Istanbul/Asian Side

And see main Istanbul page for details of these links.

By plane: 🌍 Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW ^IATA) (20 km (12 mi) east of Kadıköy). This airport has many domestic and international flights and is much more convenient for this side of the city, and less congested. Metro line M4 runs to Kadıköy on the Asian side, where you can continue to the European side by ferry or transfer to the Marmaray train at Ayrılık Çeşmesi. There are also various direct bus services, but travel times can be erratic. (updated Oct 2022)

There's a hotel at the airport, some half a dozen (e.g. a Hilton) at Kurtköy 2 km north, then another dozen at Pendik town (on the Marmara coast near the YHT station) 6 km south.

By train: Istanbul's terminus for high speed trains from Ankara and other eastern cities is 🌍 Sogutlucesme, near the disused historic terminus of Haydarpaşa. These trains also stop at 🌍 Bostanci near the ferry pier, and 🌍 Pendik, which is convenient for reaching Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Bostanci and Pendik mainline railway stations are about 1 km south of the metro stations of the same name.

By bus, Harem is the main bus station, with buses arriving from all over Asian Turkey. It’s mid-way between Üsküdar and Kadıköy and has frequent ferry links with Eminönü/Sirkeci. There aren't many amenities, so bring a book or commune with your i-phone if you’re going to be there long.

By boat: Fast ferries from towns along the southern coast of the Marmara Sea, such as Yalova or Bandırma, land at the pier at Bostancı. Some are direct, while others transfer to a smaller ferry after arriving at Yenikapı pier on the European side. The fast catamarans offer a smooth and pleasant ride - a great option for reaching İznik or beyond.

Metro: the Marmaray line rushes between continents in a very few minutes.

By boat across the Bosphorus is the most pleasant method, and always quicker than trying to cross the congested bridges. The main ferry lines are:

• Kadıköy - Eminönü
• Kadıköy - Karaköy via Haydarpaşa
• Kadıköy - Beşiktaş
• Üsküdar - Eminönü
• Üsküdar - Beşiktaş
• Üsküdar - Eminönü and then on to Eyüp along the Golden Horn

Ferries from the western suburbs eg Bakırköy also run to Kadıköy and Bostancı, but they are much more expensive than local ferries.

• 🌍 Kadıköy Ferry Terminal (İDO Kadıköy Terminali), Damga Sk., Caferağa Mah ( Kadıköy 100 m). (updated Apr 2024)
• 🌍 Üsküdar Ferry Terminal (Üsküdar İskelesi), Paşa Limanı Cd., Mimarsinan Mah ( Üsküdar 200 m). (updated Apr 2024)

Buses across the bridges are slow at any time, and tediously slow in rush hour (07:00-10:00 going west into Europe, 18:00-20:00 coming east into Asia). Buses across the bridges require two tickets (or the equivalent cash) rather than one (one exception is #129L Levent-Kozyatağı which visitors are unlikely to use). The most useful inter-continental buses are:

• 110 - Taksim and Beşiktaş to Kadıköy
• 120 - Mecidiyeköy to Kadıköy
• 112 - Taksim and Beşiktaş to Bostancı
• 128 - Mecidiyeköy to Bostancı
• 129T - Taksim and Beşiktaş to Bostancı, via the foot of Çamlıca Hill

However the metrobüs (#34A) is quicker, as it has a dedicated bus lane, and only needs one ticket. It runs from Beylikdüzü out in the western suburbs via Edirnekapı just outside the old city and Mecidiyeköy in the business district to Söğütlüçeşme just east of downtown Kadıköy. Metrobüs stations are usually a little off the usual tourist trail, but easily reached by a variety of public transportation, including the metro from Taksim Square for Mecidiyeköy station.

Dolmuş routes run 24 hours a day between Taksim-Kadıköy, and Taksim-Bostancı. They depart from the street next to Atatürk Kültür Merkezi in Taksim Square (opposite edge of the square from Istiklal Street) and cost about 5.50 TL/person.

Or go overland, the wrong way round just to prove you can: see the infobox.

The main transport hubs here are Kadıköy and Üsküdar, with dolmuş, bus and minibus routes across the district. Bostancı on the Marmara coast is a secondary hub. Dolmuşes ply between Kadıköy-Üsküdar, Kadıköy-Bostancı and Bostancı-Kadıköy until late at night, and also run from Kadıköy to Acıbadem, Koşuyolu and various points.

