artENA is a fantastic little boutique located right around the corner from Galata tower. It is…read morefilled with clothing, jewelry and shoes ranging from larger brands to pieces made by local designers. The prices range from rather affordable to slightly splurgy, but there are items available and pretty much every price point you're looking for. I was first attracted to a large array of jewelry hanging on the left wall of the store. I'd been looking for a great necklace to purchase on my trip to Istanbul, but hadn't yet found anything that really struck me. Then, I walked into artENA. What a beautiful selection of hand crafted necklaces by local designers and the shop owner herself. I tried on a few pieces that didn't quite suit me while the shop owner brought more more similar styles by the same designer. Eventually, another item caught my eye and I tried it on, fell in love with it, and then learned it was actually made by the shop owner herself! This still remains my favorite purchase from my Istanbul trip! There's also a nice selection of clothing from cute to a bit... interesting. Most of the items for sure were statement pieces. Some on the racks had tags cut out with sizes remaining in what looked like familiar styles and fonts from large chain brands. Other pieces appeared to be more limited creations. There was also a rack of sale items with everything for just 65 lira. There was a gorgeous green cocktail dress I found for this steal of a price, but alas it just didn't quite fit. The shoes available here all appeared to be very well made and were super stylish in bright, bold colors. Some of these were even designed by the shop owner's daughter! My purchase was wrapped up in a cute fabric bag along with a business card (which is how I remembered this shop to write a review). This necklace still remains my favorite purchase from my Istanbul trip!

Such a cool little bookstore with vintage books and maps. Yes, it is a little expensive for…read moreIstanbul, but totally reasonably priced compared with other similar book shops in other countries. I loved the old maps spread out on the center table. Some appear to be hand-drawn and quite old. A must see shop for map lovers and those who enjoy vintage books.

Istiklal Caddesi is one of the better strolls in Istanbul (says I, having spent like a week there…read morein total) and this shop is a highlight. A wide selection of vintage maps and postcards, as well as a quirky selection of old books -- I didn't get to peruse them thoroughly but I saw some old Baedeker travel guides in there. I did pick up two books from the more current part of the store, a history of urban planning in Istanbul and a cookbook-slash-history of Ottoman cuisine. There is also a bookstore cat if for some reason you are not satisfied with Istanbul's famous array of street cats.