Where to Stay in Istanbul: Six Areas Compared for Every Trip

For a first visit to Istanbul, stay in Sultanahmet or Sirkeci if sightseeing is the priority, in Karaköy or Galata if you want restaurants and nightlife with a tram to the Old City, and on the Bosphorus shore in Beşiktaş if you want a waterfront 5-star hotel. Taksim suits shoppers and night owls, and Kadıköy on the Asian side suits repeat visitors who want local life. Whichever you choose, we pick you up there: see our Istanbul tours with hotel pickup. Here is how the six main areas compare, with the transport links that make each one work.

The six areas at a glance

The single most useful line for visitors is the T1 tram, which runs from Kabataş through Karaköy, Eminönü, Sirkeci and Sultanahmet. A hotel within a short walk of a T1 stop makes the Old City easy from almost anywhere on the European side.

Sultanahmet and Sirkeci: next to the monuments

Sultanahmet

Staying in Sultanahmet puts Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern within a ten-minute walk. You can be at a ticket gate at opening time, go back to the hotel in the heat of the afternoon and come out again in the evening when Sultanahmet Square is lit.

Hotels here are mostly small: restored Ottoman wooden houses, family-run 3- and 4-star hotels and a few larger 5-star properties. Many have rooftop breakfast terraces with views of the Blue Mosque or the Sea of Marmara. Rooms can be compact and some old buildings have no lift, so check before booking if you have heavy bags or limited mobility.

The downside is the evening. Away from a few streets, the area empties after dinner, and restaurants near the monuments are aimed at visitors.

Sirkeci and Eminönü

Just downhill, Sirkeci is the transport hub of the Old City: the T1 tram, the Marmaray rail line that runs under the Bosphorus to the Asian side, and the ferry piers at Eminönü are all here. Hotels are generally cheaper than in Sultanahmet for similar quality, and the Spice Bazaar and Galata Bridge are on the doorstep. Daytime streets are crowded with traffic and shoppers.

Karaköy and Galata: the best all-rounder

Across the Galata Bridge, Karaköy has turned from a port and warehouse district into one of the city's best areas for food and design hotels. The new building of Istanbul Modern is on the waterfront, cruise ships dock at Galataport, and the T1 tram reaches Sultanahmet in about ten minutes.

Uphill, Galata is a maze of narrow lanes below the 14th-century Galata Tower, full of small hotels, cafés and music shops. The historic Tünel funicular, opened in 1875, climbs from Karaköy to the top of İstiklal Avenue, which saves the steep walk.

This is the area we suggest most often to couples and friends who want both easy sightseeing and good evenings out. The only real complaint is the hills, which are hard work with suitcases.

Beyoğlu and Taksim: nightlife and big hotels

Beyoğlu is the district around İstiklal Avenue and Taksim Square: a pedestrian street of about 1.4 km with the red nostalgic tram, shops, cinemas, side-street bars and meyhanes (taverns). It stays busy late into the night, every night.

Around Taksim Square you find large international hotel chains, often with more space and better rates than similar hotels in the Old City. The M2 metro runs north to the business and shopping districts of Şişli, Nişantaşı and Levent. To reach Sultanahmet, take the F1 funicular down to Kabataş and change to the T1 tram, or go by car.

Choose Taksim if nightlife, shopping or a big hotel with a gym matters more to you than walking to Hagia Sophia. Avoid it if you dislike crowds: İstiklal on a Saturday evening is packed.

Beşiktaş and the Bosphorus shore: waterfront luxury

North of Kabataş, the European shore of the Bosphorus has Istanbul's grandest hotels, several of them in or beside former Ottoman palaces near Dolmabahçe Palace and Çırağan. Further up, Ortaköy, Kuruçeşme, Arnavutköy and Bebek have smaller luxury hotels, waterfront restaurants and the yacht marinas.

This is the area for a special-occasion stay, a family with a private car, or anyone who wants to wake up looking at the water. Beşiktaş itself has a lively market area, ferries to the Asian side and good fish restaurants. The trade-off is distance: the Old City is a 20- to 40-minute drive depending on traffic, and further from Bebek.

Kadıköy: the Asian side

Kadıköy is where many Istanbul residents go out, and it feels it: a large food market, independent cafés, bars on Kadife Street and the seaside promenade at Moda. Hotels are fewer and mostly mid-range, and prices for food and drink are lower than in the tourist areas.

The ferry from Kadıköy to Eminönü or Karaköy takes around 20 to 25 minutes and is one of the best views in the city, so the daily crossing can be a pleasure rather than a chore. Kadıköy is also the natural base if you fly into Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), since the M4 metro line runs between the airport and Kadıköy.

We suggest Kadıköy for a second or third visit, or for travellers who have done the monuments and want to see everyday Istanbul. For a short first trip it adds a crossing to every sightseeing day.

Choosing by trip type, and getting from the airport

Match the area to the trip rather than to a list of "best" neighbourhoods:

• Two or three days, first visit: Sultanahmet or Sirkeci. Every minute saved on transport goes to sightseeing.
• Four to six days, couples: Karaköy or Galata, with the Old City by tram and dinners in Beyoğlu.
• Families with young children: Sultanahmet for short walking days, or the Bosphorus shore with a private car and a larger room.
• Shopping and nightlife: Taksim or Nişantaşı.
• Honeymoon or special occasion: a Bosphorus-front hotel in Beşiktaş, Ortaköy or Bebek.
• Repeat visit, local feel: Kadıköy or Moda.

Getting in from the airport is the other factor. Istanbul Airport (IST) is about 45 km by road from Sultanahmet, which takes 45 to 90 minutes depending on traffic; Havaist buses and the M11 metro (which connects with the M2 at Gayrettepe) also run into the city. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side, about 30 km from Kadıköy. With luggage, a private car is the simplest option: our airport VIP transfer is from $60 per group to any of these areas.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul tour package: 4 days / 3 nights with hotel and Bosphorus cruise — from $699 per person, with the hotel chosen for you in a central area.
• Istanbul airport VIP transfer by Mercedes Vito — from $60 per group.
• Bosphorus lunch cruise with hotel pick-up and drop-off — from $75 per person.
• Istanbul Old City private tour: Hagia Sophia, Topkapı and Grand Bazaar — from $200 per person.

Frequently Asked Questions