The lively Nevizade Street (Nevizade Sokak) is full of pubs, bars and meyhanes – taverns where you can enjoy foods and drinks. Every night this street attracts a crowd to enjoy mezes (cold starters), rakı and beers. If you’re looking where to start a night out in Istanbul, you can’t go wrong here.

Istiklal Caddesi is truly a place where you’ll never walk alone. This pedestrian street, which stretches from Taksim Square to Tünel, is without a doubt  Istanbul’s most famous (shopping) street and home to a variety of shops, restaurants, cafés, pubs and nightclubs.

If you want to take a break from shopping, enjoy a drink or (watch people) play backgammon (tavla), check out the side streets of Istanbul’s Istiklal Caddesi.

The entrance or exit at the end of Istiklal Caddesi of Istanbul’s Tunnel (Tünel). This one-stop 500 meter funicular from Karaköy to Tünel Square is the world’s shortest and third-oldest passenger terminal, after the underground systems of London and New York.

This is one of the two recently renovated steel cars that operate in Istanbul’s Tünel. Each ‘train’ is 16 meters long, has pneumatic tires, and run simultaneously in opposite directions. In total they have a 170 people capacity, and cover the 573 meters distance in 90 seconds.

Nevizade Street (Nevizade Sokak) is a small street parallel to Istiklal Caddesi, located behind the historical Flower Passage (Çiçek Pasajı). The easiest way to reach it is via the Fish Bazaar (Balık Pazarı). While Nevizade is the name of the street, it actually refers to the whole area which is famous for its nightlife activities.

In the cafe located on the top floor of the Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi), you can also have a drink and enjoy the marvelous Istanbul views while seated.

The Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) offers must-see 360 panoramic views of Istanbul. You can take an elevator to the top of the tower from where you can access its balcony. In this picture you can spot in the background and from left to right Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. More in the foreground you see the beginning of the Golden Horn and the docks of Eminönü.

This picture of the Golden Horn (Haliç) was taken from the Galata Tower. The Golden Horn thanks its name to the gold shine that sometimes reflects from the water when the sun is setting.

The Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi), built in 1348, is a landmark of Istanbul and is just short of 67 meters tall. From a distance, it can be seen from the Golden Horn or from the shores of Eminönü.