Each of the districts of Istanbul offers unique
opportunities for a first time visitor to Istanbul. Here are some main sights
in some of the districts from A to Z.
Adalar, or the Prince’s Islands in the Marmara Sea, give the
peace and quiet of pedestrian, horse carriage, and bike paths through pine
trees around the island.
Arnavutköy,
which means Albanian village in Turkish, has wide, smooth promenades with
fishermen and fashionable families strolling along the Bosphorus.
Ataşehir has futuristic, sci-fi skyscraper condominiums for
suburbia on the Anatolian side.
Bakırköy is a seaside retreat with
pedestrian shopping, Greek and Armenian churches and schools, and the Veli
Efendi horseracing track.
Beşiktaş has the
Dolmabahçe Palace with tours of the Harem and Mustafa Kemal
Ataturk’s room, Yıldız Park with Istanbul’s green parrots, Çırağan Palace with
common space on the Bosphorus, and the Ortaköy
Mosque on the coastal pier square.
Beyoğlu has
Istanbul’s most vibrant entertainment, shopping, cuisine, art, and nightlife
focused along Istiklal Avenue, the European, pedestrian path from Taksim Square
to Tunel Square. Beyoğlu encompasses the neighborhoods Galata Tower, the
Whirling Dervish Hall, the Pera Palace Hotel, the Istanbul Modern,
the art galleries of Karaköy and Tophane, the bohemian bourgeois cafes of
Cihangir, the Sunday vegetable and fruit street market of Tarlabaşı, and the
buildings of the Turkish Navy in Kasımpaşa along the Golden Horn.
Eyüp attracts
Muslim pilgrims to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque and Cemetery. Enjoy great views of the Golden Horn from the
gondola and the Pierre Loti teahouse on the hilltop.
Fatih has the
Blue Mosque, Gulhane Park, Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia, the Basilica
Cistern, the Grand Bazaar, Chora Church, and Topkapi Walls and Park. Eminönü
has the spice bazaar, fish sandwiches, and Galata bridge.
Üsküdar has the
closest seaside view of the Maiden’s Tower, a fish market, fountains, and
mosques.
Kadıköy has a
lively nightlife with delicious Anatolian cuisine along Moda Avenue, wide, open
sky seaside paths for walking and bike riding, quiet tea gardens, and the
biggest pier for ferryboats going to the Adalar, Bakırköy, Eminönü, Karaköy, and Beşiktaş.
Zeytinburnu, one of Istanbul’s first gecekondu districts with buildings built illegally overnight, has leather clothes stores
and factories.
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I wrote this article for http://www.travelersgarantie.com/where-to-go-in-istanbul-a-to-z-of-districts-for-first-time-visitors.html