Istanbul For First-Timers

From the city’s iconic Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques to its rooftop restaurants, here’s your bucket-list guide to Turkey’s largest city

- 

TO DO LIST

01 BEYOGLU

Across the Galata Bridge on the opposite side of the Golden Horn to Fatih is Beyoglu, a once seedy district of Istanbul that’s now the beating heart of the city’s shopping, entertainment and nightlife. Its main artery is Istiklal Avenue, a wide, seemingly endless pedestrianised thoroughfare that stretches all the way from the former medieval Genoese citadel of Galata (now known as Karaköy) to Taksim Square. The avenue and its myriad side roads are filled with cafés, restaurants, cinemas, art galleries, libraries and theatres, while Karaköy – its central striking feature being the Galata Tower – is defined by steep cobblestone streets and boutique shops.

02 ORHAN PAMUK’S ISTANBUL