Istanbul
Taksim or Sultanahmet: where to stay in Istanbul
Taksim and Sultanahmet face each other across the Golden Horn, the inlet that splits the European side of Istanbul, and they offer two different trips. The short answer: choose Sultanahmet if the Byzantine and Ottoman monuments are the reason you came and you want them on foot from the moment you step outside; choose Taksim, at the top of Beyoğlu, if your evenings matter as much as your days, with the boulevard, the art, the taverns and the late hours at the door. If this is your first time in Istanbul, the Taksim side has the edge, because the peninsula is easy to reach for the day while Sultanahmet's nights are quiet. If you like Taksim's side but not the bustle of the square, Cihangir sits on the hillside just below it.
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The choice, row by row
| If you want | Choose | Because |
|---|---|---|
| The great monuments on foot | Sultanahmet | Hagia Sophia and Topkapı are in its streets |
| Tea gardens between the great mosques | Sultanahmet | the terraces between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia |
| Easy mornings in the old Greek and Jewish quarters | Sultanahmet | Balat-Fener, on the Golden Horn, is its neighbor |
| A pedestrian boulevard of arcades and churches | Taksim | İstiklal Caddesi begins at the square |
| Long meze dinners and late nights | Taksim | the tavern streets of Beyoğlu are a short walk down |
| Contemporary art and design | Taksim | Beyoğlu is the city's art district |
| A first trip, undecided | Taksim, or Cihangir below it | the evenings on your side, the peninsula across the water |
Sultanahmet: the monuments at the door
Sultanahmet is the imperial historic peninsula, the old core of both Constantinople and the Ottoman capital, and it is about history above all: the densest monumental walking in the city, with Hagia Sophia and Topkapı in its own streets. Its tea gardens, set between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, are where the day slows down. The trade-off is the evening: the peninsula is a district of monuments more than of nightlife, and the taverns, the art and the late streets are across the water in Beyoğlu.
Taksim: the square at the top of Beyoğlu
Taksim Square is the civic square of modern Istanbul, with the Republic Monument of 1928 at its center, marking the founding of the Republic. From its southern edge İstiklal Caddesi, a pedestrian boulevard of 1.4 kilometers, runs down through Beyoğlu, the European-influenced Pera of the nineteenth century, past historic arcades and churches. Around it Beyoğlu gathers the city's contemporary art, its design and its night culture, and the long meze-and-rakı taverns, the meyhane, cluster just off the boulevard. The trade-off is the crossing: every monument day begins on the far side of the Golden Horn, and the square itself is busy from morning to late.
What they share
Both are on the European side, which holds the historic peninsula, Beyoğlu and most of the city, and they are neighbors: the Golden Horn lies between them, not a long ride. Both are where most first visits start, so neither is quiet. And both keep their restaurants open through the day during Ramazan, when kitchens in the more conservative neighborhoods serve only after sunset.
If neither fits
Choose Kadıköy, on the Asian side, for its market and daily life over monuments; Beşiktaş for the Bosphorus waterfront and a palace; Balat-Fener for painted houses along the Golden Horn. Our Istanbul where-to-stay article weighs the bases on both shores.
Three things to know before you go
Mosques are working places of prayer: dress so that shoulders and knees are hidden, women bring or borrow a scarf for their hair (most major mosques lend them at the entrance), and leave your shoes on the shelves inside the door. Dinner runs from about 7:30 to 10:30, later than many visitors expect. And tea is poured through the whole day, in shops as much as in cafés.
When to go
Autumn, September to November, brings the most reliable clear weather. In spring the city's tulips bloom together in early to mid April, with Sultanahmet among the places they are planted. Check the dates of Ramazan before you book, since it moves about eleven days earlier each year and the holidays at its end close much of the city.
Questions people ask
Where to stay in Istanbul, Taksim or Sultanahmet?
Sultanahmet if the monuments are the whole point and you want them on foot; Taksim if you want the boulevard, the food and the nights at your door, with the peninsula across the Golden Horn. On a first trip, the Taksim side.
Is Taksim a good area to stay in Istanbul?
Yes, for evenings, food and art: İstiklal Caddesi starts at the square and Beyoğlu's taverns are a short walk down. If you want the same side with less bustle, Cihangir is on the hillside just below.
Which side of Istanbul is best to stay on?
The European side for a first trip: it holds the historic peninsula, Beyoğlu and most of the city. The Asian side, Kadıköy and Üsküdar, suits a trip about daily life rather than monuments.
What is the best area to stay in Istanbul for tourists?
It depends on the trip: Sultanahmet for the monuments, the Taksim side of Beyoğlu or Cihangir for a first visit with evenings in it, Kadıköy for the Asian side. Our Istanbul where-to-stay article compares them.
Written by citysense editorial. Facts from the citysense Istanbul catalog, researched and fact-checked. Updated October 2026.