Türkiye Travel List

Türkiye Travel List

"Welcome to our curated list of recommendations for traveling and dining in Türkiye. These suggestions have been gathered from our personal networks. While these recommendations are not personally vetted by us, they come highly recommended by those within our network. Please feel free to add your own favourite spots or share any updates in the comments section below. If you come across any information that may have changed, such as closures or updated details, we would greatly appreciate your feedback. Let's build a community-sourced guide to ensure that everyone can enjoy the best of what Türkiye has to offer." Marco van Embden, Cape Town

Get In Touch

1. Tour Operators / Travel Agent Recommendations

Guzin Guide Istanbul
+90 533 694 19 09
Cicek Istanbul Guide
+90 533 641 56 75
Ziya Gokmen
+90 532 611 52 80
Hakan Gürger
+90 532 215 44 96
Kenan Tamer - +90 (532) 251 46 20; kenantamer@yahoo.com
Meptur
Contact: Birgul Ozden
E: birgukozden@gmail.com / meptur@meptur.com
Silvyo Benbassat
+90 542 213 37 67
Silvyo Benbassat
Omer Atilmis - Private guide
E: ‎imaristanbulguide@hotmail.com
T: +90 546 510 57 93
Added: Feb 2024
Guide: Ozgur Yigit
E: ozgurygt@yahoo.com
T: +90 532 620 40 00
“Superb guide with many contacts, I have referred him to tens of people over the years” Added: May 2024

2. Dining Recommendations

In Istanbul:

Azur – “As a seafood restaurant, AZUR Yeniköy, which defies the customary in Istanbul, is at your service with its delicacies and unique Bosphorus views.”
Arkestra
Batard - bomonti
Bizz Istanbul - turkish food - ataturk kultur merkezi
Casa Lavanda - suburbs of Istanbul, great Italian french cuisine in a boutique hotel
Cecconi’s
Da Mario – “Family friendly, a favorite of Italian cuisine lovers for years, offers fresh homemade pasta, pizzas cooked in a wood oven and salads as an integral part of Mediterranean Cuisine”
Fatih Tutak
Gallada - Peninsula hotel turkish asian
Hodan Istanbul – “A new chef restaurant serving authentic Turkish cuisine with a contemporary touch”
Hünkar Lokantası – “Family friendly - Serving Turkish- Ottoman Cuisine, this restaurant is well known with its warm Turkish pot dishes especially "Hünkar Beğendi" which gives the restaurant its name.”
Karaköy Lokantası – “Family friendly - It is a classic and a must while in Istanbul. Located in Karaköy, the pace is well known for its mezze & fresh fish.”
Kebapci Etiler
Lacivert Restaurant – “Lacivert marries the rich and exquisite flavours of the Mediterranean cuisine which include centuries of culture and taste, at Istanbul’s most romantic and picturesque coastal view, on the one and only Bosphorus.”
Lokanta 1741 - Turkish inside hammam old town
Madame Nica - turkish w music gumussuyu taksim
Madera - turkish nişantaşı lütfi kırdar
Mavi Balik
Mikla - michelin turkish int pera taksim
MSA’s Restaurant -“Located in a private museum, MSA offers a great dining experience accompanied by a perfect Bosphorus view.”
Neolokal – “Family friendly - Located in a private museum, I recommend Neolokal for the best fine dining experience in Istanbul.”
Novikov - Reservations required · Has outdoor seating · Serves great cocktails
Okra - mediterrnean - the Marmara hotel
Olden 1772 - bar restaurant
Papermoon Istanbul – “A classic Italian Restaurant with a tranquil atmosphere. Experience exquisite dining at Paper Moon. Their principal aim is to provide a wide selection of Italian cuisine in a vibrant contemporary atmosphere that allows our guests to enjoy mouth-watering meals with family, friends and colleagues.”
Pandeli – “Family friendly - Located in the heart of Istanbul, in the Spice Bazaar, Pandeli has an important position in Istanbul’s culinary history. Great for a lunch after a tour in the old city.”
Restaurant 29 - has great food and fantastic views
Saku – Japanese restaurant, Michelin-starred
Sunset Grill & Bar - Large glamorous restaurant & bar on a hilltop with views over the bridge, serving Med food & sushi.
Seraf Restaurant- turkish anatolian - vadi istanbul
Ulus 29 - Upmarket hilltop restaurant with an international menu, terrace bar with views & trendy nightclub.
Upperist - Rooftop floor of The Marmara Taksim

