Hidden Beyoğlu Tour

Overview

Beyoğlu has long been one of Istanbul’s great centers of culture, nightlife and dining, where traces of its cosmopolitan past mix with Anatolian traditions and a distinctly modern energy. We’ll begin with comforting homestyle dishes such as vegetables stewed in olive oil and hand-folded mantı before setting out through the neighborhood’s lively backstreets. Along the way, we’ll taste Black Sea-style rice and beans, sample şalgam, a fermented purple-carrot drink, and pass the rock bars, meyhanes and nargile salons that define Beyoğlu after dark. We’ll then settle into a classic ocakbaşı for grilled lamb kebab and rakı before continuing toward the neighborhood fish market. Our final stops include a fourth-generation sweets shop, where seasonal ayva tatlısı is topped with rich kaymak, and a viewpoint overlooking Beyoğlu for one last toast to the neighborhood’s enduring spirit.

What's included

Day by day

1. 01

   Stop 1

   Visit the vibrant Beyoğlu Fish Market and explore one of Istanbul’s most atmospheric culinary hubs. Begin with a selection of traditional specialties in a timeless neighborhood lokanta, followed by stops at a beloved pickle-maker and other local artisans. As we wind through the district’s historic side streets, you’ll taste specialties from across Turkey — from the flavors of the Black Sea in the far Northeast to the distinctive cuisine of Hatay in the Southeast — offering a delicious journey through the country’s rich regional food culture.

2. 02

   Stop 2

   We’ll visit a hidden Armenian church inside a bustling fish market between samplings at street vendors fishmongers and grill joints and, finally, we’ll treat ourselves to the best Turkish coffee in the city. Depending on the day and what the tour comes across, there will be several other culinary surprises along the way of this food tour in Istanbul, all of them telling the fascinating tale of what is perhaps the city’s most iconic neighborhood.

3. 03

   Stop 3

   With Beyoğlu’s cosmopolitan history as a backdrop, on this food tour in Istanbul, we will eat our way through the classic and unknown eateries of the neighborhood, the old and the new, tasting specialties from all over Turkey.

Getting there

About Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, a megacity, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia. Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus – one of the world's busiest waterways – in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its area of 5,461 square kilometers (2,109 mi2) is coterminous with Istanbul Province.

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Where to stay