Karaköy

The Tapestry of Old Meets New 

The perfect way to explore Karaköy is to go walkabout, on one of the best tours that will take you all the way back to Taksim. 

Starting from the Karaköy tram stop, one can head uphill to the early 20th-century Minerva Han, whose tiled facade is decorated with cupid statues. After turning left onto Voyvoda Caddesi, named after Vlad the Impaler, his decapitated head was allegedly displayed here, you can, if you have time, visit the Ottoman Bank Museum, which houses the SALT Galata art gallery. The previously mentioned art nouveau Kamondo Steps spiral and lead towards the towering presence of Galata Kulesi. 

After a short break to admire and climb the tower, you can walk back down along Karaköy Caddesi and turn right to visit the Yeraltı Camii, an underground mosque built on the site of an ancient Eastern Roman tower. Continuing along Karaköy Caddesi and turning left into Rıhtım Caddesi will lead you to a road between two beautiful small mosques, the Nusretiye Mosque on the right, built by Kirkor Balyan in the 1820s, and the Kılıç Ali Paşa Mosque, built by Sinan in 1580, you can turn right onto the main road and right again just after the Mimar Sinan University building.

And if you are wondering where this all leads to, if you follow the signs to the old docks, you will eventually reach the new İstanbul Modern, where you can enjoy the sunset with a cocktail in the chic brasseries overlooking the Bosphorus. In the evening, there is no easier and better way than to take the tram to Kabataş and the funicular to Taksim Square.