Turkish Breakfast: Turkish people take food very seriously and breakfast is the most sacred meal of them all 🙂 some options include:

• Apartiman in Yenikoy
• Cuma Café in Beyoglu
• Delicatessen - in Nisantasi, popular for breakfast/lunch
• Journey Café in Cihangir
• Mangerie in Bebek - great food, ambiance and views. V popular with the Turkish crowd
• Petra Roasting - in Bebek, cute coffee shop with an outdoor space
• Rumeli Kale - Turkish breakfast
• Sutis in Yenikoy

Make sure to book a seafood restaurant one evening on the Bosphorus, get a table by the water, order mezes (similar to Spanish tapas) and Rakı (Turkish version of Ouzo/Arak, but stronger!) Some great options include:

Iskele Balikcisi in Rumelihisari
Bebek Balıkcısı in Bebek
Arnavutkoy Balıkcısı in Arnavutkoy
Sait in Galataport
Balıkcı Apo in Beykoz in the Asian side
Uskumru Balıkcı in Beykoz on the Asian side

Kebap: no explanation needed - options include:

Zubeyir Ocakbası - in Taksim
Fiko Ocakbası - in Sariyer
Gunaydın - in Karakoy

Karakoy/Cihangir:

Murver - great for drinks or dinner
Karakoy Lokantasi - modernized Turkish food/mezzes
Mana - delicious Turkish mezzes
Karabatak Café - in Karakoy, coffee shop

Beyoglu/Galata:

Hodan - Turkish food with a modern twist
SalonCuma
Aheste - Contemporary Turkish dinner, very cozy
1924 / Rejans - beautiful Russian restaurant
Roka - Japanese at Galataport, same as the one in London
Yeni - Turkish food reinterpreted, same owner as the London one
Soho House - Cecconis
Asmalı cavit - Beyoğlu, unpretentious great dor meze and rakı

Nisantasi/Bomonti/Osmanbey:

TURK Restaurant - in Bomonti, modern Turkish
Ahali Teşvikiye - in Nisantasi
Foxy - Turkish wine bar & small bites in Nisantasi

Ulus/Etiler:

Arkestra - French inspired, seasonal Turkish
Pinoli - in Etiler, great Italian place for lunch if you need a break from Turkish food
Da Mario - in Etiler for family Italian
All Sports Bakery - great for bfast, or casual catch up, coffee meet up
Askana Manti - cash only, historic and shabby Manti house
Delicatessen - great for meeting up with friends for coffee/bfast

Kurucesme/Arnavutkoy/Bebek:

Sisko Perihan (in Arnavutkoy, meyhane, modern twist on taverna)
Alaf (in Kurucesme)
Inari Omakase (in Kurucesme for Japanese)
Bebek Hotel (dinner on the terrace)
Dragon (Cantonese food at Bebek Hotel)
Susam (late night-early hours of the morning snacking)

Other locations:

Smelt & Co (in Balat, after a nice stroll in this historic neighborhood)
Araka (in Yenikoy)
Daze (in Akaretler for great fine dining)
Apartiman (in Yenikoy)
Ciya for lunch - on the Asian side - the chef is featured on Netflix’s Chef's Table. Cross over from Sirkeci to Kadıköy with the ferry.
Six Senses Kocatas Mansions (in Sariyer, a historic mansion converted into a hotel with incredible views of the Bosphorus, great spa and few restaurant options, very high-end)
Lokanta 1741 (in the Old Peninsula)
MSA Restaurant (at the Sabanci Museum in Emirgan – stunning view and good food)
Definitely try Turkish wine and Turkish coffee in one of these restaurants!

