to head to this area for lots of fun and lively bars. Or if you’re travelling solo or simply want to make new friends, why not head out on a fun pub crawl?
Heading to the USA? You can’t miss New Orleans Top 5 Coolest Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Karakoy
Budget
Midrange
Top End
Travel insurance, as always, is essential. If something goes wrong, you want to be covered. We use and recommend SafetyWing. Trust us, we’ve used a lot of travel insurance and they really are the best.
Istanbul’s Coolest Neighbourhoods #4 Arnavutköy: The Sophisticat
Arnavutköy is a pleasant European neighbourhood located on a gorgeous stretch of the Bosphorus. While the area is relatively upmarket, it feels more quaint and charming than uptight and pretentious. Visitors here will enjoy strolling through its (mostly tourist-free) cobblestone streets, sipping coffee in one of its excellent cafes and soaking up warm ocean views.
While Arnavutköy is chill during the day, things heat up at night as this area is quicking transforming into a premier nightlife destination. Alexandra Cocktail Bar is a popular choice.
Because of this, we think Arnavutköy is one of the coolest neighbourhoods in Istanbul.
Our picks here include:
- Arnavutköy Sosyal Tesisleri – A delicious seafood restaurant that’s popular with locals;
- Hide Arnavutkoy – A well-run cafe with a beautiful outdoor area; and
- A Bit Of Eggo – This busy all-day breakfast joint serves up all the classics
Important: Istanbul has two areas named Arnavutköy. This article is about Arnavutköy in Besiktas, not Arnavutköy district, where Istanbul Airport (IST) is located.
Where to stay in Arnavutköy
Budget
Midrange
Hot spot in the city center BEBEK
Top End
Istanbul’s Coolest Neighbourhoods #5 Istiklal Street: The Razzle Dazzle
Walking down Istiklal Street on a Saturday night can be quite the experience! Lively buskers fill the air with rocking melodies, hawkers scan the packed crowds in search of their next target, and the smells of nutty baklava waft out of sweet shops. This street is absolutely heaving with energy!
Sure, it’s undoubtedly touristy and overcrowded at times, but Istiklal Street is an experience not to be missed – there’s really nothing else quite like it. While in the area, be sure to check out The Museum of Innocence. The fascinating museum was created by Nobel Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk as a companion to his famous novel, which is also titled The Museum of Innocence.
Pro tip: As the area is filled with tourist traps, visitors should be selective about where they dine. Instead of sticking to the main drag, it’s best to step off of Istiklal Street and explore its many side street. Here you’ll find more authentic (and cheaper) options. Falafel Koy is an excellent example of this.
A guided walking tour is an option for those wishing to gain a local perspective of the area.
Where to stay near Istiklal Street
Budget
Midrange
Top End
Istanbul’s Coolest Neighbourhoods Honourable Mention
Uskudar
If you’re searching for a neighbourhood that balances lively and exciting sights with a genuine and authentic feel, then look no further than Uskudar. This fun and down-to-earth neighbourhood is well worth the visit.
Wander through the lively market, take in the city views down by the ferry port and soak in the vibe.
As with many other Asian-side neighbourhoods in Istanbul, prices here are noticeably cheaper than in other more touristy European parts of the city.
It’s worth noting that Uskudar is a slightly more conservative part of the city so you won’t find any bars here but you will find lots of excellent cafes and restaurants. Such as Trend 216 Cafe Restaurant and Nadide Cafe.
Where to stay in Uskudar
Budget
Midrange
Top End
Balat
For visitors who are looking to snap photos of Istanbul’s best street scenes, it’s hard to beat Balat. Located in the city’s Jewish quarter and home to many Greek Orthodox Churches and Bulgarian immigrants, this lively and vibrant neighbourhood is definitely worth exploring. Its quaint and historical cobblestone streets are filled with distinctive, colourful houses that make it particularly photogenic.
These colourful spaces are precisely why the area is increasingly filled with tourists. Therefore, Balat misses the top 5 due to the excessive amount of tour groups (within a small space) and its abundance of visitors who are vying for “unique” instagrammable shots.
Pro Tip: It’s worth venturing beyond the main tourist hub to experience a more authentic side of this community. Most tourists stick to a few main streets so avoiding the crowds is quite easy.
Our recommendations here include Community Kitchen and Velvet Cafe. Also, for those of you who like tours, this is an excellent option.
Where to stay in Balat
Budget
Midrange
Like this post? Pin it for later!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you buy or book anything through them, we’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps us run this website and create comprehensive guides to help you get off the beaten track. We only recommend products and/or services that we use ourselves and trust.
Funnily enough, we were just talking about going back to Istanbul as we last went 10 years ago. This guide is absolutely perfect and love the photography!
Thank you so much. We hope you do make it back!
This looks like an amazing place to visit. I will have to add this to my bucket list.
Istanbul is one of our favourite cities in the entire world! It’s a great place to visit :).
Super helpful guide! Finding cool neighborhoods is my favorite way to explore new cities. Thanks so much for this article!
Hey Sara! You’re totally welcome. We also think finding cool neighbourhoods is the best way to explore a new city. 🙂
This is so helpful! The neighborhoods look beautiful.
Istanbul has a lot of fascinating, and quite varied, areas to explore. It’s a wonderful city!
What is the best neighborhood to see all the street cats? I loved the movie Kedi about how the Turkish take care of their felines.
They’re actually all over the city. They rule the city! I think a lot of the scenes were filmed in Balat though.
Great guide! I always love exploring different neighborhoods off the beaten path in any destinations.
Agreed! It’s a great way to explore a new place.
Thank you for sharing, Istanbul is on my bucket list.
That’s great to hear!
I had no idea turkey is so beautiful. All of those cities I would love to see.
Yes, the country has no shortage of beauty!
I have seen Istanbul in the 70’s, in the 90’s and now in my older age 2 years in a row. It is never enough for me and my husband. The most beautiful interesring city.
We couldn’t agree more Alice!