Istiklal Caddesi

Pretty, nostalgic shopping street. Lots of great branded shops and places to eat. My teenagers were happy with the range of clothing stores. The old trams are so cute 😍

Excellent street to walk, shop, eat and people watch. Doner kabap, Kokorec, Kumpir, Baklava and you have many more to try in Istanbul. All you can have in this street alone.

We visited this after done with Dolmabahce palace. We started from Taksim square, walked down, then back up riding the tram (quite a line since I guess only two carriages in operation, one up one down), then just explore the adjoining alleys too. Lots of shops, restaurants for food and snacks, tourists, and crowded areas. Sine it was Easter Sunday, we just spent time to wait for the mass in St Antuan church on the same road. The tram ride is a must when you are here, might as well, just for old time sake.

Istiklal is the main shopping street in Istanbul running from Taxim square to the Galata bridge. Full of shops, coffee shops and restaurants always busy with a hectic and happy atmosphere

Don't eat, drink or shop on or near this street unless it's with a well known corporate brand. The scam never ends here from the dumb guys trying to lure you into their cousin/brother/friend's bar/restaurant/club to the restaurants that short-change/refuse to give change to the ridiculously high prices for tourists only. Istanbul is an interesting city but has a really ugly problem with an ingrained culture of dishonesty. Not cool.