Taksim Square: Guide to Visiting the Heart of Modern Istanbul
In Taksim Square, Ataturk Statue, Ataturk Cultural Center and a huge crowd of people welcome you. Taksim is the intersecting point of roads flowing. Taksim distributes Istanbul life to the rest of the city…
The most important of these lifelines is, Istiklal Street. It is about 3-4 km in length with lots of restaurants, bookstore, music store and shops.
Istiklal Street, which extends from Taksim to Tunel is the unchanging route of a journey which ends in the very heart of Beyoglu. I recommend you to make this journey by walking; however during this journey, the nostalgic tram, which travels through the hectic crowd, will definitely catch your eye. Whatever it takes, try getting on this tram too. When watching outside through its window, remember that it was this tram, which was the only means of transport in Istanbul once…
One long block north of the square is some of the city’s best luxury five star hotels, the Ritz Carlton, the Divan Hotel, Ceylan Inter-Continental, and Hyatt Regency Istanbul Hotel. The Istanbul Hilton is a few blocks farther north. The Marmara Hotel is right in Taksim Square itself. You can see lots of famous Turkish people there.
Eating? It’s all here; world famous fast food restaurants, kebab restaurants, “pide” restaurants, Ottoman, Mexican, Chinese, Italian, home made food and even “simit”! (“Simit” is itself a course of snack. The “simit” sold in streets and it is like bagels, it is covered with sesame. You can never have enough of it when it is hot, crispy and especially accompanied by a cup of Turkish tea and Turkish feta cheese). In additional there are also many patisseries. One of them is Inci Patisserie. It is a very nice place, in fact the best. It is the place for “profiterol”. The “profiterol” is the best. You should try it because it is very delicious.
Movies? In every hundred meters, there is one, multi-saloon movie theatres… If you like opera, ballet, theatre, Ataturk Cultural Center (AKM) is the place. Or you can visit exhibitions, activities? The galleries on each side welcome you…
Istiklal Street also itself, intersecting streets and even its parallel streets are full of cafes, bars, and street pubs, nightclubs… In Beyoglu, Istiklal Street, “Cicek Pasaji” (Flower Passage) especially attracts tourists. Dozens of restaurants in “Cicek Pasaji” hosts everyone who wants to have a nice dinner accompanied by Classical Turkish Music. Also “Nevizade Street”, which is behind the Istiklal Street, has many restaurants side by side. Many alcoholic drinks are consumed there in the restaurants including Turkish beer, wine and world famous Turkish raki.
In brief, for Taksim and Beyoglu, it would be true to say the “hottest spot” of Istanbul. Meanwhile, if you stop by Beyoglu, do not leave without seeing St. Antuan Church…
