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Walk through Istiklal Street

Home → Istanbul, Turkey → Walk through Istiklal Street

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walk-through-istiklal-street

Istiklal Street is one of the most famous avenues in Istanbul.  Walk through Istiklal Street approximately two-kilometer long, pedestrian-only avenue on the European side of the city acts as the heart of the shopping, entertainment, nightlife district of Beyoglu, with an endless variety of both local and international stores, bookshops, cafes, restaurants, meyhane, food stalls, chestnut vendors, bakeries, bars, clubs, shisha cafes, tea houses and so much more lining both the street itself as well as the dozens of tiny lanes that branch off on both sides.

Walk through Istiklal Street, surrounded by late Ottoman Era buildings (mostly from the 19th and early 20th centuries) that were designed with the Neo-Classical, Neo-Gothic, Renaissance Revival, Beaux-Arts, Art Nouveau and First Turkish National Architecture styles; as well as a few Art Deco style buildings from the early years of the Turkish Republic, and a number of more recent examples of modern architecture; starts from the medieval Genoese neighbourhood around Galata Tower and ultimately leads up to Taksim Square which lies at one end of Istiklal Street.

In the late 19th century, this major street was known as the Grande Rue de Pera, and it carried the life of the modern city up and down its lively promenade. It’s still the centre of İstanbullu life, and a stroll along its length is a must. Come between 4pm and 8pm daily, especially on Friday and Saturday and you’ll see Istiklal Street at its busiest best.

About halfway along Istiklal Street is the Galatasaray Lycée, founded in 1868 by Sultan Abdül Aziz (r 1861–76) as a school where students were taught in French as well as Turkish. Today it’s a prestigious public school.

Close by is the Cité de Pera building, home to the famous Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage). When the Orient Express rolled into Old Istanbul and promenading down İstiklal Caddesi was all the rage, the Cité de Pera building was the most glamorous address in town. Built in 1876 and decorated in Second Empire style, it housed a shopping arcade as well as apartments. As Pera declined, so too did the building, its stylish shops giving way to florists and then to meyhanes, where enthusiastic revellers caroused the night away. In the late 1970s parts of the building collapsed; once rebuilt, the passage was ‘beautified’ and its raffish charm was lost. These days locals bypass the touts and mediocre food on offer here, and make their way behind the passage to one of İstanbul’s most colourful and popular eating precincts, Nevizade Sokak.

Next to the Çiçek Pasajı you’ll find Şahne Sokak and Beyoğlu’s Balık Pazar (Fish Market), with stalls selling fruit, vegetables, pickles and other produce. Leading off the Balık Pazar you’ll find the neoclassical Avrupa Pasajı (European Passage), a small gallery with marble paving and shops selling tourist wares and some antique goods; as well as the Aslıhan Pasajı, a two-storey arcade bursting at the seams with secondhand books.


Walk through Istiklal Street Taksim-Istanbul

Walk through Istiklal Street Taksim-Istanbul


Walk through Istiklal Street or ( Turkish; İstiklal Caddesi) is located between the Taksim Square and the Tunnel in Beyoglu district of Istanbul. The major leisure, shopping and nightlife spot in Istanbul both for locals and tourists with restaurants, cafe & pubs, patisseries, movie plexus, textile, sports, antiquity and book stores, shopping malls and centers, buildings of a dozen foreign consulates.

It’s very crowded during the day time, you will stroll on the exiting little side streets of Istiklal Street, sit in one of the intriguing coffee shops and see the amazing buildings, visit Armenian and Romaic churches, ancient districts, impressive walkways and much more.