Marmaray, the cross-city train line (B1), picks up at Üsküdar (transfer to M5), Ayrılıkçeşme (transfer to M4; 1.6 km north of the Kadıköy waterfront), and Söğütlüçeşme (transfer to Metrobüs; 1.7 km east of the Kadıköy waterfront) and serves the neighbourhoods and suburbs on the Marmara coast, as far east as Gebze.

Metro lines:

• M4 runs from Kadıköy eastwards as far as Kartal, Pendik and Sabiha Gökçen Airport.
• M5 runs from Üsküdar eastwards to Çekmeköy.
• M8 connects these two with each other and with Marmaray at Bostancı.

By car: the major roads on the Asian side mostly follow a west-east axis. These are the three major roads which connect Kadıköy to locations in the east (from south to north)

• The causeway (Sahil Yolu), which follows the Marmara coast.
• Bağdat Avenue (one-way, and that is east to west which means you cannot enter from Kadıköy).
• the road colloquially known as Minibüs Yolu.

From Üsküdar, the major highway D100 (but colloquially better known by its former European route number E-5) stretches eastwards into Asia, while another road also named Sahil Yolu (Causeway) connects the neighborhoods on the bank of Bosphorus in the north to Üsküdar.

By bicycle: there are some 20 km of marked bicycle lanes along the park which follows the coast, starting from a few km east of Kadıköy, passing by Bostancı and eventually reaching the eastern edge of the city. The bike lane is well-maintained but watch out for pedestrians who haven't quite grasped the concept.

Tram line T3 loops from Kadıköy along pedestrian Bahariye Cd and then around the peninsula of Moda back to Kadıköy, but it's more a nostalgia trip than practical transport.

• 🌍 Haydarpaşa Station ( Kadıköy 1.1 km, Kadıköy 900 m). Istanbul's former Asia-side railway station nowadays has no trains, but is worth a look. It was built by the Germans in 1908 in a distinctive Teutonic-castle style - to make an impact on travellers from Asia about to step into Europe, and a counterpoint to Sirkeci station (also closed) on the European side which is modelled in Oriental style. It's intended eventually to make this the terminus for the high speed rail network. (updated Jul 2018)
• Just north of Haydarpaşa station and a little difficult to find (it is surrounded on three sides by Turkish military barracks) is the British cemetery with an obelisk commemorating the Crimean war and many Crimean war, Victorian era (and later) graves as well as a modern British and Commonwealth war graves cemetery. This is a beautiful, leafy oasis of calm, with views on the Bosphorus.
• 🌍 Yeldeğirmeni ( Kadıköy 800 m, Ayrılıkçeşme 850 m, Kadıköy 400 m). Before the 1850s, this was a rural area with windmills giving its name. Later a massive Jewish settlement formed the roots of its urban fabric. In the following decades the population was further boosted by the Germans working in the construction of Haydarpaşa and it became one of the first quarters of Istanbul with apartment buildings; several beautiful historic buildings still dot the area. Today it's an artsy, bohemian neighbourhood with much street art and many murals, and cafes lining its streets. 
