Don’t know what to do at night in Istanbul?
Whether you are a fan of bars, pubs, concerts or other lively places, what better way to feel the atmosphere of a neighborhood than to go out in Istanbul to feel the atmosphere of a neighborhood.
Here is our selection of the best places to spend a good evening.
Table des matières
The best neighborhoods to party in Istanbul
The first piece of advice we’ll give you if you want to party in Istanbul is to cross the Golden Horn and forget about the southern districts like Sultanahmet
Indeed, it is mainly in modern Istanbul that the atmosphere is found!
The Bosphorus banks are also very lively at night, and the play of lights with the water and the monuments is simply magical.
The Karakoÿ district is very popular in Istanbul. During the day you can find stores, cafes, artists, which makes it a district with a joyful atmosphere
At night, Karakoÿ turns into a trendy place where people like to go out
We recommend the Nest, a trendy club where DJs celebrate with a view of the sea.
We can also recommend a rather chic bar in this area called Mitte
If you like the pub atmosphere, you will surely like the Ayi pub.
South of Taksim Square, we recommend the Cihangir district for a relaxing evening out with family or friends
There are many nice bars in this area, and the atmosphere is warm and relaxed
We particularly recommend the Geyik and Otto bars
If you are a fan of electro music, you will appreciate the Mini Muzikhol club.
Not far from Taksim Square is the busy Istiklal Avenue.
All around this avenue there are many bars, terraces and clubs that greatly enliven the area.
Top bars and clubs in Istanbul
Near the Karakoÿ and Cihangir districts, the Beyoglu district is also very interesting for going out at night
It used to be the nerve center of Istanbul’s nightlife, which has become less the case in recent years
Nevertheless, there are still some good places to party like the 5 cocktails and more, a bar famous for its cocktails or Ravouna 1906, a nice bar from which you will have a view on the Bosphorus
As for clubs, we recommend Birdy Pera, where you can dance all night long on the terrace
The Kleingarten is a very popular electro club in summer in this neighborhood.
Then, the district of Nisantasi, located slightly north of Taksim Square has many nice bars
This area is mostly known as the fashion and luxury district of Istanbul, but when night falls it turns into a chic and cheerful place
For example, you can have a drink in one of the many terraces in Nisantasi
Among the bars we enjoyed in this area is Kozmonot, a cocktail and beer bar
If you like lively rooftop parties, we suggest Spago, a stylish bar with elaborate cocktails.
Then, going up the Bosphorus, several districts offer a festive atmosphere. The Bebek district is where you’ll find some of Istanbul’s most stylish bars, such as Lucca, which doubles as a cocktail and wine bar, or La Boom , whose terrace offers a view of the Bosphorus strait
In Ortakoÿ, you’ll find a gigantic club, Le Reina, which hosts up to 2,500 people on certain nights in a complex that includes bars, restaurants and dance floors
If you go a little further up the Bosphorus, you’ll come to the Arnavutkoÿ district, which offers small trendy bars. This area has become a must-see and its bars are very popular
We suggest you for example theAlexandra, if you like cocktail bars, or theHudson brasserie-bar very fashionable.
If you live on the Asian side of Istanbul, there are also some very nice places to go out. The Kadikoÿ district in particular is known for its festive atmosphere after dark: if you like rock bars, we recommend the Arka Oda or Karga bars.
And here are the last clubs of our selection: they are located in the district of Besiktas
We present youUlus 29 which is a bar-restaurant that turns into a nightclub on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Unfortunately the club is quite select and entry requires a reservation
The Sunset, also located in Besiktas is also a chic club in this area of Istanbul. Finally, the Ruby club located more precisely in Ortakoÿ is for some time the trendy and young meeting place of the stambouliotes. A magnificent view of the Bosphorus at night will await you on this rooftop!
The best places to go to the theater or to a concert in Istanbul
If you’ve exhausted the city’s parties, or if you’re more into quiet or cultural evenings, you can treat yourself to a night out at the theater, opera or concerts in Istanbul
Some theaters offer traditional Turkish arts which we highly recommend if you are fascinated by this culture.
Where to go out in the evening? The best theaters in Istanbul
First of all, let’s talk about the theaters of the city. The metropolis of Istanbul runs the Istanbul City Theaters, an institution with 10 stages in the city
On the Asian side, there are four theaters: the Haldun Taner Theater in the Kadikoÿ district, then the Ümranyie Theater, a district located a little further north of Kadikoÿ, and finally the Musahipzade Celâl and Kerem Yılmazer theaters in the Üsküdar district.
On the European side of the Bosphorus are the other six theaters of the establishment: first of all, we can mention the Muhsin Ertuğrul Theater in Harbiye, named after a Turkish actor, director and producer, the Reşat Nuri Theater, located in the Fatih district in the southern part of the Golden Horn, named after a novelist from Istanbul
In the Kagithane district, there is the Sadabad Theater and the Küçük Kemal Children’s Theater
Finally, the Ferih Egemen Children’s Theater in Gaziosmanpasa, a neighborhood located in the north of the city, is another theater on the European side of the city. Ferih Egemen was a Turkish actor.
What to do in the evening in Istanbul? Go to the opera
Istanbul also has a few opera houses and classical concert halls. The Fülya Sanat, for example, is a municipal opera house located in the Besiktas district
On the Asian side, you can go to the Süreyya Operasi in Kadikoÿ. You can also attend a performance of the Istanbul Symphony Orchestra or go to theState Opera and Ballet
Listen to live music at night in Istanbul
If you’re more into jazz, we recommend the Nardis Jazz Club in the Galata district, and if you’re a rock fan, you might enjoy a night out at Dorock XL in Kadikoÿ!
There are of course other nice concert halls in Istanbul: for example, Babylon in Bomonti in the Beyoglu district, which offers rock, pop and variety concerts, but is also a very famous and popular club in Istanbul
Balans Music and Performance Hall , where local and international artists perform, or the Jolly Joker, a concert café located in Nisantasi, may also be of interest.
Discover the traditional shows
Finally, your stay in Istanbul can be an opportunity to discover typical Turkish arts and performances: at the Hodjapasha cultural center in the Sirkeci district, you can attend performances of traditional Ottoman or Anatolian dances, for example
Hodjapasha is an old hammam dating from the 16th century, restored and transformed into a performance hall. There too, you can attend a typical Turkish tradition: a whirling dervish show!
The whirling dervishes are Turkish dancers practicing a dance called sama which reminds the “dance” of a top. They belong to a Muslim order dating from the 13th century: the Mevlevi order.
Istanbul: the city that never sleeps
Istanbul is a culturally rich city but also very lively. It is frequented by many tourists and stambouliotes who in the evening like to go out, dance, have a drink, attend a show
The trendy and young districts of the city offer many bars and clubs, from the most casual to the most chic!
The city’s theaters and opera houses will also entertain you. If you are a music lover, you will appreciate the concert halls of Istanbul.
All in all, if Istanbul will delight you with its liveliness during the day, you will love spending an evening in the romantic or festive streets of the city!
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