This attractive 19th-century arcade off the Fish Market is full of shops that once sold antiques but now seem to stock little except tourist tat.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.79 MILES
Right in the heart of İstanbul’s historic center, this sacred Byzantine building remains an important symbol of power.
1.54 MILES
Topkapı is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful…
2.02 MILES
İstanbul has more than its fair share of Byzantine monuments, but few are as drop-dead gorgeous as this mosaic- and fresco-laden church. Nestled in the…
1.42 MILES
The Süleymaniye crowns one of İstanbul's seven hills and dominates the Golden Horn, providing a landmark for the entire city. Though it's not the largest…
1.78 MILES
This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul, it was…
1.98 MILES
İstanbul's most photogenic building was the grand project of Sultan Ahmet I (r 1603–17), whose tomb is located on the north side of the site facing…
1.67 MILES
The colourful and chaotic Grand Bazaar is the heart of İstanbul's Old City and has been so for centuries. Starting as a small vaulted bedesten (warehouse)…
0.17 MILES
There's plenty to see at this impressive museum, but its major draw is undoubtedly the 2nd-floor exhibition of paintings featuring Turkish Orientalist…
Nearby Beyoğlu attractions
0.02 MILES
Located opposite the grandiose entrance to the 1868 Galatasaray Lycée, one of the city's most prestigious educational institutions, this much-loved…
0.03 MILES
Back when promenading down the Grand Rue de Pera (now İstiklal Caddesi) was the height of fashion, the Cité de Pera building was İstanbul's most glamorous…
0.04 MILES
Dating from 1838, this Armenian church is hidden behind massive black doors on the eastern (Taksim) side of the Fish Market. Visitors can enter when the…
0.05 MILES
Towering over Galatasaray Sq, this sleek cultural centre affiliated with a major Turkish bank stages art exhibitions, hosts classical-music concerts, and…
0.05 MILES
Once called the Grand Rue de Pera but renamed İstiklal (Independence) in the early years of the Republic, Beyoğlu's premier boulevard is a perfect…
0.11 MILES
Off limits to visitors, this grand school building dates from 1907 and is one of the major landmarks along İstiklal Caddesi. The school is one of the most…
7. İstanbul Arastırmaları Enstitüsü
0.14 MILES
Associated with the nearby Pera Museum, this institution incorporates a publicly accessible research library focusing on the cultural and social history…
8. Koç University Research Centre for Anatolian Civilizations
0.15 MILES
With a wealth of scholarly knowledge and archival photos to draw on, the exhibitions regularly staged on the ground floor of this university-affiliated…