Istiklal Street (Turkish İstiklâl Caddesi) is one of the most popular pedestrian streets in Istanbul, located in the Beyoglu district. The street starts at Taksim Square and goes towards the Golden Horn Bay for about 1.4 kilometers. Istiklal Street has the shape of a boomerang, at the bending point of which Galatasaray Square with the Galatasaray Lyceum is located.
Street history
The history of the street begins at the end of the 15th century, when the first Muslim settlements began to appear around the territory of modern Istiklal Street. At that time, the Galata Tower already existed, and at the southern end of the modern street there was a gate from the city. Until this time, forests grew in this hilltop area. At the beginning of the next century, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman I, the territory of Istiklal began to be built up with Muslim buildings. This place also attracted Europeans, who also began to build their own houses, open workshops and shops. Gradually, the street, which at that time was called Cadde-i Kebir (Main Avenue), turned into a center of trade and crafts. In 1628, French Catholics received land to build a church. The Church of Saint Louis of France, also known as the first Latin church in Beyoğlu, now stands on this site. In the 17th century, the street connected the area near the Galata Tower and the living quarters of the Galata Palace. At the same time, embassies of various European countries began to appear on the street. In the 18th century, the street began to extend to the north, along the way being built up with new churches (in 1724 the Church of St. Anthony of Padua was built, in 1769 - the Church of St. Mary), embassies and residential buildings. From the second half of the 19th century, the street began to change its format, more adapting to European standards, while maintaining Asian features. In 1875, the world's second metro line, the Tunel, was opened with just two stations, which is still in operation. At the beginning of the 20th century, with the proclamation of the republic, the street was renamed to its current name, which translated from Turkish means “Independence Street”. The name was intended to perpetuate the triumph of the Turkish War of Independence. At this time, Istiklal was a center of trade and recreation with many shops, cafes, restaurants, and hotels. In the 50s of the 20th century, there was a massive outflow of population from Istanbul associated with reforms. In 1955, during the Istanbul pogroms, Istiklal was one of the main sites of protests. After these events, the street fell into disrepair for a long time. Only in the 90s of the 20th century did the renewal of Istiklal begin - many new shops and restaurants were opened, and historical buildings were restored.
Istiklal today
In the 21st century, Istiklal is one of the most popular places in Istanbul among tourists. On the street there are shops of many international brands of clothing, jewelry, accessories, many cafes and restaurants serving mainly Turkish and European cuisines. A historic tram runs along the street. Many buildings...
Istiklal Street (Istiklal Caddesi) or Independence Avenue is perhaps the most popular place for walking and evening entertainment in Istanbul. This is a wide modern street surrounded by Art Nouveau houses. Sometimes it seems that half the city is walking along Istiklal on a weekend.
Istiklal Street (Istiklal Caddesi)
It stretches for almost three kilometers and starts near and ends near Taksim Square. Sometimes it seems that half the city is walking along Istiklal on a weekend. The street is exclusively pedestrian, but there is one retro exception. This is a red wooden tram that rattles up and down from the Tunel to. And if you don’t want to walk along the avenue, then take the old tram and watch the bustling life around from the windows. Firstly, Istiklal is the center of foreign embassies, including the Russian one. Secondly, in one place there are churches belonging to completely different denominations: Armenian, Greek, Turkish. If you are interested in church architecture, we recommend visiting the churches of Santa Maria Draperis and the Catholic Church of St. Antoine, built at the beginning of the last century.
It can be useful
Interesting excursions around Istanbul
Istiklal Street or Independence Avenue
The architecture of the buildings on Istiklal is truly extraordinary and represents a mixture of different styles. There are neoclassical with neo-Gothic and Renaissance, revival and art deco with art nouveau - architectural styles characteristic of the 19-20 centuries. It was during this period that Istiklal was finally built up and bore the name Cadde-I Kebir, which meant Great Avenue. Turkish bohemia lived here - writers and artists. Later, the Beyoğlu area was overrun by Europeans, who gave the street the name Grand Rue de Pera. When Türkiye became an independent republic in 1923, the street was finally renamed Istiklal. The oldest and most famous hotel is also located on the street. And it is famous for the fact that Agatha Christie wrote her famous bestseller “Murder on the Orient Express” in the hotel. Among the guests of this luxury hotel were Greta Garbo, Jacqueline Kennedy and even Mata Hari. In 2009, after restoration, the famous Patisserie de Pera cafe and Agfhta restaurant reopened.
