Most of the visitors have a question in their minds. What part of Istanbul to stay? Usually they consider two options: Sultanahmet or Taksim - Beyoglu. Simply the best area to stay in Istanbul is Taksim - Beyoglu although most visitors stay in Sultanahmet area because it is the closest district to the biggest monuments such as Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and others.
Princess Islands, along the Bosphorus and Asian side might be other areas to stay in Istanbul although these are less favourable by many people.
Why do I say Taksim - Beyoglu area is the best area to stay in Istanbul? Because as a native Istanbullu (means from Istanbul in Turkish), I spent most of my time in this part of the city and have been to Sultanahmet area for a couple of times in my whole life time. This is not only true for me but true for most locals. So, Sultanahmet is for tourists and Taksim - Beyoglu is for locals.
Apart must see monuments are mostly in Sultanahmet, this part of Istanbul doesn’t offer much else. Sultanahmet is very touristy, shops and restaurants hassle visitors and there is not much to do in the night. Taksim - Beyoglu is the heart of the city for everything: cultural events, cinemas, theaters, museums and great nightlife are all there. You can meet really interesting locals and mix into the daily Istanbul life. Travelling to Sultanahmet from Taksim - Beyoglu is very easy: Tram will take you there in less than 30 minutes.
I confess, our holiday apartments are in Taksim - Beyoglu but I don’t favour this area for this reason. In fact because Taksim - Beyoglu area is the most interesting part of the city, we get all of our holiday apartments in this neighbourhood. As simple as that!
Taksim-Beyoglu
Pros: Culture and entertainment hub of Istanbul filled up with beautiful 19th century buildings. Many bars, restaurants, clubs, art galleries, museums, shops and many people. Contemporary and authentic. Full of energy. Transportation hub of Istanbul, so you can reach anywhere easily. Sultanahmet is only 15-25 minutes tram ride away. Many accommodation options.
Cons: None
Sultanahmet
Pros: This districts host the most important and popular attractions in Istanbul such as Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cisterns. Many accommodation options.
Cons: Low energy, not much to do in the night, many tourists. Too touristic shops and restaurants (high prices, hassling staff).
Princess Islands
Pros: Idyllic. No motor traffic is allowed. Green and quiet.
Cons: Very limited accommodation options. Reaching important parts of Istanbul is time consuming.
Places along Bosphorus
Pros: Being close to Bosphorus is a privilege.
Cons: Very expensive. Depending on where you are on the Bosphorus you might be far away from main attractions of Istanbul. Very limited number of places to stay and they are very expensive.
Asian side of Istanbul:
Mostly preferred by business visitors if they will do their work on this side. Otherwise accommodation options are very limited.
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