The Beyoğlu district north of the Golden Horn (map), formerly called Pera, was the more modern part of Istanbul in the 19th century.
Most of it was built during the 19th and 20th centuries around Taksim Square and İstiklal Caddesi (the Grande Rue de Péra). It has more and better cafés, bars, pastry shops, restaurants, nightlife, and upscale shops, than does Old Istanbul (south of the Golden Horn), though fewer historic sites.
Although most Beyoğlu hotels are modern 4- and 5-star establishments, most of them busy with tour groups and meetings, many old historic buildings are now being converted to boutique hotels and apartments/flats available for short-term rentals.
Beyoğlu also has several laundries.
Here are Beyoğlu's hotel neighborhoods from the south near the Golden Horn, Galata Bridge and Galata Tower northeast along İstiklal Caddesi to Galatasaray, Taksim Square and Nişantaşı:
Karaköy
Right on the Golden Horn at the northern end of the Galata Bridge, Karaköy was once Istanbul's maritime district. Now it has at least a dozen new, very comfortable hotels. It's historic, central, an interesting mix of old and new, and transport to anywhere else in the city is easy. More...
Galata Tower
Experiencing a renaissance as its fine but long-neglected 19th-century buildings are being nicely restored and converted to boutique hotels, short-term apartments/flats, offices, cafés, restaurants, and shops. Some have great views. This is the Beyoğlu district closest to Old Istanbul and the major sights, though transport is not perfect. More...
Tünel Square
A convenient location for sights, cafés, music clubs, boutiques, transport and history. More...
Tepebaşı
Anchored on the historic (but pricey) Pera Palace Hotel, Tepebaşı has numerous restored boutique hotels, modern hotels, and some apartments close to notable art museums, many chic cafés, music clubs, restaurants, and shops. More...
Galatasaray Square
Mid-point along İstiklal Caddesi between Tünel Square and Taksim Square, Galatasaray is near the British Consulate-General, lots of restaurants and shops. More...
Cihangir
This trendy district only a few minutes' stroll from Taksim Square (map) is popular with upwardly-mobile Turks and foreigners in-the-know. Lots of good cafés, bars, restaurants, gourmet shops, most of the city's antique shops, Orhan Pamuk's Museum of Innocence, etc., and yet it preserves the look and feel of a traditional Istanbul neighborhood. More...
Taksim Square
Hub of 20th-century Istanbul and much public transport, Taksim has numerous 4- and 5-star luxury hotels large and small, as well as a few boutique hotels. More...
Talimhane
This former Ottoman army parade ground just north of Taksim Square is now a grid of streets packed with good, modern, moderate-sized and -priced 4- and 5-star hotels. More...
Elmadağ
An important concentration of 5-star luxury hotels just north of Taksim Park, and thus within walking distance of Taksim Square, İstiklal Caddesi, and many of the delights of Beyoğlu: InterContinental, Hyatt Regency, Divan, and others. More...
Harbiye
The Hilton Istanbul anchors this hilltop status location near convention centers and the Military Museum, and not all that far from Taksim Square. More...
Nişantaşı
North and east of Harbiye is Beyoğlu's prime upscale shopping and residential district, with several posh boutique hotels apartment buildings Nobel prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk grew up here and has written much about it. More...
—by Tom Brosnahan
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