Book a room at the Pera Palas hotel
The atmosphere of antiquity and modern customs of Istiklal Street
The center of Istiklal Street is Galata Square. In this area there are the Galatasaray Lyceum, the post office of 1875, famous for its beer bars, the Fish Passage, as well as the classical one. Restaurants and bars here are always packed to capacity, and prices are 20% higher than on neighboring streets. But still, it’s worth visiting here, and not only to taste a variety of dishes, but also to plunge into this atmosphere of antiquity, modernity and a diverse audience. In addition to many tourists from all over the world and local residents, Istiklal is constantly flooded with wandering musicians, artists and local youth hanging out. In general, Istiklal, in a sense, is not a safe place.
In the evening there are a lot of drunk people here, you can easily run into pickpockets, and there are also a lot of different kinds of extortionists. In addition, Turkish youth often go on strike here and you can get into trouble. So be on the lookout and better
Perhaps today in Istanbul, the most famous and popular street is Istiklal, along which approximately three million people walk during just one weekend day. By the way, Istiklal Street in Istanbul, which has a slightly unusual name for any European, is called Grande Rue De Pera by the French, and Independence Avenue by the English-speaking population of the planet.
Located in the Beyoğlu (Pera) district, this elegant street, about one and a half kilometers long, is unusually densely lined with various buildings and structures, which are characterized by a special and unusual architecture for Istanbul. On Istiklal in Istanbul you can see boutiques and large shops, art galleries, cinema and art theaters, libraries, music and book stores, popular restaurants and cafes, pubs and traditional lokants, famous nightclubs.
The Pera (literally "outside") district of Istanbul was outside the city limits and was planted with vineyards. Gradually, rich foreigners developed this area, building mansions and offices here. Istiklal Street was finally developed between the 19th and 20th centuries and was named Cadde-i Kebir or Grand Avenue. Turkish intellectuals, artists, and writers lived here. Gradually they settled in houses on Istiklal 
Europeans, as well as the assimilated French and Italians, who gave it the name Grande Rue de Pe"ra. After the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in May 1923, the street was finally renamed Istiklal (independence), exalting the triumph of victory in the Turkish War of Independence. For houses and buildings Istiklal in Istanbul is characterized by an amazing mixture of architectural styles: neoclassicism, neo-gothic, renaissance, revival, art nouveau and even art deco, characteristic of the first years of the Turkish republic. Istiklal Street begins in the blocks adjacent to the Galata Tower, and ultimately ends at Taksim Square.
Istiklal Street is best known for its concentration of many embassies and consulates, including France, Greece, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the UK. On this street you can immediately see 
several religious buildings belonging to different faiths. This is the Turkish Aga Camii Mosque; Roman Catholic Santa Maria Draperis and S. Antonio di Padova; Greek Orthodox Haghia Triada; Armenian Uc Horan. Istiklal Street in Istanbul is well known to fans of the work of Agatha Christie, who worked on the novel “Murder on the Orient Express” at the Pera Palas Hotel. The so-called "Flower Arcade", built in a 19th-century building, is now known as several fish restaurants that are always crowded with tourists. At this charming spot, you'll pay a premium for your seafood cravings. The site of the burnt theater is now a bustling fish market. There are many catering establishments on the street where you can quickly grab a bite to eat Turkish cuisine, 
but check prices are on average 20% higher than in adjacent alleys. Several large clothing stores are usually aimed at tourists.
Istiklal is a pedestrian street, constantly filled with a diverse, diverse crowd of tourists and local residents. Here you can see “wandering” musicians of all kinds and stripes, local youth hang out here, and pickpockets often operate here. By evening, Istiklal is filled with drunk tourists, pimps and extortionists, for example, in the form of pretty girls who trick you into drinking in bars. Moreover, at night Istiklal in Istanbul can become an arena for protests by Turkish youth. You can easily become an unwitting observer of the construction of barricades, loud pops of firecrackers, and getting a rubber bullet or being showered with a water cannon is just an ordinary thing. You should not book a hotel in this noisy and not peaceful area.
