Which part of Istanbul is better to stay for a tourist - Asian or European?

As you know, Istanbul is the only city in the world simultaneously situated on two continents - Europe and Asia. Therefore, Istanbul can be separated into the European and Asian parts of the city, divided by the legendary Bosphorus strait.

If you are going to visit Istanbul for the first time, we definitely recommend staying in European part of Istanbul. Namely here you will find the biggest number of interesting sights, museums and historical architectural constructions of Istanbul. The European part of the city is mostly famous for highly-developed touristic infrastructure. Here you can order an excursion through the city, a boat trip along the Bosphorus or walk to any Istanbul museum. All this is provided with a large variety of hotels, restaurants and cafes. Besides, Taksim, a business area of Istanbul, is also situated in the European part. This business part of Istanbul is famous among tourists who come here for work. So, if you are in Istanbul for the first time, choose a hotel in the European part of the city without any doubt. Popular touristic areas in the European part of Istanbul: Sultanahmet, Sirkeci, Taksim, Laleli, Beyazit.

As for the Asian side of Istanbul, it is better visiting it after you have visited the European part. The Asian side of Istanbul is considered to be a bedroom community of the city where the majority of Istanbul residents live. They also have a joke here that Turkish people work in Europe but sleep in Asia. As a matter of fact, it is true. Many residents of Istanbul work in the European part, but live in the Asian. There are less sightseeing places here than in the European part and they are less interesting for tourists. However, prices in restaurants and stores are considerably lower, because there are fewer tourists. Also, nearly nobody understands English here.

As a rule, most tourists come to the Asian part of Istanbul only for a few hours to enjoy an amazing view from observation deck at the European part of the city. Here you can enjoy a magnificent view at the Golden Horn gulf, especially in the dusk. You can see a real "golden city" as the European part of Istanbul appears to be at sunset, you can walk along the markets and leave for your hotel on the European side.

We advice you to book hotels on the European side of Istanbul, but spend some hours of your leisure time in the Asian part as well. As a rule, many excursions include a short visit to observation deck in the Asian part of the city, and if you manage to take a walk through the streets of the Asian part, which are even more similar to the streets of European cities than the streets of the European side of Istanbul, you can definitely think your trip to Istanbul went right!