• 🌍 Müze Gazhane, Kurbağalıdere Cd 125, Hasanpaşa ( Acıbadem 850 m, Söğütlüçeşme 900 m, Hasanpaşa 150 m). Daily 09:00-22:00 (Museums and galleries: Tu-F 09:00-18:00 Sa Su 10:00-18:00). A cultural centre converted from a late 19th century town gas plant. Includes a climate museum, a museum of cartoon and humour, theatre stages, art galleries and exhibition space, and a restaurant / cafe with vegan and gluten-free options on the premises. 
• 🌍 Moda ( Moda Caddesi 550 m). A neighbourhood on the peninsula just south of Kadıköy, Moda features some neo-classical architecture and seaside parks; a highlight is the former passenger pier, a pretty offshore building connected to the mainland by a causeway, and now partly a library and partly a cafe. The neighbourhood is a favourite place for people of Kadıköy of all ages to take a short stroll on a summer evening, and for the youth to enjoy a few beers against the minaret and dome-filled skyline of the Old City. To get there, you can follow the esplanade from the ferry docks in Kadıköy, or take the vintage tram, although it doesn't make it all the way to the tip of the peninsula. 
• 🌍 Bağdat Caddesi (Baghdad Avenue) ( Feneryolu 180 m, Suadiye 200 m; parallel to (but a short dinstance away from) the Marmara coast between east of Kadıköy and Bostancı). The avenue has little in common with Baghdad, except it was the beginning of the Ottoman-era route to that city followed by many, including Ottoman sultan Murat IV during his march upon Persia, after which he captured Baghdad. In fact, with its sidewalk cafés and Western restaurants, Bağdat Caddesi is usually considered as one of Istanbul's most western-flavoured streets, ironically located in Asia. This street is not completely pedestrianized unlike Istiklal Street, which serves a similar function on the European Side, but its broad sidewalks with tree shade offer a pleasant walk. The restaurants and cafés on the avenue are mainly upscale, but there are also some quite affordable ones scattered around occasionally. Shopping opportunities also abound. From Kadıköy, take the Bostancı-bound dolmuşes (from just south of the ferries) or the public bus #4 (its stop is near the one for the dolmuş, but separate). 
• 🌍 Toy Museum (Oyuncak Müzesi), Ömerpaşa Cd, Dr. Zeki Zeren Sk 17, Göztepe ( Göztepe 750 m), ☏ +90 216 359 45 50, info@istanbuloyuncakmuzesi.com. Tu-F 10:00-18:00 Sa Su 10:00-18:30. Dedicated to toys, this is a museum which adults can enjoy as much as kids. It's founded by poet Sunay Akın, and is housed in a historical mansion in the Göztepe neighbourhood east of Kadıköy. Among the 2,000 pieces of toys from around the world in exhibition, the oldest are a French-made violin from 1817 and a U.S.-made doll from 1820. 350 TL; concessions for children, students and domestic visitors. (updated Nov 2023)

