Lonely Planet İstanbul Guide

NEED TO KNOW

Opening Hours A Opening hours of cafes, çay bahçesis (tea gardens), bars and clubs vary wildly; we have included specific hours in our reviews. A Clubs are busiest on Friday and Saturday nights, and the action doesn’t really kick off until 1am. Cover charges are levied at many clubs on these nights. A Many Beyoğlu clubs close from June or July until the end of September. Most of the Bosphorus clubs close for part of winter. Dress Code When İstanbullus go out clubbing, they dress to kill. If you don’t do the same, you’ll be unlikely to get past the door staff at the Bosphorus clubs or into the rooftop bars and clubs in Beyoğlu. Fortunately, what you’re wearing won’t affect entry at the live-music venues, meyhanes (taverns) or grungier clubs. Nightlife Rip-Offs Foreigners, especially single foreign males, are sometimes targets for a classic İstanbul rip-off whereby they are approached by a friendly local, or group of locals, who asks them if they would like to visit a bar or nightclub. Unfortunately these guys are luring their victims into places run by organised crime groups, where drinks and the company of hostesses cost an absolute fortune and where refusing to pay the bill can lead to nasty, often physical confrontations. Be very wary of any such invitations. Where to Party The superclubs in the Golden Mile between Ortaköy and Kuruçeşme on the Bosphorus attract the wealthy and celebrity obsessed. Bohemian types tend to gravitate to the venues in Beyoğlu’s Karaköy, Cihangir, Asmalımescit and Nevizade enclaves. Students hang out on or near Balo Sokak in Beyoğlu, or head over to Kadıköy, where they can be found drinking, dancing and listening to live gigs on Kadife Sokak, aka Barlar Sokak (Bar St).

Drinking & Nightlife by Neighbourhood