7 Most Famous Districts and Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Your Guide to arranging for your trip to Istanbul
Istanbul is one of the cities that is famous for its large size. This charming city includes many districts; in this article, we will highlight the 10 Most Famous Districts and neighborhoods in Istanbul to be the Guide during your trip to Istanbul.
Taksim Neighborhood
Taksim neighborhood is the most famous area of the Beyoglu district in Istanbul. This neighborhood is considered one of the most attractive neighborhoods for tourists due to the large number of tourist attractions located within it.
When you reach Taksim, you will be able to visit one of the most famous squares in Istanbul, which is Taksim Square, where the Republic Monument is located. Then you will enjoy walking through Istiklal Street, where there are hundreds of local and international shops, restaurants, and cafes. You can also listen to music and songs around you along the way. And then you will reach Galata Tower, which is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Turkey that attracts thousands of visitors daily.
Besiktas
Besiktas is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Istanbul and is considered one of the most famous and lively areas in the European side of the city. In the 18th century, during the Ottoman Empire, Dolmabahce Palace, the administrative center of Besiktas, was established; at this time, the district became one of the most prominent areas in the city.
Besiktas has everything a tourist can do; there is a bazaar, fish market, cultural and artistic activities, nightlife, shopping malls, restaurants, historical buildings, and a football club. Also, it’s possible to sit beside the coast. Additionally, a ferry terminal is available to transport passengers from the European side of the city to the Asian one and the opposite.
Uskudar
The Uskudar district is one of the most prestigious tourist areas in Istanbul because of its elegant historical landmarks, such as towers, palaces, and mosques that extend from the Greek era to the Ottoman era. In addition, many natural parks are famous for their panoramic height that reveals the beauty of the city. All these features make it one of Istanbul’s most important areas to live within and one of the best tourist areas in Turkey on the Asian side.
Kadikoy
Kadikoy is one of the most significant and oldest areas of Istanbul. It’s located along the Marmara Sea. Kadikoy has many narrow streets full of cafes and restaurants. Moreover, the area is said to contain the oldest mosque built in Istanbul, which was built around 100 years before the conquest of Constantinople (formerly Istanbul). Kadikoy is one of the most beautiful tourist areas in Istanbul due to a large number of green spaces in its gardens and parks, and it also has places for walking and hiking. Through the presence of a very beautiful coast on the Sea of Marmara.
Fatih
Al-Fatih district is the most European neighborhood of Istanbul in which you can feel the fragrance of history and witness the greatness of the Ottoman Islamic civilization, which spans 8,500 years, as you will see it painted on the houses of the old city and its Ottoman mosques. Fatih includes the most well known districts and neighborhoods in Istanbul.
The neighborhood was named Al-Fatih after the Muslim Ottoman Sultan Muhammad Al-Fatih, who managed to conquer Istanbul (Constantinople) in 1453, after which he ordered the reconstruction of the walls, built the Educational College and Al-Fatih Mosque, one of the city’s most important landmarks, and founded the first Ottoman university.
Ortakoy
Ortakoy is located in Besiktas on the European side of Istanbul; they are one of the most famous districts and neighborhoods in Istanbul. Since ancient times, it has been called the “Sultans Resort” and what is meant here is the Ottoman sultans.
Ortakoy Mosque – Ortakoy Mosque is one of the most important landmarks of the Ortakoy district in Istanbul and was built by the order of Sultan Abdul Majid in 1853. Ortakoy Mosque is one of the most beautiful mosques in Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorus. At night, Ortakoy Mosque is illuminated with bright lights in the middle of the Bosphorus, in a panoramic scene that pleases the eyes.
Beykoz
Beykoz is one of the areas of the Asian section of Istanbul overlooking the Bosphorus and has many landmarks that it is not recommended to miss. For lovers of picturesque nature and wandering between forests and green spaces, the area includes the second largest forest in Istanbul, the famous Beykoz Forest, in addition to the surrounding rivers and lakes that make it a wonderful tourist area, in addition to the forests designated for hunting.
Beykoz includes a group of historical monuments for history lovers dating back to the Ottoman Empire, such as the fishing hut in Kocuksu, and there is also the distinguished Beykoz Reserve. In addition, the area includes many restaurants and cafes scattered throughout the region.