• 🌍 Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi), off Salacak (Boats hourly from Salacak (Public transport: Üsküdar 1.2 km, Üsküdar 1.2 km, Kız Kulesi 300 m), and every hour and a half between 11:00 and 17:00 from Galataport, Karaköy-Galata, European Side). Daily 09:00-20:00. One of the icons of the city is also called the Leander's Tower, on a Bosphorus islet off Salacak. The local myth ascribes its name to a princess, whose father wanted to protect her in this offshore tower from a prophecy that she would be killed by a snakebite on her birthday, but the snake found its way inside a basket of fruits — ironically a birthday present from her father — and you've probably already guessed the rest of the story. In actual timeline, it served as a defensive structure (there was a wall connecting it to the Asian mainland, and the Byzantines used to stretch a chain from here to the European mainland across the mouth of the Bosphorus to shut it to adversary shipping in times of conflict, but they didn't during the final Ottoman siege in 1453), as a customs and quarantine station, as a lighthouse, as a warehouse of various sorts of goods, and as a high-end restaurant before the last restoration finished in 2023 dedicated it as a museum. There is a light show viewable from the mainland every day at 21:00. 450 TL including the boat trip. (updated Jun 2023)
• 🌍 Kuzguncuk ( Fıstıkağacı 1.1 km, Kuzguncuk, Kuzguncuk; on the Bosphorus between Üsküdar and Beylerbeyi, just south of the foot of the Bosphorus Bridge). This attractive neighbourhood was home to a large Christian and Jewish population until some decades ago and still has a number of sights like two synagogues, some churches among which the Armenian Surp Krikor Lusavoriç, dozens of wooden houses and a Jewish and Christian cemetery. 
• 🌍 Beylerbeyi ( 15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü 1.3 km, Beylerbeyi, Beylerbeyi). is a small port with a popular fishing dock. There are many restaurants: those on the port-side serve alcohol and are moderately expensive, those down the side-streets are cheaper. Notable buildings include the 18th-century Hamid-i Evvel mosque, and the 19th-century highway tunnel (which is closed as of Dec 2018). But the standout attraction is the palace. 
• 🌍 Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı), Beylerbeyi ( 15 Temmuz Şehitler Köprüsü 1.3 km, Beylerbeyi 600 m, Beylerbeyi Sarayı 280 m; under the legs of the Bosphorus Bridge), ☏ +90 216 321-93-20, fax: +90 216 321-93-22. Tu-Su 09:00-16:00. Bling palace-cum-summer house in mid-19th-century Ottoman style. Notable for its reception hall, bathing pavilion, and second floor restroom with spectacular Bosphorus view. Visit by guided tour only, these start every half-hour. 60 TL. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Çengelköy ( Çengelköy, Çengelköy). About 15 minutes walking north of Beylerbeyi lies the historical fishing village Çengelköy. Its long history is attested by a 800-year-old sycamore tree on one of the two main terraced squares, and the Byzantine Aya Yorgi church. The restaurants and piers of Çengelköy offer some of the best panoramas along the Bosphorus, including a view on the old city under the first bridge. The neighborhood was popular amongst TV directors during the 1970s and it has become a (possibly the most) popular location to have lunch or dinner on the eastern side of Istanbul. Many historic mansions have been restored and multiple boutique chocolatiers were opened. Most restaurants in Çengelköy don't offer alcoholic beverages. Exceptions include the restaurant at the main pier (Iskele), and Tapasuma, the restaurant of hotel 'Sumahan on the Water', located in a former Ottoman Raki distillery. You can get there by taking bus 15 or 15F from Üsküdar, it is just a few stops further than Beylerbeyi. Going to Çengelköy by car is not advised; traffic can be very intense on the narrow road along this side of the Bosphorus. 
• 🌍 Çamlıca Hill (Çamlıca Tepesi) ( Kısıklı 1 km, Turistik Çamlıca Tesisleri 900 m). One of the highest hills of Istanbul, at 288 m asl. Since it dominates a great part of the city, it is the site of Çamlıca Tower, a 2021-built telecommunications tower and the highest structure of Istanbul, with observation decks (daily 10:00-22:00, 450 TL, discount for domestic visitors). The rest of the summit is a public park dotted by cafes with an Ottoman-themed decor. The park is sponsored by the government, so expect lower prices on food and drink than usual. The cafe in a building at the very top of the hill is moderately expensive, but you'll get excellent food and service. (updated Jul 2023)
• 🌍 Anadolu Citadel (Anadolu Hisarı) ( Anadolu Hisarı 130 m, Anadolu Hisarı 170 m; up on the Bosphorus bank). Interior is closed. A medieval citadel on the Bosphorus at the mouth of the Göksu creek. It was built in the late 14th century to control (polite word for "choke off") shipping along the Bosphorus, which narrows to 660 m at this point. It worked in tandem with Rumeli Citadel, built some 50 years later on the European bank. It fell into disrepair but was restored in the 1990s. You can't go in, but it's a pleasant setting; the entire village is named Anadolu Hisarı after the fort and has many traditional wooden houses (yalı). Ferries along the Bosphorus call here. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Küçüksu Palace (Küçüksu Kasrı) ( Küçüksu 100 m, Küçüksu Kasrı 200 m; just south of the citadel). If you are already in the area, it's worth considering to visit this waterside neo-Baroque manor, built in the 19th century for the countryside and hunting excursions of the Ottoman dynasty. The area, where the Göksu River flows into the Bosphorus, was known as "the Sweet Waters of Asia" by the pioneer European travellers of the epoch (as opposed to "the Sweet Waters of Europe", another contemporary elite recreational area on the other side of the city, where the Kağıthane and Alibeyköy Rivers empty into the Golden Horn). 

