The back story
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The back story
The Bosphorus villages: the back story
Fishing villages turned the city’s most beautiful addresses, strung along the European shore.
Neighbourhood guide · the European shore
Bebek & the Bosphorus Villages: Our Favourites
The European shore of the Bosphorus village by village: Ortaköy, Kuruçeşme, Arnavutköy, Bebek, Rumelihisarı, Emirgan, Yeniköy and Sarıyer, with their mosques, mansions, restaurants and bars.
What's onThis week in Istanbul
What to see
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A jewel under the bridge
Ortaköy Mosque
The graceful 1850s mosque on the water at Ortaköy, under the Bosphorus Bridge.
Ortaköy, Mecidiye Köprüsü Sokak, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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Wooden houses on the water
Arnavutköy
A village of 19th-century wooden houses and fish restaurants on the European shore, between Kuruçeşme and Bebek.
Arnavutköy, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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The chic bay
Bebek
The smart bay on the European shore, with a seafront park, cafés and the Ottoman-era Egyptian consulate.
Bebek, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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The fortress of 1452
Rumelihisarı
The fortress Mehmed II built in 1452 at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus, before the conquest.
Rumeli Hisarı, Yahya Kemal Caddesi, SarıyerExplore View on map
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Tulips by the Bosphorus
Emirgan Park
A large hillside park on the upper Bosphorus, famous for its tulips in April, with three historic pavilions.
Emirgan, SarıyerExplore View on map
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Calligraphy on the Bosphorus
Sakıp Sabancı Museum
A museum in a Bosphorus mansion at Emirgan, with Ottoman calligraphy, paintings and major international exhibitions.
Emirgan, Sakıp Sabancı Caddesi No:42, SarıyerExplore View on map
Where to eat
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Bosphorus terrace
Lokanta Feriye
Turkish and Ottoman-inspired cooking in the historic Feriye buildings on the Bosphorus shore, between Çırağan and Ortaköy.
Yıldız Mahallesi, Çırağan Caddesi No:44, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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MICHELIN-selected (2026)
Park Fora
A fish and seafood restaurant in the park at Kuruçeşme, right on the Bosphorus with the bridge in view; in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide.
Muallim Naci Caddesi No:54/A, Cemil Topuzlu Parkı, Kuruçeşme, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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One MICHELIN Star (2026)
Sankai by Nagaya
Chef Yoshi Nagaya’s Japanese cooking with Turkish seafood, by the Bosphorus in Bebek; one MICHELIN Star.
Bebek, Cevdet Paşa Caddesi No:34, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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One MICHELIN Star (2026)
Araka
Vegetable-led, ingredient-focused cooking in Yeniköy on the upper Bosphorus; one MICHELIN Star.
Kapalı Bakkal Sokak No:8, Yeniköy, SarıyerExplore View on map
Cafés
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An Istanbul roaster
Petra Roasting Co.
One of the city’s best-known specialty coffee roasters, with cafés in several districts including Gayrettepe and Bebek.
Küçükbebek Caddesi No:38, Bebek, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
Bars & nightlife
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Bebek’s favourite meeting place
Lucca
A long-running bar-restaurant on Cevdet Paşa Caddesi in Bebek, busy from lunch until late.
Cevdet Paşa Caddesi No:51/A, Bebek, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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The Bosphorus lit up
Ortaköy by night
The square around the Ortaköy Mosque under the lit-up Bosphorus Bridge, with cafés, kumpir stalls and bars.
Ortaköy Meydanı, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
Where to stay
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Resort-style on the Bosphorus
Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus
A contemporary luxury hotel on the Bosphorus at Kuruçeşme, with a large spa and waterfront pools.
Muallim Naci Caddesi No:62, Kuruçeşme, BeşiktaşExplore View on map
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Mansions on the upper Bosphorus
Six Senses Kocataş Mansions
A wellness-focused luxury hotel in two historic mansions on the upper Bosphorus at Sarıyer.
SarıyerExplore View on map
Share your Bebek & the Bosphorus Villages tips
Know a lovely corner of Bebek & the Bosphorus Villages? Share your tips with other visitors.
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