Nice park on the seaside. Great views and plenty of shade trees. Quite a few cats and a couple of…read moredogs. Snack shop and restaurant if you want a bite to eat.

this park is very good for weekend and for relief…read more https://orient-tec.com/ https://www.ar.orient-tec.com/

İstiklal Avenue means Independence and is the longest pedestrian street in the historic Beyoğlu…read moredistrict of Istanbul, one of the most famous avenues in the city, known for the cute red trams, lots of shopping - malls, US stores, restaurants, some street food, elegant buildings, fun to walk it. We found our way from Galata Tower and once we reached it, we explored it and stopped along the way to check out stores (cute bookstores), coffee shops, a cool passage, an Italian church -of St. Anthony of Padua(the biggest catholic one in Istanbul) and so on. Lots of American chains, clothes, food (fast-food) which we avoided. But we tried a cheese borek (salty cheese pastry) from the gentleman with the cart. It is fun to see the vintage trams passing by. We continued to the end, till we reach the end of it marked by the French Institute and Taksim Square. It is worth checking it out while visiting Istanbul, not super crowded, but very lively!

Istiklal Caddesi is a great/must see area of Istanbul. Basically, what this location presents is a…read morestreet full of all kinds of shops, cafes, galleries, restaurants, and a bunch of other businesses. It truly shows off the unique culture of Istanbul. My suggestion is that you come here early in the day on a weekday. During this time frame the street is not too crowded and you can really take time checking things out. On the weekends and later in the day, this area can get pretty hectic and very crowed with people. If you want to avoid that, come during the off-hours. I suggest the way to visit this street is to walk over the Galata Bridge. This bridge, of course, provides you with a great view of Istanbul. From there, just follow the main street up. If you have any location concerns, GPS will easily take you here. This is a long street with an uphill trek. Of course, that also means, on the way down, it is a downhill trek. Nothing too steep or anything like that, but it can provide you with a bit of a cardio workout if you are a fast paced walker like myself. Overall, this is one of the must see areas of Istanbul. This street provides you with an excellent view into the modern shopping and culinary culture of Istanbul.

The entrance is meh, you've got to go deeper to get beyond the crowds. Be prepared for traffic…read morecoming into the forest. Especially on weekends. I only explored the entrance of the forest, which seemed to be overflowing with picnickers barbecuing their kebabs. I will go back and try to go deeper into the forest where there is less meat grilling. Also, I'll visit the dam and little lake / big pond a few kilometers in. If you bring a car and are not daunted by the traffic (which isn't so bad, I just don't like traffic) take the road to the left when it splits at the entrance of the park. Another option is to visit the Ataturk Aboretum. The is a small fee to enter, but no meat grilling and smoke

Spring Green and a lovely walk. As of May 2017, the entrance can cost 15 Turkish Lira on the…read moreweekends. A steep price for some locals. It is cheaper and less crowded during the weekdays. It is a lovely spot. Some wedding couples come and take a lot of photos near the entrance. However, you can walk further into the park and avoid the crowds. There are quiet spots where there is only you and the trees. I recommend coming early in the day to explore. The best way to get there is to take the the M2 to the end of the line at Haciosman Metro stop. Then, take one of the local buses as close as you can to the Arboretum. It is a little walk to entrance from there. Keep in mind that most Instanbulis drive there, which is a nightmare on the weekends. The nearby town of Bahçeköy has some decent small cafes for a little meal. You can also rent bicycles and explore Belgrad Forest, which is a little over a 20 minute walk from the Arboretum.

Ok don't get me wrong I really enjoyed my time in this botanical garden. It has a beautiful tiny…read morelake with swans and some very nice trees and plants. It is all very tidy and if you are looking for some nature to get out of the city you will have a good time there. The educational aspects were at least for an Englisch speaking person pretty poor but I wasn't looking for that anyways. There were some school classes and even just married couples who took pictures there. It was a nice day trip but I won't go there again and I will not recommend any person who stays here just for a few time to go there. I prefer the macka park or the yildiz forrest. Entrance is 2TL and you are not allowed to take food inside. I took the metro from Taksim to the end (Hacıosman), after that 15 minutes by bus and another 5-10 minutes walk.

Awesome park in the middle of a busy neighborhood. Immaculately groomed hedges and a lot of pretty…read moreflowers. Lots of benches to sit and relax. A nice kids play area and even an exercise area for adults.

We visited this lovely garden in early September. Very nice and well kept. Nice retreat from the…read morebusy street.

Enjoyed visiting so much. The vibe, the lovely people, our hotel Sofitel was great. Loved the…read morecats in the streets, the shops and restaurants are fantastic. I would visit again for sure.

Taksim Meydanı or Taskim Square is a large open area with a monument in the center…read more It as a vast complex surrounded by shops, vendors, a huge mosque and the like. There is also a park adjacent as well as several embassys, and its one of the main shopping districts in Istanbul It was later in the day and some light rain on and off so for our visit it was not packed. But we also wanted to get back to Sultanment so we did not spend a ton of time here,