• 🌍 Anadolu Kavağı (Kavak) ( Anadolu Kavağı, Anadolu Kavağı). A village with an impressive citadel overlooking the Bosphorus and its mouth into the Black Sea. By land it's accessible only by a hairpinning road through the forest, with few buses. It's best reached by ferry from Eminönü (twice daily) or Sariyer (frequent). In the village, a road is signposted up to the hilltop Yoros citadel (a little more than 1 km, 20 min on foot, free admission). There's a pleasant area with cafés by the ferry pier; the place gets crowded at weekends during summer. Nasty big dogs stalk the citadel area at night. See Istanbul#The_classic_Bosphorus_cruise. (updated Dec 2018)

• 🌍 Aydos Hill ( Kartal 5.7 km, Poligon 1.6 km). This is a forested hill 20 km east of the city, at 537 m the highest point of Istanbul. It's a state park, and there's the scrappy remains of a Roman fort. It's probably easiest accessed by Metro to Kartal then dolmuş to Yakacık. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 İçmeler ( İçmeler 700 m). is a suburb just north of the port and ship-building town of Tuzla. (It's not to be confused with the tourist resort of İçmeler near Marmaris, or with the Bosnian city of Tuzla; tuzla means "salt mine".) It has hot springs, supposedly with medicinal properties, but in Dec 2018 they're closed and inaccessible. (updated Dec 2018)
• 🌍 Polonezköy ( Cumhuriyet Köyü 5.8 km; 40 km east of city, from Highway O-7 exit for Beykoz). The "Polish village" was founded in 1842 by Polish settlers in the wake of the failed uprising against Russian Imperial rule, and reinforced by more settlers after every subsequent civil upheaval until Poland's independence in 1918. Most then returned, but several stayed on, adopting Turkish citizenship but maintaining their Polish language and culture. The village has houses in traditional Polish style, a 1914 little Catholic chapel, and the Church of Matka Boska Częstochowska. It's set in woodland (a nature park) and is a popular day-trip from the city. There's four restaurants and half a dozen small hotels, plus more of each in nearby Beykoz. (updated Dec 2018)
• Black Sea Coast (Asia side): there's a string of small coastal resorts, from Poyrazköy just beyond the north Bosphorus bridge, through Anadolufenerli, Riva, 🌍 Şile (the largest) to Ağva / Yeşilçay at the eastern edge of the province. Usual beach attractions, but the Black Sea is often rough, and drownings are not uncommon.

• Kanaat Lokantası, Selmanipak Cad. no: 25, Üsküdar (in the street behind the sea dock), ☏ +90 216 553 37 91, fax: +90 216 341-68-55. daily 07:00-23:00. Kanaat Lokantası, which dates back to 1933, is famous for its traditional Ottoman cuisine as well as a variety of fascinating desserts. The prices are reasonable but they accept nothing but cash. 
• 🌍 İmren restaurant, Validei Atik mah, Miroğlu Sk. 10/A, 34664 Üsküdar, ☏ +90 216 341 19 79. daily 06:30-20:00. Serves traditional Turkish food. You could try kelle paca soup or doner here. (updated Mar 2021)
• 🌍 Haçapuri, Hasanpaşa, Fahrettin Kerim Gökay Cd. No:11, 34722 Kadıköy, ☏ +90 216 330-44-20. M-Sa 10:30-21:30, Su 09:30-21:30. A place to try Turkish pide, which is flatbread with meat or eggs or other such things (even preserves, etc) in the center. From 10 TL. 
• Balık-ekmek (literally “fish-bread”, a grilled fish sandwiched inside half a bread) is an increasingly popular low-budget meal in buffets in Kadıköy coast, which can be had for 3-3.50 TL. The best balık ekmek can be bought from any of the stands just off the ferry dock. Some of the various fish restaurants in the market area a little inland also sell balık ekmek and mussel sandwiches with garlic sauce onto the street.
• 🌍 Beylerbeyi Palace, Beylerbeyi, Abdullahağa Cd., 34676 Üsküdar, ☏ +90 216 321 9320. Serving traditional food in a few different locations in the palace, including lahmacun, kebabs and also Turkish home-style items. Average prices for good food. 

• 🌍 Çiya Sofrası, Caferağa Mah. Güneşlibahçe Sk. 43, Kadıköy (in the 'Fish Market'), ☏ +90 216 418 51 15, fax: +90 216 349-19-02, info@ciya.com.tr. daily 11:00-22:00. Regional tastes ranging from Balkans to Asia, Caucasus to Mesopotamia, with much delicious kebabs. €10-15 pp. 
• Hatay Restaurant, Bağdat Caddesi 526, Bostancı, ☏ +90 216 361-33-57, info@hatayrestaurant.com. 12:00-23:30, closed Su. A traditional restaurant for tasting Rakı with mezes. Famous amongst Turkish poets. 20-30 TL. 
• Günaydin Et Ve Restaurantlar Grubu m, Kazım Özalp Caddesi 58, Kadıköy, ☏ +90 216 417 92 09, fax: +90 216 467-52-43, tike@tike.com.tr. 12:00-24:00. A luxury traditional restaurant for tasting Turkish kebab on the waterfront avenue (Sahil Yolu). 30-40 TL/pp. 
• Nakkaş Kebap, Gümüşyolu Cad. Eski Taş Ocağı Sokak No:27, Nakkaştepe, ☏ +90 216 495 65 15. A large restaurant with traditional Turkish kebap and "mezes" (appetizers). 

• Cafeinn Internet Cafe, Caferağa Mah. Sarraf Ali Sokak 35/1, Kadıköy (just off Mühürdar Caddesi, the street one block inland from waterfront, parallel to it). Quite good computers though most software is a little outdated, so may not support latest additions, such as some kinds of alphabets/fonts. 2 TL/hr.