Sultanahmet-Old City Essentially Constantinople of Roman, Byzantine, and much of the Ottoman period, this is where most of the famous historical sights of Istanbul are located. |
Galata Housing many of the nightlife venues of the city, this district which includes Beyoğlu, Istiklal Street, and Taksim Square has also its own share of sights and accommodation. |
New City Main business district of the city, also home to many modern shopping malls, and districts such as Elmadağ, Nişantaşı, and Etiler. |
Bosphorus European bank of Bosphorus that is dotted by numerous palaces, parks, water-front mansions, and bohemian neighborhoods. |
Golden Horn Banks of Golden Horn, the estuary that separates European Side into distinctive districts. Eyüp with an Ottoman ambience is located here. |
Princes’ Islands An excellent getaway from the city, made up of an archipelago of nine car-free islands—some of them small, some of them big—with splendid wooden mansions, verdant pine forests and nice views—both on the islands themselves, and also on the way there. |
Asian Side Eastern half of Istanbul, with lovely neighborhoods at the Marmara and Bosphorus coasts. |
Western Suburbs Western chunk of the European Side. |