Historical transport on Istiklal Street
The tram route has again been laid along Istiklal Street, which has become a true symbol of Istanbul. can definitely be found in photographs and videos telling about the Turkish metropolis. No less interesting is another type of transport - the so-called. tunel (tunel) or, more correctly, in Russian - tunnel. Built back in 1875, this first version of the Turkish metro already connected Istiklal Street to the pier 
Karakoy. An avid tourist should definitely try both types of archaic transport in Istanbul.
You can plot a route for your car by entering the name of the place from where you want to leave and where to get there. Enter the names of points in the nominative case and in full, with the name of the city or region separated by a comma. Otherwise, the online route map may show the wrong path.
The free Yandex map contains detailed information about the selected area, including the boundaries of regions, territories and regions of Russia. In the “layers” section, you can switch the map to “Satellite” mode, then you will see a satellite image of the selected city. The “People's Map” layer shows metro stations, airports, names of neighborhoods and streets with house numbers. This is an online interactive map - it cannot be downloaded.
Nearest hotels (hotels, hostels, apartments, guest houses)
View all hotels in the area on the map
Five nearby hotels are shown above. Among them there are both regular hotels and hotels with several stars, as well as cheap accommodation - hostels, apartments and guest houses. These are usually private economy class mini-hotels. The hostel is a modern hostel. An apartment is a private apartment for daily rent, and a guest house is a large private house, where the owners themselves usually live and rent out rooms for guests. You can rent a guest house with an all-inclusive service, a bathhouse and other attributes of a good holiday. Check with the owners for details here.
Usually hotels are located closer to the city center, including inexpensive ones, near the metro or train station. But if this is a resort area, then the best mini-hotels, on the contrary, are located further from the center - on the seashore or river bank.
Nearest airports
| Type | Name | Code | City | Code | Distance |
| Airport | IST | Istanbul (TR) | IST | 17 km. | |
| Airport | SAW | Istanbul (TR) | IST | 35 km. | |
| Airport | Cengiz Topel | KCO | Kocaeli (TR) | KCO | 88 km. |
| Airport | Yenisehir | YEI | Bursa (TR) | YEI | 105 km. |
| Airport | Bandirma | BDM | Bandirma (TR) | BDM | 125 km. |
| Airport | Corlu | TEQ | Tekirdag (TR) | TEQ | 143 km. |
| Airport | Balikesir | BZI | Balikesir (TR) | BZI | 187 km. |
| Airport | Anadolu University | AOE | Eskisehir (TR) | ESK | 202 km. |
| Airport | Eskisehir | ESK | Eskisehir (TR) | ESK | 208 km. |
| Airport | Bourgas | BOJ | Burgas (BG) | BOJ | 224 km. |
When is it more profitable to fly? Chip flights.
You can choose one of the nearest airports and buy a plane ticket without leaving your seat. The search for the cheapest air tickets takes place online and the best offers are displayed to you, including for direct flights. As a rule, these are electronic tickets for a promotion or discount from many airlines. Having selected the appropriate date and price, click on it and you will be taken to the company’s official website, where you can book and buy the required ticket.
Istiklal is the most famous street in Istanbul, which we simply could not miss, and to our great joy, we spent almost the entire day on Istiklal Street. Our walk began at the walls of the Galata Tower and ended at Taksim Square. We will share our impressions with you, and also tell you what to do and how not to spend a boring day on the liveliest and never sleeping Istiklal Street.
We were accompanied on our walk along Istiklal Street by our good friend Katya (Vitalik’s classmate), who has been living and working in Istanbul for about 5 years. The meeting was scheduled at the Galata Tower, which we really wanted to climb, but then, apparently from the overwhelming emotions of the long-awaited meeting, we changed our minds, leaving this idea for next time.
, so here we only want to talk about the impression that this ancient building made on us. Walking in the evening along the embankment of the historical peninsula of the Sultanahmet district, the Galata Tower beckoned us with its rays. Due to its location on a certain hill, it is visible from different areas of Istanbul.
Perhaps because of her alluring attractiveness, we made an appointment with Ekaterina at her place. You can get to the Galata Tower from the historical center of the Sultanahmet district by taking the T1 tram to the Karakoy stop, and then you will have to walk a little downhill.
Climbing up to the Galata Tower through the steep narrow streets of the Beyoğlu district, you do not notice fatigue, perhaps due to the fact that the tower itself is almost always visible on the horizon, and when you see the goal of your route, it is accordingly easier to walk.
