Serdar-ı Ekrem Caddesi is one of the most attractive streets in Galata, full of ornate 19th-century apartment blocks and avant-garde boutiques. Mavra was the first of the cafes to open on the strip, and remains one of the best, offering simple food and drinks amid decor that is thrift-shop chic. Vegetarians and vegans are particularly well catered for.
Mavra
Beyoğlu
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.34 MILES
Right in the heart of İstanbul’s historic center, this sacred Byzantine building remains an important symbol of power.
1.13 MILES
Topkapı is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful…
1.94 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 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…
1.32 MILES
This subterranean structure was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and built in 532. The largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul, it was…
1.52 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…
1.21 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)…
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0.34 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
0.07 MILES
The cornerstone of this Gothic-style Anglican church was laid in 1858 by Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, known as 'The Great Elchi' (elçi meaning ambassador)…
2. Galata Mevlevi House Museum
0.09 MILES
The semahane (whirling-dervish hall) at the centre of this tekke (dervish lodge) was erected in 1491 and renovated in 1608 and 2009. It's part of a…
0.14 MILES
The cylindrical Galata Tower stands sentry over the approach to 'new' İstanbul. Constructed in 1348, it was the tallest structure in the city for…
0.15 MILES
Occupying a former tobacco warehouse, this alternative space is operated by Anadolu Kültür (www.anadolukultur.org), a not-for-profit organisation that…
0.16 MILES
With works displayed under glass on top of worn wooden desks or lecterns, and exhibition titles written on blackboards, the historical atmosphere of the…
0.17 MILES
Housed in a building attached to the Neve Shalom synagogue near the Galata Tower, this museum was established in 2001 to commemorate the 500th anniversary…
7. İstanbul Foundation for Culture & Arts
0.22 MILES
This non-profit cultural foundation organises the city's best arts festivals and also operates the cutting-edge Salon performance venue, which is located…
0.23 MILES
This lavishly funded and innovative museum has an extensive collection of Turkish art and also stages a constantly changing and uniformly excellent…