Karaköy sits right at the water's edge, at the foot of the hill that climbs up to Galata Tower, and directly across the Galata Bridge from Sultanahmet's historic peninsula. For most of the 20th century it was a working shipping and trade district; over the past decade or so it's become one of the city's more design-conscious neighbourhoods, with old warehouses and banking-era buildings converted into galleries, concept stores and some of the best coffee in the city.
What it's known for now
- Third-wave coffee — Karaköy has one of the highest concentrations of specialty coffee roasters and cafés in Istanbul, a genuine departure from the traditional Turkish coffee and çay culture found elsewhere, and a good stop if you want a break from tea.
- Design and concept stores — converted ground-floor warehouse spaces along streets like Kemeraltı Caddesi hold a growing cluster of Turkish design labels, alongside international names.
- Contemporary art — several of Istanbul's more significant contemporary galleries and project spaces operate out of Karaköy's converted buildings.
- Karaköy Güllüoğlu and similar long-standing baklava and dessert shops sit within a few minutes of the newer, design-forward businesses — a genuine old-meets-new mix rather than a fully gentrified district.
The waterfront and the bridge
Karaköy's ferry terminal is a useful, less crowded alternative to Eminönü across the water for catching a Bosphorus ferry, and the walk across the Galata Bridge from here to Sultanahmet — past the fishermen who line the bridge's rails most of the day — is one of the more atmospheric short walks in the city, with balık ekmek boats moored at the Eminönü end.
Getting up to Galata
Karaköy is the natural starting point for the climb up to Galata Tower — either directly up the steep streets, or via the historic Tünel funicular from Karaköy's own station, one of the oldest underground railways in the world. See our Galata Tower guide for what's at the top.