Coming out of the narrow street to the square where the Galata Tower stands, it is impossible not to be amazed at how big it is and how it is located in a small area, as if sandwiched between neighboring buildings.
Having sat down to rest on one of the many benches, we began to wait for Ekaterina. The Galata Tower is very popular among tourists visiting Istanbul, so the square near it has a lot of different souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants. We have already written about that.
Finally, the meeting took place and without thinking for a long time, we set off towards Istiklal along one of the narrow streets, making our way between numerous shops with souvenirs and gifts that tourists bring from Istanbul.
Istiklal Street - our photo walk
The first impression of Istiklal Street is a crowd of people and many shops. Everyone is either quickly going somewhere or leisurely shopping. Istiklal is a pedestrian street, only a tram runs along it, which we will talk about later.
Let's touch a little on the history of this famous street.
Istiklal is a symbol of European Turkey, its independence, because in translation from Turkish Istiklal Street means Independence Street. The street has the shape of a boomerang; at the bend, Galatasaray Square is located. Since ancient times, this area has attracted Europeans, who built housing here, opened shops and various workshops. This gave an appropriate aesthetic appearance to the modern look of the street.
The bend of Istiklal Street - Galatasaray Square
Time passed and the street became more and more European, while having its own certain Asian features. It is noteworthy that under Istiklal Street there is an ancient metro, which during construction, more than 100 years ago, was the second metro in the world, and it is still in operation, connecting only two stations. In the modern concept, this is no longer a metro, but a funicular.
Thanks to such a long history, Istiklal has become a symbol of Istanbul and the independence of the modern Turkish Republic. Even now, it is not uncommon to see various actions of citizens defending their rights.
But we, as tourists who came to see Istanbul, are primarily interested in what we can do and how to enjoy our time on the famous street, which is visited by more than 3 million people just on a weekend.
Performances by street musicians are very popular in Istiklal, and these can be either just people who picked up a musical instrument for the first time or professionals. We met the second ones on Istiklal Street. We met, that’s a loud word, or rather, we heard and we liked their work. So these guys are professional musicians who released their CD and, as part of its promotion, decided to perform, wherever you might think, on Istiklal Street, because sometimes you can meet anyone here. Look, some famous producer will come by.
In general, now we listen to their work, and the video recording remains as a memory, which we invite you to get acquainted with.
Also, you can often meet children on Istiklal, apparently refugees from Syria, who not only extort money on the streets of Istanbul, but even play some kind of instrument.
Historical tram – Nostalgik
The first thing that a person who has visited Istanbul associates Istiklal Street with is, of course, the famous red historical tram - Nostalgik, which is fully operational and does an excellent job of transporting people, while simultaneously serving as an unspoken symbol of the European part of Istanbul.
Historical tram - Istiklal
There is only one tram track along Istiklal Street, but in the central part there is a branching point for the tram tracks so that the trams can pass each other.
Anyone can ride a historical tram; all you need to do is buy a ticket and you will plunge into the atmosphere and touch the history of ancient Istanbul.
Taksim Tram - Tunnel
If you walk along Istiklal Street, towards Taksim Square, then on the right side, in a stunningly beautiful courtyard, you can see a Catholic basilica - this is the Church of St. Anthony of Padua.
St. Anthony's Church is the largest Catholic church in Istanbul, made of red brick and having three large windows with stained glass on the facade. Parishioners from all over the world gather under the arches of this temple, and perhaps that is why services are held in various languages of the world, in addition to Turkish, you can hear English, Italian and Polish.
Inside, the Church of St. Anthony is decorated with frescoes with scenes from Holy Scripture, and the huge stained glass windows are decorated with multi-colored mosaics.
Also eye-catching is the courtyard, which houses the Church of St. Anthony and two red brick buildings, connected to each other by a balcony that forms an arch, under which you must pass to get to the temple.
Next, we suggest going a little away from Istiklal and immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the most popular place in the Beyoglu area - Nevizade Street. We pass by the local Fish Market, as well as shops with souvenirs and gifts that are definitely worth purchasing as a souvenir from your trip to Istanbul.
The fish market in Istanbul stretches across almost the entire Sahne Sok street and is called Galatasaray, as it is located near the square of the same name. Here you can buy not only the freshest fish and various seafood, but also cheeses and other products, both locally produced and imported.