Istanbul Travel Guide

  • Bosphorus, Istanbul
  • Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora
  • Dolmabahce Palace, Istanbul
  • Etz Ahayim Synagogue
  • Galata Tower, Istanbul
  • Golden Horn
  • Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
  • Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
  • Hippodrome, Istanbul
  • Istanbul Archaeology Museum
  • Istanbul Jewish Cemetery
  • Neve Shalom Synagogue, Istanbul
  • Spice Bazaar, Istanbul
  • Suleymaniye Mosque Istanbul
  • Topkapi Palace, Istanbul
  • Underground Cistern, Istanbul
  • Zulfaris Synagogue
  • Beylerbeyi Palace
  • Rumelihisari (Fortress)
  • Camlica Hill
  • Bosphorus Bridge
  • Istanbul Mosaic Museum
  • Church of the Holy Apostles
  • Eyup Mosque and Mausoleum
  • Beyazit Camii
  • Fatih Camii
  • Fethiye Camii “Pammakaristos Church”
  • Hagia Eirene
  • Orthodox Patriarchate and Cathedral
  • Sts Sergius and Bacchus
  • Yeni Camii
  • Zeyrek Camii “Church of the Pantocrator”
  • Prince’s Islands
  • Mosque of Rustem Pasha
  • Galata Bridge
  • Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
  • Miniatürk
  • Istanbul Modern Museum
  • Galata Mevlevihanesi
  • Pierre Loti
  • Istanbul, Turkish Baths
  • Walk through Istiklal Street
  • Tunnel
  • Military Museum
  • Port of Istanbul
  • City Walls of Istanbul
  • Maiden’s Tower
  • Harem
  • Tofre Begadim Synagogue
  • Yıldız Park
  • Bulgarian St. Stephen Church
  • Ahrida (Ohrid) Synagogue, Istanbul
  • Ashkenazi Synagogue, Istanbul
  • Balat, Istanbul
  • Blue Mosque, Istanbul
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Walk through Istiklal Street, 100% based on 10455 ratings
41 Reviews
  1. Chantal stone
    3:02 pm on February 12, 2005

    You cannot come to Istanbul and miss Taksim and Istiklal Street! The magic and the energy of the crowd walking, the shops, the souvenirs, the clubs ! You have to love it if you also love never ending possibilities for having fun! It’s the heart of the city…

    Reply
  2. y.Renae
    12:14 am on February 23, 2005

    A good mix of shops in the European part of Istanbul. Close to Taksim square. Prices are not Istanbul prices but more European prices. Overall a place you should see before leaving the city.

    Reply
  3. Catherine raye
    12:10 pm on May 27, 2005

    If one care’s for the best shopping, dining and bars in Istanbul…. there’s only Istikalal Caddesi… itz a great walk up and down this lane teaming with hundreds of people , the kofta shops in this street are amazing…. but do watch out for pick pockets..

    Reply
  4. Peoria_Davis
    11:57 am on October 24, 2005

    Staying in the Sultanahmet neighborhood was wonderful, but after a few days we wanted to see a different side of Istanbul. A pedestrianized street with only trolley traffic, this was a wonderful way to spend the day. Beautiful stores, restaurants and great people watching – a must visit.

    Reply
  5. Bunny & April
    8:25 pm on February 17, 2006

    One of the very vibrate streets of the city. It is amazing to see how many people walk there, great shops and restaurants. This is a great place to understand that you are in a 18 million people city.

    Reply
  6. K.Andrews
    2:19 am on August 22, 2006

    One of the best tours you can make in the city. Plenty of people, stores, faces and tourists. To access the street you have to climb a mountain… but instead of taking the funicular, it’s worth walking. If you came from Taksim Square, it would be interesting to walk through the whole street and climb the tower at the end.

    Reply
  7. Arvada.Ashley.D
    6:34 pm on November 24, 2006

    This is the top shopping area in the city, modern shops that is. Some nice cake and coffee shops. Avoid the gold shops!

    Reply
  8. nogan
    2:21 pm on February 9, 2007

    Be careful, do not go to small streets near Istiklal at midnight, it might be dangerous after 1-2am.

    Reply
  9. Aunty J
    11:49 pm on May 6, 2007

    Istiklal Ave. is a must see attraction! Having fun with the one of oldest tram in the world!

    Reply
  10. Alexi
    2:31 pm on November 10, 2007

    If you love shopping or you love eating, this is the place. they have both and in abundance. It is just amazing to be able to stroll down this lane especially in the evening when the lights do just that, light it up. You have international brands and local shops too for both shopping and restaurants. If you’re religious, stop by in St. Antoine’s Church too. The entrance is on this street! I suggest you take a tram from one end to the other and then walk the way back (from either side of the street).

    Reply
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ephesus tours

The big tip is to try and go completely private. Many of the large tour companies offer private tour and they are going to charge a significant amount of money for the tour guide. However, many locations offer self-guided tours and therefore you have the ability to supply your own tour guide. Easily Book your guided private Ephesus tours, to see all the treasures of Ephesus Turkey. It's often said that Turkey has more ancient cities and classical ruins than does Greece. Well, it's true, and the Aegean coast holds a great number of sites, including Ephesus, the grandest and best-preserved of them all.

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