Where to stay in Beşiktaş: palace shore, Ortaköy and Levent

Beşiktaş is a district on the European shore of the Bosphorus, bordered by Beyoğlu to the south. It includes important sites along the shore from Dolmabahçe Palace in the south to the Bebek area in the north. Inland neighbourhoods such as Levent and Etiler belong to the same district, and Yıldız, Kuruçeşme, Ortaköy and Arnavutköy are among its other well-known neighbourhoods.

The district centre has a major bus and dolmuş terminal and is also a sea hub on the Bosphorus, with boats leaving for neighbourhoods on the Asian side. One guide notes that Beşiktaş has its own ferry port, with services from Eminönü in the Old City.

The district contains Dolmabahçe Palace, Yıldız Palace, Çırağan Palace, the Feriye Palaces and the Naval Museum. After Dolmabahçe, you can walk up Süleyman Seba Avenue to Akaretler, 19th-century row houses originally built for people who worked at the palace; they now hold shops, art galleries, cafés and restaurants. Çırağan Avenue is described as the walk on to Yıldız Park and Ortaköy Square. Yıldız Park is one of the city's largest public parks, and two Ottoman-era pavilions in it now serve as cafés.

The Beşiktaş market is described as the district's popular soul, a labyrinth of crowded alleys with street food. If you want to explore the palaces on foot, hop on a ferry to other neighbourhoods and spend time in the market, this shoreline and the centre make a sensible base.

The address of Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus is Çırağan Cad. No:28, Beşiktaş.

Ortaköy Square is known for the view of the Bosphorus Bridge with the Ortaköy Mosque, built in the 1850s, right in front of it. On Sundays an open-air crafts market is set up in the streets around the square, and small boutiques in the neighbourhood sell silver and costume jewellery. In the square you can buy a kumpir (loaded baked potato) and enjoy the Bosphorus view. The area's nightlife also draws locals from all over Istanbul.

If atmosphere and views matter most, Ortaköy is a good fit. For more waterfront options, see our Bosphorus view hotels page.

The address of Radisson Blu Bosphorus Hotel, Istanbul is Çırağan Cad 46, Ortaköy.

Levent and Etiler are inland neighbourhoods. One guide describes Levent as sitting in the heart of Istanbul's business district, a symbol of the city's modern face. Etiler is close to the Levent and Maslak financial districts, keeps a family-friendly residential feel and is home to Akmerkez, one of Istanbul's major shopping malls. For meetings and work trips these neighbourhoods offer a different rhythm from the tourist-oriented shore.

For more options, see our Business travel theme.

The address of Hyatt Centric Levent Istanbul is Büyükdere Caddesi No. 136, Levent.

The T1 Kabataş–Bağcılar tram starts at Kabataş and serves stops in the historic peninsula such as Sultanahmet, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, Sirkeci and the Grand Bazaar. T1 does not go to Taksim: the Kabataş stop connects with the F1 Taksim–Kabataş funicular, so you reach Taksim by changing to the funicular at Kabataş. The funicular ride takes about 2.5 minutes and ends at the Taksim metro station, which links to the M2 Yenikapı–Hacıosman metro line. Dolmabahçe Palace is about a five-minute walk from Kabataş station.

One transport guide notes that the Kabataş ferry dock is closed and recommends using Eminönü or Beşiktaş instead; check current services before you travel. For getting to Beşiktaş, the bus is the option recommended.

How do I get to the historic peninsula?

There is a ferry connection between Eminönü and the Beşiktaş ferry port. From Kabataş, the T1 tram reaches stops such as Sultanahmet, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, Sirkeci and the Grand Bazaar, and Kabataş can be reached from Taksim by funicular.

When is the Ortaköy crafts market held?

Sources say the market is held on Sundays; check the details before you go.

Which neighbourhood suits a business trip?

Levent is described as being in the heart of the business district, and Etiler as close to the Levent and Maslak financial districts. For a wider comparison, see Where to stay in Istanbul.