Fish Market - Galatasaray
Nevizade Street is a place where it is very difficult to leave hungry or in a bad mood, because it is on this street that there are a variety of bars, fish restaurants, nightclubs and much more. There are tables right on the narrow street, and employees of the establishments very politely invite you to sit down at them.
To our surprise, when we walked along Nevizade, there were practically no people in the restaurants, but as our companion Ekaterina told us, in the evening there is simply nowhere for an apple to fall. Both young people and older people come here to just have dinner or meet friends, in general, have a great time, you can do that here.
- Street food in Istanbul
Cafes and shops in Istiklal
After seeing several sights on Istiklal Street, it’s time for shopping, because not doing it here is simply unforgivable. Istiklal cannot boast of luxury brands, but there are plenty of mid-price shops here, both European and Turkish.
Usually, behind the seemingly inconspicuous entrance to the store, there is a five-six storey shopping center, or a store of one brand, and one floor will definitely be allocated to discounted goods. The variety of things and prices can captivate you for a long time and you will forget about all the sights that you still wanted to see, so we recommend setting aside a separate day for shopping in Istiklal.
Well, after walking around Istiklal for a long time, we go for a bite to eat at one of the many catering establishments on the street - the Fedora bistro. We try delicious cuisine, share our emotions and get to know the local young population, who did not refuse our request to take a group photo for us as a souvenir.
Inexpensive accommodation - hotels and apartments
The conversation in the cafe turned to pressing problems, but what is the most important problem of most people who come to live in another city - of course, housing. But we were more interested in renting an apartment for a short period. So, according to our companion Ekaterina, the Airbnb service is very popular in Istanbul, where apartment owners rent out their own homes without intermediaries.
- Apartments in Istanbul with owners from Airbnb
- Istanbul Hotel Finder
If you have not yet purchased air tickets to Istanbul, then using the search services Skyskanner and Aviasales, you can significantly save on purchasing air tickets.
Our meeting with Ekaterina has almost come to an end, but before taking her to the Taksim metro station, it was decided to take a walk along the famous Taksim Square and look into Gezi Park.
What is Taksim Square in Istanbul primarily known for? Of course, if we are talking about any demonstrations, rallies, or military parades, then this will take place in Istanbul at Taksim. That's how it happened. However, Taksim Square, in addition, is the key transport center of the city; from this place you can get to almost anywhere in Istanbul. Expensive hotels and shops of world-famous brands are also concentrated here.
On Taksim Square there is the Independence Monument, in the form of an oriental-style arch, it was erected in honor of the founding of the Turkish Republic. The monument depicts people who made a huge contribution to the independence of modern Turkey, led by the first president, Ataturk.
Also in Taksim Square in Istanbul, perhaps the largest national flag in Turkey is installed.
After seeing off our companion, we went to Taksim-Gezi Park, which is located near Taksim Square. Once again we are convinced how nice it is when, almost in the very center, they preserve a corner of greenery, where locals and guests of Istanbul can take a break from walking along the busy Istiklal Street and simply have a wonderful time among nature.
This very small park announced itself to the whole world just a few years ago. The clash between city residents and the Turkish police was covered by all the world media, and the reason for the clashes was that city residents opposed the demolition of ancient trees in Taksim Gezi Park and the construction of a shopping center in their place. But to our great joy, the trees will not be demolished.
Istanbul at night - the end of our walk
Istiklal captivated us so much with its unrestrained pace that we did not notice how the sun set and the city lights came on, revealing Istanbul to us from the other, night side. Surprisingly, there were no fewer people on Istiklal Street, and even it seemed to us that, on the contrary, there were more people.
Night Istanbul - Istiklal Street
At night, crowds of people are still in a hurry to get somewhere just as during the day, but we stopped at a Turkish ice cream seller - Dondurma, who was not averse to posing for us and treating us to delicious ice cream.
Dondurma - Turkish ice cream
Night Istanbul - life is in full swing
Well, in conclusion, I would like to say that we remembered this day on Istiklal Street for a long time, perhaps because we were accompanied by a good mood, weather and excellent company, in the person of Ekaterina, to whom we send our huge greetings through our blog.
On the map
To make it easier for you to navigate the places discussed in the article, we have marked them on the map. You can easily find Istiklal Street and Nevizade Street, as well as the Galata Tower, Taksim Square in Istanbul and Gezi Park, and we also recommend checking out the fish market in Istanbul.