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Beşiktaş & Ortaköy

Istanbul

The European shore of the Bosphorus from Dolmabahçe Palace to Ortaköy, home to the city's grandest waterfront hotels, a lively student-filled centre and ferries to Asia.

Best for Upscale · Business

Transport
3/5
Sights
3/5
Value
2/5
Quiet
3/5
Food
4/5

Typical mid-range hotel ~$160/night · 25 min to Eminönü

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Beşiktaş & Ortaköy on the map

Why stay here

  • Palace hotels right on the Bosphorus
  • Ferries across to Üsküdar and Kadıköy
  • Close to Nişantaşı and the business district

Who should stay here

  • Luxury stays and special occasions
  • Business travellers
  • Return visitors who have seen the old city

Not ideal if…

  • You want to walk to Hagia Sophia and Topkapı
  • You're on a tight budget
  • You dislike traffic: the coast road gets jammed

What it's like

Beşiktaş starts at Dolmabahçe Palace and runs up the Bosphorus past Çırağan Palace to Ortaköy, where a small mosque sits on the water under the first Bosphorus Bridge. The big luxury hotels here are right on the strait, with terraces and pools a few metres from passing ships.

Beşiktaş centre itself is busy and local, with a fish market, cheap eateries and bars full of students and football fans. You'll take a bus, taxi or ferry to the old city, and Nişantaşı's shops and the business district are close by.

Best streets and sub-areas

  • Çırağan Caddesi

    Coast road past the palaces and waterfront hotels.

  • Ortaköy square

    Waterfront square with the mosque, cafés and kumpir stalls.

  • Beşiktaş Çarşı

    The busy market streets around the fish market.

Getting around

Nearest stations
Buses along the coast to Kabataş for the tram, ferries from Beşiktaş pier to the Asian side, and the M2 metro up the hill at Gayrettepe.
To Eminönü
About 25 minutes
From Istanbul Airport
About 60 minutes: Havaist bus to Beşiktaş, or the M11 metro to Gayrettepe and a short taxi.

Nearby attractions

  • Dolmabahçe Palace

    The 19th-century sultans' palace on the Bosphorus.

  • Ortaköy Mosque

    Baroque mosque on the water, best at sunset.

  • Bosphorus ferry

    Public ferries up the strait or across to Asia from Beşiktaş.

  • Yıldız Park

    Large wooded park on the hill above Çırağan Palace.

Where to eat and drink

  • Ortaköy kumpir

    Baked potatoes with a dozen fillings from the stalls by the mosque.

  • Beşiktaş Çarşı

    Breakfast places, fish restaurants and student bars.

Where to stay in Beşiktaş & Ortaköy

A few hotels we'd book in this area, at different budgets.

Luxury pick

Çırağan Palace Kempinski

Why we like it: Former Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus with an infinity pool.

Typical luxury rate in Beşiktaş & Ortaköy: ~$700/night

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Luxury pick

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus

Why we like it: Restored 19th-century palace building on the water.

Typical luxury rate in Beşiktaş & Ortaköy: ~$700/night

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Luxury pick

Shangri-La Bosphorus

Why we like it: Waterfront hotel next to Dolmabahçe, with large rooms.

Typical luxury rate in Beşiktaş & Ortaköy: ~$700/night

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Hotels in Beşiktaş & OrtaköyMid-range from ~$160/night

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