Istanbul Europe Tour Guide

Istanbul European Side is home to countless excitements to discover with its historical districts, vibrant nightlife and quality restaurants. Renting a car is a must to be able to tour the the European side. After renting your car, you can start your trip on the European Side of Istanbul.

You may be unsure about what route to follow on the Istanbul European Side trip. "What to eat on the European side of Istanbul?" and "What are the historical places of European Side of Istanbul?" We asked those questions to those who know the city. We hope you will enjoy the travel program we prepared based on the answers we got from them.

Every district on the European Side of Istanbul offers a special flavor. It can be really hard to resist the smell of kumpir in Ortaköy, fish sandwich in Eminönü, and meatballs in Sultanahmet. Delicious pastry of Sarıyer and famous chocolate of Beyoğlu are among the favorites of locals of Istanbul. You should not forget the kokoreç and stuffed mussels that you will come across in many places.

European side of Istanbul, Turkey's most cosmopolitan city, embraces the most popular dishes of Turkish and world cuisine as in the whole Istanbul. Therefore, it is not the right approach to narrow down the culinary range of Istanbul. All dishes you love, want to try and even think about trying will wait for you on the European side of Istanbul.

There are many different places where you can have breakfast on the European Side of Istanbul. Each of them offers the opportunity to make a pleasant start to the day. With bagel shops, pastry shops, businesses serving mixed breakfast, soup shops, it can be hard to decide on where to have breakfast. For this reason, you need to determine how you want to start the day when choosing a breakfast saloon on the European Side of Istanbul. Moreover, you do not have to have your breakfast only indoor venues, even the simplest breakfasts turn into an unforgettable feast against the unique view of the Bosphorus!

Istanbul European Side is especially famous for its fish restaurants. Since these restaurants, where delicious appetizers are served with the most fresh fish, have a different concept, they have alternatives suitable for every budget. You should remember that the fish are waiting for you for lunch or dinner.

Of course, if you are on the European Side of Istanbul, you will not have to choose only seafood for meals. Unique places where you can experience every form of red meat will be waiting for you. Of course, we should not skip the delicious foods from the traditional Turkish cuisine.

It's time for the examples of world cuisine on the European Side of Istanbul. As we mentioned before, the European Side of Istanbul is just like global cities with its richness. Local or global dishes are served to locals of Istanbul in stylish and luxurious restaurants. You should also experience these flavors!

Pera Museum in Beyoğlu has been bringing people of Istanbul together with art since 2005. The rich collection of the museum, which has hosted many world-famous artists until today, should definitely be seen.

Museum of Innocence in Çukurcuma, Beyoğlu, is one of the museums you should visit. The museum, where Orhan Pamuk's novel The Museum of Innocence comes to life, creates a completely different museum experience for the visitors. The Museum of Innocence, opened in 2012, is the first example of a novel transformed into a museum. Let us remind you that it received the European Museum of the Year Award in 2014.

You can go 6 kilometers from Beyoğlu and visit the Fener and Balat line, the most special districts of Istanbul. You should be sure that you will encounter a different historical treasure from every street during your visit to Fener and Balat. The districts, where the old Istanbul neighborhood structure is still preserved, continue to be a background for many movies and TV series. Bloody Meryem Church, Greek Boys High School, Aya Nikola Church and Fener Greek Patriarchate are among the places you should see. Fener and Balat, whose popularity has been increasing recently, are also hosting many new cafés and restaurants. You can rest in cute cafés in this area, visit the organic market on Sundays and take lots of photographs.

Pierre Loti Hill, about 5 kilometers from Balat, offers one of the most beautiful views of Istanbul. The name of this place comes from the French writer Julien Viaud, who is a fan of Istanbul and is known as Pierre Loti.

When you turn your route towards the north of the city, you will see that the districts here are also full of countless beauties. The unique Bosphorus view will accompany you as you drive along the beach with your vehicle. The green nature of Emirgan and the lined mansions of Yeniköy are really worth seeing. When you come to Sarıyer after Yeniköy, Tarabya and Kireçburnu, you can feel yourself in a seaside town. With its rows of fishing boats and fish restaurants, Sarıyer is reminiscent of a holiday destination. You can take a small break here to taste the famous Sarıyer pastry.

Kilyos, a district of Sarıyer, is the getaway spot for those living on the European side of Istanbul during summer months. Numerous beaches here offer the opportunity to enjoy the sea and the sun without getting away from Istanbul.

If you are visiting the European Side of Istanbul, Istiklal Street will undoubtedly be one of your first stops. Apart from its central location, this street will attract you with its unique nature and importance for Istanbul. It is defined as a destination that hosts many passages, entertainment venues, buildings with dazzling architecture, and admirable temples.

The most famous place where you can see many historical buildings together on the European Side of Istanbul is undoubtedly the historical peninsula. Here you can visit the Basilica Cistern first. Located very close to Sultanahmet Square, the cistern was built in the 6th century to supply water to the palace and the city and was used until the Ottoman period. Today, it is admired by hundreds of thousands of local and foreign tourists every year.

Hagia Sophia Museum, located right across the cistern, can be your second stop. This fascinating building was built between 532-537 for the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. After the conquest of Istanbul, Mehmed II turned this great cathedral into a mosque. The width of Hagia Sophia's magnificent dome ranks fourth in the world among the old cathedrals.

The Blue Mosque will greet you right across from Hagia Sophia with its fascinating looks. As the name suggests, the mosque built by Sultan Ahmed is one of the precious structures that make up the silhouette of Istanbul with its 6 minarets. The construction of the mosque, whose architect was Sedefkar Mehmet Agha, began in 1609 and the mosque was completed in 1617. The most impressive feature of the mosque is that it is decorated with more than 20000 Iznik tiles. Do not leave the city without visiting Sultan Ahmed, which is also known as the "Blue Mosque" by tourists due to the impact and power of blue.

Topkapı Palace, built for Mehmed II 1478, was used as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. The İftariye Bower with a magnificent view, Divan-ı Hümayun where meetings were observed, Ahmed III Library and Baghdad Mansion, built in honor of the conquest of Baghdad, are among the must-see sections of the palace. Sacred relics and the famous 86-carat Spoonmaker's Diamond are also among the most interesting artifacts of the palace.

The vibrant nightlife of Istanbul European Side offers many options for those who love to have fun. With its lively nights, quality restaurants, elite music clubs and bars, Istanbul European Side does not sleep at all. Taksim, İstiklal Avenue, Nevizade, Galata, Ortaköy, Bebek, Etiler, Şişli and Nişantaşı can be cited as examples of places where entertainment is experienced the most intense and varied on the European side of Istanbul.