What to do in Istanbul in the evening? The best places to go out

Not sure what to do in Istanbul in the evening?

Whether you like a bar, a pub, a concert or any other lively place, what better than going out in Istanbul? to feel the atmosphere of a neighborhood.

Here is our selection of the best places to spend a nice evening.

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The best neighborhoods to party in Istanbul

The first tip we give you if you want to party in Istanbul is to cross the Golden Horn and forget about the southern neighborhoods like Sultanahmet

In fact, the atmosphere is mainly found in modern Istanbul!

Also prefer the banks of the Bosphorus: they are lively at night and the play of lights with the water and the sights is simply magical.

The Karakoÿ district is very popular in Istanbul. During the day you can find stores, cafes and artists here, which makes it a neighborhood with a cheerful atmosphere

At night Karakoÿ turns into a hip place where people like to go out

We recommend you the Nest, a hip club where famous DJs give a rendezvous to the Istanbul people, overlooking the sea.

We can also recommend you a pretty chic bar in this neighborhood called Mitte

If you like a pub atmosphere, you will like Ayi Pub.

South of Taksim Square, we recommend the Cihangir district for a relaxed evening out with family or friends

Many nice bars are located in this corner and the atmosphere is warm and relaxed

We especially recommend the bars Geyik and Otto

If you like electro music, you will like the club Mini Muzikhol.

Not far from Taksim Square is the lively Istiklal Avenue.

Around this street there are numerous bars, terraces and clubs that liven up the neighborhood.

The best bars and clubs in Istanbul

Near the districts of Karakoÿ and Cihangir is the district of Beyoglu, which is also very interesting to go out in the evening

It used to be the center of Istanbul’s nightlife, which is no longer the case in recent years

However, there are still some good places to party here, such as 5 cocktails and more, a bar known for its cocktails, or Ravouna 1906, a nice bar from which you have a view of the Bosphorus

In terms of clubs, we recommend Birdy Pera, where you can dance all night on the terrace

The Allotment is an electro club that is very popular in this neighborhood in the summer.

The Nisantasi district, located just north of Taksim Square, is home to many cozy bars

This neighborhood is mostly known as Istanbul’s fashion and luxury district, but when night falls, it turns into a chic and cheerful place

For example, you can have a drink at one of the many sidewalk cafes in Nisantasi

Among the bars we liked in this neighborhood is Kozmonot, a cocktail and beer bar

If you like lively rooftop evenings, we recommend Spago, an elegant bar with sophisticated cocktails.

Then, as you head up the Bosphorus, several neighborhoods offer a festive atmosphere. In the Bebek district, you’ll find some of Istanbul’s chicest bars, like Lucca, which doubles as a cocktail and wine bar, or La Boom , whose terrace overlooks the Bosphorus strait

In Ortakoÿ you will find the huge club Le Reina, which on some evenings hosts up to 2500 guests in a complex of bars, restaurants and dance floors

If you continue up the Bosphorus a bit further, you’ll come to the Arnavutkoÿ neighborhood, which is filled with small, trendy bars. This neighborhood is not to be missed and its bars are very crowded

For example, we suggest theAlexandra if you like cocktail bars, or the trendyHudson Brasserie bar.

If you live on the Asian side of Istanbul, there are also some very nice places to go out. Especially the Kadikoÿ district is known for its boisterous atmosphere after dark: If you like rocking bars, we recommend Arka Oda or Karga bars.

And here are the last clubs of our selection: They are located in the Besiktas district

We introduce you toUlus29, which is a bar and restaurant that turns into a nightclub on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Unfortunately, the club is quite exclusive and entry requires a reservation

Sunset, also located in Besiktas, is also a chic club in this part of Istanbul. Ruby Club in Ortakoÿ has been a hip meeting place for young people from Istanbul for some time. A wonderful view of the Bosphorus at night awaits you on this rooftop!

The best places to go to theaters or concerts in Istanbul

If you’ve exhausted the city’s parties or are more into quiet or cultural evenings, you can treat yourself to an evening at the theater or opera or attend a concert 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, we want to tell you about the theaters of the city. The metropolis of Istanbul operates The Theaters of Istanbul, 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 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 institution: first we can mention the Muhsin Ertuğrul Theater in Harbiye, named after a Turkish actor, director and stage manager, the Reşat Nuri Theater in the Fatih district in the southern part of the Golden Horn, named after a novelist originating from Istanbul

The Sadabad Theater and the Küçük Kemal Children’s Theater are located in the Kagithane district of the city

Other theaters on the European side of the city include the Ferih Egemen Children’s Theater in Gaziosmanpasa, a district in the very north of the city. Ferih Egemen was a Turkish actor.

What is there to do in Istanbul in the evening? Go to the opera!

Istanbul also has some classical opera houses and concert halls. The Fülya Sanat, for example, is a municipal opera house in the district of Besiktas

On the Asian side, you can visit the Süreyya Operasi, the municipal opera, in Kadikoÿ. You can also see a performance of the Istanbul Symphony Orchestra or visit theState Operaand State Ballet

Listen to live music in Istanbul in the evening

If you’re more into jazz, we recommend the Nardis Jazz Club in the Galata district, and if you’re a rock fan, you could enjoy an evening at Dorock XL in Kadikoÿ !

Of course, there are other nice concert halls in Istanbul: Babylon in the Bomonti district of Beyoglu, for example, which not only offers rock, pop and variety concerts, but is also a very well-known and popular club in Istanbul

You might also like the Balans Music and Performance Hall , where local and international artists perform, or the Jolly Joker concert café in Nisantasi.

Discover the traditional performances

Finally, your stay in Istanbul can also be an opportunity to discover typical Turkish performances and arts: At the Hodjapasha Cultural Center in the Sirkeci district, for example, you can watch traditional Ottoman or Anatolian dance performances

Hodjapasha is a former 16th-century hamam that was restored and then transformed into a performance hall. There, too, you can witness a typical Turkish tradition: a performance by the whirling dervishes!

The dervish twirlers are Turkish dancers who perform a dance called sama, reminiscent of the “dance” of a spinning top. They belong to a 13th century Muslim order: the Mevlevi Order.

Istanbul: The city that never sleeps

Istanbul is not only a culturally rich city, but also a very lively one. It is visited by many tourists and Istanbulites who like to go out in the evening, dance, have a drink or go to a show

In the trendy and young neighborhoods of the city there are numerous bars and clubs, from casual to chic!

The city’s theaters and opera houses will also know how to entertain you. If you are a music lover, you will appreciate the concert halls in Istanbul.

In short, Istanbul will delight you with its lively hustle and bustle during the day, but you will love to spend an evening in the romantic or festive streets of the city!