3. Bars & Nightlife Recommendations:

Arkestra’s Listening Room - has great dj sessions and live music pretty much from Wednesday onwards every week
Kutuphane (in Etiler)
Beca - in Etiler, fun for night out/dancing
Lucca - in Bebek, disco music and dancing. From breakfast to after-work drinks to happy hour on the weekends to night outs early in the morning.
Bebek Hotel Rooftop - spring and summer time
Kaia - speakeasy in Bebek, hiphop/oldies. Popular after Lucca on the weekends.
Goose No.25 - in Kurucesme, Sunday and Wednesdays live music
Backyard -in Bebekoy, for the summer
Mikla Rooftop for drinks
Soho House
Georges Hotel Rooftop in Galata for drinks
Adahan Hotel Rooftop drinks in Pera
Markus Tavern - in Cihangir for drinks
Murver - in Karakoy, great rooftop & drinks
Wu Bomonti - in Bomonti, for drinks and club/night out
St.Regis - in Nisantasi, rooftop drinks
Frankie - in Galataport

4. Activities Recommendations

River Wildlife - "It’s private although I believe if you are staying at the American Club you can use it. Great little log cabin restaurant in the woods. Great hiking trails that should be open for x-country skiing and/or snowshoe. Stefanos in Sheboygan for the best authentic Italian around. The Blind Horse restaurant and winery is worth a stop. The Kettle Moraine Forest is close for some scenic driving. Kohler spa is pretty awesome as well.”
Alacati, Cappadocia – “We loved small town of Alacati - very cute feels like a small village in Greece. In Cappadocia we stayed at Sultan Suites up on hillside with incredible views. We also got up at 5am to take hot air balloon ride- which was scary but amazing..”
For the Old Peninsula - "you can do half a day in Topkapı Palace, 1 hour in Blue Mosque + Hagia Sophia, 30-45mins in the Yerebatan Cistern and go to the Grand Bazaar and walk down to the Spice Market. Right by the Spice Market there is a kebap restaurant called HAMDI Restaurant, which is a great option for lunch. Other lunch options in this area include the historic Pandeli Restaurant and Nar Restaurant. You generally do not want to be in this area in the evening."
Topkapı Palace - "(the seat of the sultan from the 15th to 19th century. The Harem and the Treasury are points of attraction here."
The Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia: "The Blue Mosque was built for Sultan Ahmet (also its Turkish name) and Hagia Sophia was built by the Romans, was used as a church, then converted to a mosque, then a museum under the republic, and then once again to a mosque few years ago. They’re within walking distance from the Topkapi Palace."
The Grand Bazaar: "A maze of hundreds and hundreds of shops selling everything from rugs to gold to t-shirts to you name it. Part of the fun is haggling, part is getting lost in the maze. Rug prices quoted should be marked down by approx. 2.5x -- 2x to arrive at a fair value. HEREKE is popular
for rugs. Ask for the thread count while you’re buying them. Or you can go for a SILK KILIM (which is a thinner rug, v popular these days). You can also get jewelry here, Sait Koc is one of the most famous ones."
The Spice Market ('Mısır Carsısı' in Turkish): "A short walk away from the covered bazaar, this place basically just sells spices but is worth seeing. You can also buy some turkish delights (double glazed pistachio is usually the best) there. And spice (red paprika – called pulbiber in Turkish – saffron, cinnamon, mint, etc.) + natural soap (daphne + olive oil most popular). Make sure you buy some natural tea, as well – black tea + linden tea + sage etc. If you want to grab a snack while you’re there, there is Gulluoglu which has been around for a while for su boregi (a puffy pastry) and baklava."
The Basilican Cistern (Yerebatan Sarinci in Turkish): "Old water reservoir built by Romans; great experience and close to the Blue and Hagia Sophia Mosques. It was also used as a Bond movie shooting location. Worth the visit! A quick guide overview to different neighbourhoods in Istanbul: Cornucopia Guide"
The Galata Tower: "You’ll want to go here for the view — one of the best panoramic views of the city. It is also a very traditional Istanbul landmark and has been around for a long time; it was built by the Genoese in 1348. A quick taxi ride from the Spice Market. Go for sightseeing in the afternoon and then for drinks at Georges Hotel for the sunset."
Boat tour on the Bosphorus: "get on one of the small ferries that makes all the local stops on the European as well as the Asian shore (called “Ring Seferi” in Turkish). Buy fresh simit + Turkish tea aboard. Download the app “Sehir Hatlari” to view the scheduling for the ferries."
Istiklal Caddesi (Beyoglu): "this is one of the most iconic streets in Istanbul. Filled with rich history - especially for Istanbul’s minority communities. Many embassies are also located around this area. However, it slightly lost its charm in the past 10 years due to the government crackdown after the anti-government Gezi Park protests in 2013. Nonetheless, walking all the way along this street is an experience!"
Nisantası and Bebek neighborhoods: "not touristic, very local Chelsea-esque neighborhoods if you want to get a contrast of what the city offers (old vs modern). Nisantası has a lot of high-end shopping, and a local art scene. Bebek is a small, close-knit community with lots of cute cafes, concept stores, coffee shops. Great for a lovely breakfast and then a walk along the Bosphorus. Both are great to get a vibe for local life. Cihangir and Karakoy neighborhoods: These two are more bohemian neighbourhoods, and great for antique and vintage finds. They are popular with Istanbul’s residents in the arts & literature. Their essence is best captured by Cornucopia Magazine & Cornucopia Guide - Karakoy"

