Experience Upmarket Istanbul
If you have ever been to Istanbul, or even just seen it on the TV, it’s likely that you viewed certain parts of it, probably Sultanahmet, Taksim, or Besiktas. These areas are a mixture of touristic and residential areas, and there are some upmarket parts, and some which have a little poverty. This is a city after all, and a mixture of people with different situations reside there. Because Istanbul is such a huge metropolis, there are areas of great wealth, and these parts of the city are known as the Beverley Hills of Istanbul.
For instance, you can be in the middle of the city, travel past Besiktas and towards Bebek and within half an hour you are walking along a calm and peaceful seaside promenade, with joggers travelling past you, Ferraris on the road, and upmarket seafood restaurants on the other side of the pavement. The houses are huge and almost Georgian mansion in style, and you get a sense of wealth and money. The thing is, you don’t need to spend a fortune to visit this area, because a bus from Besiktas to Bebek will cost you under 3 lira, and you can simply walk and grab a Starbucks to pass the time! If you get off the bus before you reach Bebek, you will see Rumeli Castle, and it only costs 10 lira to go inside. The view from the top is simply breath-taking.
If you carry on walking, for a good distance, you will come towards Sariyer. This area is quite far, but on a sunny, calm day weather-wise, the walk is very pleasant along the banks of the Bosphorus, with the huge tanker ships almost silently chugging past you, a little ghost-like in some ways. You will also pass the ‘second’ Bosphorus bridge, which is used to bring visitors from Sabiha Gokcen Airport, towards the European side of the city.
There are many small cafes and coffee shops along the road side as you take your stroll, so you can stop for refreshments along the way, or even an ice cream (dondurma) on a hot day. Many famous Turkish TV shows are filmed in this area, and who knows, you might be an extra, walking past as filming takes place!
Between Besiktas and Bebel you will find famous Ortakoy. This is where the huge, main Bosphorus Bridge is located, and it has a seaside-like vibe, with waffle stalls and markets to check out. This area is still quite upmarket in many ways, however it has a more affordable and laid-back vibe, compared to Bebek and Sariyer. There is a lot to do around Ortakoy, and the tea shop on the banks of the Bosphorus, almost touching the bridge, is a must visit. You will also see the stunning Ortakoy Mosque, which is lit up golden during the evening hours.
You can travel in a different direction if you want to, and still experience the glamour of the city. Nisantasi and Sisli are two of the more ‘posh’ areas of Istanbul, and located quite close to Taksim, and easily reached via the Metro. The huge Cevihir shopping centre is in Sisli, and Instants is famous for its many designer clothing shops.
Etiler is another place to visit, and a must do if you want to dine in serious style. This is where those huge steakhouses and seafood restaurants are located, where you will see the wealthy dining nightly, with plentiful raki! People watching is a great pastime, and check out the huge and very expensive cars on show!
You can easily visit these more upmarket types of places without spending a fortune, but if you want to splash the cash, or give your credit card a bashing, this is entirely possible too! Bebek and Sariyer are not linked by the Metro system, so you will have to either drive or get the bus, however the others are easily reached via the public train system, and you’ll get there faster as a result; the traffic close to Sariyer, and through it, is notoriously bad, especially during the evening rush hour and at weekends.
So, will you be visiting one of these more expensive and upmarket places when you check out Istanbul? If you only go to a couple, make it Ortakoy and Bebek for sure, they are both easily linked, and you can get the bus from Besiktas, without having to swap.
