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Undeniably one of the most vibrant and colorful cities in the world, Istanbul is filled with unmissable corners, unique shops, sights and restaurants that, as a first time traveler to the city, you wouldn’t expect to find.
I lived in the metropolis for a few weeks last year, and was out and about discovering its every possible area.
If you’re looking to explore the city, this complete guide to the most beautiful neighborhoods in Istanbul will very much come in handy!
The Prettiest Neighborhoods in Istanbul And What To Visit There, from Sights to Cafes
Something that really surprised me when moving to Istanbul, as I had not visited the city before, is how huge the city.
Istanbul’s landmarks are obviously a must-see when traveling there, but there are many other beautiful areas, much less known, whether on the European or on the Asian side.
Kadıköy, Beşiktaş, or two of my favorites, Moda and Nişantaşı, all offer something different, from instagrammable cafes to really cute hidden gems you don’t usually see on Pinterest, Instagram and other blogs.
Ready to discover some of the most beautiful places in Istanbul?
Let’s get going, then!
Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Arnavutköy
Located along the Bosphorus Strait, Arnavutköy is famous for its Ottoman-era wooden houses and waterfront – the easiest way to reach this gorgeous waterside area is by taking the ferry.
Literally translated to ‘Albanian village’, Arnavutköy is one of the most historic neighborhoods in Istanbul, and the colorful houses scattered around the area make for beautiful photo spots.
If you’re looking to stray away from the center of Istanbul, namely from places like Istiklal Caddesi, Galata or Taksim Square, a visit to Arnavutköy will definitely bring another kind of ‘wow’ effect to your trip.
The paved, narrow streets and wooden houses, the view on the Bosphorus Bridge, and the gorgeous Emirgan Korusu gardens you can easily reach by bus make Arnavutköy a place you absolutely have to visit while in town.
Read: The Prettiest Photo Spots in Paris
Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Balat
The first neighborhood I lived in while in Istanbul was Fatih, which is ridiculously close to Fener and Balat – two of the most colorful areas in town, and located on the European side.
Balat is another one of the historic areas of Istanbul, dating back to the Byzantine period, and became a center for the Jewish community after the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th century.
The colorful houses of Balat will very much remind you of Notting Hill’s multicolor streets, if you’ve visited London – and some of these sites often appear on Instagram and Pinterest, as Balat is one of the favorite photo spots for influencers and families.
In addition to these colorful winding streets, you’ll find some of my favorite cafes in Istanbul in the Balat neighborhood.
Mare Mosso, for starters, is an Italian-style coffee shop with a rustic decor, and lots of power outlets upstairs which make it a perfect study cafe.
Also, if you’re looking for unique things to buy in Istanbul, you will find, closer to the Bosphorus, many shops with souvenirs, clothes and accessories you can easily bring back home!
Read: The Most Colorful Cities in Europe
Most Beautiful Places in Istanbul: Karaköy
Located along the Golden Horn, like Balat, Karaköy is another gorgeous and vibrant place to visit in Istanbul, and one I spent many evenings in with friends, checking out new restaurants and shops.
That’s where you will find a lot of street art pieces, and Karaköy is actually also known for its museums and art galleries, including Salt Galata, nestled inside a former bank building.
Other places to see in Karaköy, if you are into history and architecture, include various mosques, among which the Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque and the Arap Mosque, a Catholic church converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest.
In terms of places to eat, if there is only one place I can recommend, it would absolutely be Karaköy Güllüoğlu, where you will eat some of the best baklava in your life – crowds of locals eat there until the deep hours of the night!
Read: The Most Secret Places in Rome, Italy
Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Beyoğlu
On the European side, Beyoğlu is one of the most crowded, and most famous neighborhoods in Istanbul: that’s namely where you will find the Galata Tower, Taksim Square, and Istiklal Caddesi.
If you’re looking for places to go shopping in Istanbul, Istiklal Caddesi is one of my favorite spots to do so – especially for affordable fashion and makeup stores!
In the Beyoğlu area, hordes of cats blend in effortlessly with gorgeous architecture, churches and colorful street art… Definitely a must-visit.
Living in Istanbul, I avoided Taksim Square as much as I could, as it is notorious for pickpockets and scams, but is still a gorgeous place to visit as long as you pay attention to your belongings.
I personally loved two restaurants in the Beyoğlu neighborhood:
- Reyhun, an Iranian restaurant and one of the spots I visited over and over again while in the city
- Kızılkayalar Taksim, a famous place to get the Islak hamburgers, which are wet burgers and one of the best street foods in Istanbul
Read: The Curious Traveler’s Guide to London’s Multicolor Places
Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Emirgan Korusu
In the Emirgan neighborhood, on the European side of the Bosphorus, you will find one of the prettiest parks in Istanbul: Emirgan Korusu.
This spot is absolutely gorgeous to visit during the spring, as it’s one of the places where you can enjoy the Istanbul Tulip festival in April, along with beautiful views of Istanbul.
It is completely free to enter and from historical pavilions to sculptures and picturesque ponds, Emirgan Korusu became one of my favorite places to read in Istanbul from the first time I ever visited it.