Museums:

ARTER Modern Museum in Beyoglu
*Bomontiada: cool space for concerts, drinks, restaurants, right by Nisantasi.
Ara Guler Museum (Photography) is here. Ara Guler is one of the most iconic Turkish photographers and is internationally accredited.
*Sabancı Museum in Sariyer - "amazing view of the Bosphorus!!! make sure to stop by for a drink/coffee after your gallery visit or for breakfast"
*Istanbul Modern – Contemporary Art Museum in Galataport
*Pera Museum in Beyoglu - has Osman Hamdi Bey’s, one of the most well-regarded painters in the Ottoman Empire, paintings
SALT Galata in Galata/Karakoy
Resim Heykel Müzesi - State Art and Sculpture Museum in Dolmabahce
Istanbul Arkeoloji Müzesi - archeology museum, recently re-opened in the Old Peninsula

Galleries:

Dirimart (next to Arter museum in Beyoglu)
Pilevneli (next to Arter museum in Beyoglu)
Galeri Nev
Galerist
Mesher
C24
Pill
Versus Art Project
Pi Artworks
ArtON
PG Art Gallery

Other experiences:

*Turkish Bath (Hamam) - "Kilic Ali Pasa Hamami next to Karakoy and Cihangir (the best hamam in Istanbul - you get a traditional experience in a modern and beautiful Turkish bath. If you are in a couple though entry for women and men are at different times. A couples hammam session at the Ciragan Palace is a nice alternative coupled with teatime)"
*Dolmabahçe Sarayı - "this was the last actively used Palace in Turkey, where the founder of the Turkish Republic also resided during the last years of his life"
*Sema Töreni - "Sufi Dervish whirling ceremony at Galata Mevlevihanesi typically Sundays at 5pm but check) - in Beyoglu"
Asri Tursucu in Beyoglu – "historic pickle shop that has been around since 1938"
Contemporary Istanbul Fair (check dates)
Istanbul Biennale (check dates)
Akaretler Art Weeks (check dates)
Tanrimisafiri - "throws fun dining experiences regularly, and usually also has live music for after – you can DM them on Instagram for a spot"

5. Accommodation Recommendations

Hotel Peninsula
Bebek Hotel (in the bebek neighborhood - local neighborhood, quite compact)
Soho House (in beyoglu - historic neighborhood, lots of cafes/restaurants/nightlife)
Adahan DeCamondo (in beyoglu )
The Peninsula (in beyoglu - its by the newly opened modern art museum)
The Stay (in nisantasi - chelsea of istanbul, lots of boutiques)
Six Senses Kocatas Mansions in Sariyer
Grace Bay Resorts - president of the group is ypoer, and awesome!

5. Things to Know:

Cabs: while you’ll be able to hail a cab on the street, you can also use the “BiTaksi” or “uber” apps on your iphone. While many cabs do take cards, still wise to always have cash on you (also for tipping throughout the day 10-15%).
Public transportation: download the app “Istanbulkart”, here you will be able to purchase a digital card and purchase credit via card payment. You will have the ability to scan digital QR codes or have your own digital QR code read within the app, which can be used on the underground, ferries and on buses.
Sea taxi: download the app sea taxi
Getir: if for some reason you need to order groceries or have toiletry needs, you can download
“Getir” from the app store. This app is also available in many EU countries, UK and the US.
Deliveroo/doordash: if for some reason you’re feeling poorly and want to order in “yemeksepeti” or “fuudy” is the Deliveroo equivalent applications you can download.
112 – emergency number
Thank you - tesekkurler (tay+sheikh+our+lair) or just say “merci”
Sorry – pardon (like French)
Please – lutfen (loot + fan)
Yes – evet (a + vet)
No – hayir (ha + year)