If I may, take the ferry to reach the Emirgan Park – that’s the most romantic way to do it, as you cross the Bosphorus with tiny neighborhoods on each side, surrounded by lush greenery.
Read: The Most Instagrammable Places in Istanbul
Most Beautiful Places in Istanbul: Ataşehir
I only spent some time in Ataşehir, on the Asian side, but if you’re the type of person who loves places like the City of London and other high viewpoints, you’ll love this spot.
Ataşehir is simply one of the most modern places in Istanbul, famous for its skyline, a financial district that appears in the distance from many viewpoints in town.
The Ataşehir Water Garden is ultimately my favorite spot in the area, as it is located inside a shopping center surrounded by many cafes and restaurants, and simply gorgeous whether it’s day or night.
As the sun sets, the fountains get lit up and there are often shows in the Water Garden, which makes for something unusual to do – especially if you’ve already seen many other neighborhoods in town.
Read: The Best Hidden Gems in London
Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Moda, Kadıköy
Also located on the Asian side, Moda is a small part of the Kadıköy district, and known for its gorgeous views, street food spots, cafes and street art.
Really trendy, almost bohemian, Moda attracts many young people, from locals to tourists, and there are so many places to visit there that I’m not even sure where to start.
The Friends Cafe should be on your list, though, especially if you’re a fan of the TV show – the decor and possible photo spots inside are simply mind blowing.
Moda is also one of the best shopping areas in Istanbul; vintage, artisanal and souvenir shops all blend together to give endless shopping opportunities – believe me, it’s hard to stop when you start shopping there!
If you are a digital nomad, and in case you would be looking for places to work in Istanbul, Moda and the Caferağa areas are really close, and the latter is where you’ll find Espas Kitap Cafe, an amazing bookshop cafe with lots of amazing drinks and cakes, WiFi, and power outlets!
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Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Beşiktaş
Back to the European side, Beşiktaş is another lively neighborhood I loved spending time at – from views of the Bosphorus to winding streets filled with clothing shops and restaurants, you can easily lose yourself there for a couple of days.
Notably famous for its Maritime Museum, Beşiktaş is also home to a world famous football team, and hence, gets overly crowded when there are matches in the neighborhood’s stadium.
If you do end up visiting Beşiktaş and love the vibe, then there’s another must-visit area nearby, Ortaköy, which also offers countless restaurants and shops to get souvenirs and other vintage bits.
For an instagrammable drink, you will find Suflör, a completely black and white, 3D-style coffee shop in Beşiktaş, along with lots of other amazing cafes: Pablo Artisan, Woo Coffee, Hygge…
All go to show that coffee culture in Turkey is no joke, and most of which have terraces, allowing for an amazing moment whether you’re traveling to Istanbul solo or with friends!
Read: The Most Instagrammable Places in Paris
Most Beautiful Places in Istanbul: Nişantaşı
Ah, Nişantaşı – serious stuff.
Located on the European side, Nişantaşı is one of the poshest neighborhoods in Istanbul; that’s where you will find countless clothing brands, makeup stores, sophisticated cafes and restaurants…
And the visit doesn’t ever seem to end when you spend time in Nişantaşı.
At least, that’s what happened to me; although I lived in both Fatih and Beyoğlu, I ultimately found myself in Nişantaşı almost every single day, working in one of the many huge cafes the area offers…
Namely in Have Some Coffee, which has a mix of Neoclassical and rustic decor with power outlets everywhere, and Let’s Winkk, a smaller coffee shop which doubles as a fashion/concept store.
One word to describe Nişantaşı would be ‘sophistication’, really, and from shopping centers to wedding shops and one of my favorite clothing shops in Istanbul, Nok Istanbul, you have it all in one area, and never want to leave.
Read: The Complete Guide to Free Things to Do in London
Most Beautiful Neighborhoods in Istanbul: Şişli
Şişli encompasses Nişantaşı; it’s a huge neighborhood filled with residential buildings, other interesting cafes like Espressolab (my favorite branch is in Bomonti, another small part of Şişli), and…
İstanbul Cevahir, one of the biggest shopping centers in Istanbul, and in Europe.
You can easily reach the shopping center from the Şişli-Mecidiyeköy metro station, and you’ll find inside anything from street food to Turkish makeup brands, and even a cinema complex and a bowling alley inside.
Walking around the Şişli neighborhood is something I loved doing when I was in town, as it’s really close to the cafes in Nişantaşı, is airy and spacious, and simply gorgeous to walk around.
Read: The Best Things to Do During Summer in London
The Prettiest Neighborhoods in Istanbul And What To Visit There, from Sights to Cafes
There you have them, all the prettiest neighborhoods in Istanbul, along with gorgeous sights and hidden gems you shouldn’t miss for the world!
Whether you’re trying to find some new street art areas, cafes, restaurants or sights, these neighborhoods definitely offer more than meets the eye – every single time!
Until next time!
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The Working Line
Sam is a certified fashion makeup artist, a freelance writer, a blogger and a digital nomad. Since 2019, she roams around the world, from London to Rome and shares her knowledge about makeup, scented candles, travel, blogging and the digital nomad lifestyle.