All about Istanbul’s Asian side
Istanbul is a special city for several reasons, and one of them is the fact that it is located on two continents at the same time. Split by the Bosphorus Strait, part of the city sits in Europe and the other in Asia.
To be honest, most attractions are on the European side, so it isn’t always easy to find good guides to the Asian side. We kept wondering whether it would be worth crossing the Bosphorus to explore.
Of course, curiosity won – and we went. In this article, I’m summarizing what it’s like to visit Istanbul’s Asian side and sharing a bit of my experience.
Important Tip: To make your trip easier, I recommend buying the Istanbul ePass, which gives you access to the city’s main attractions (except Hagia Sophia). The biggest advantage of this pass is that you can skip the lines — a must in Istanbul!
What is Istanbul’s Asian side?
As I mentioned, Istanbul is a city located right on the border between two continents – Europe and Asia.
What marks the division between the continents is the Bosphorus Strait, which cuts through the middle of Istanbul and separates the city into the European and Asian sides.
I know that can be a little hard to picture, so here’s a simple map to help you visualize it:
Is it worth visiting the Asian side of Istanbul?
Istanbul’s Asian side is known for being a more residential area, where locals live and work.
This side has fewer tourist attractions, although the number of landmarks grows every year.
Because of that, the Asian side is generally much quieter than the European side. Most travelers who cross over explore the neighborhoods of Üsküdar or Kadıköy (especially the Moda area), where the most interesting spots are concentrated.
In short – I think it’s absolutely worth visiting Istanbul’s Asian side if you want to:
- See a different side of the city where locals go about daily life
- Cross the Bosphorus by ferry without paying for an expensive tour
- Check out Asian-side attractions like the Çamlıca TV Tower
- Escape the crowds on the European side
What’s on the Asian side of Istanbul?
Because it’s more residential, the Asian side has fewer classic tourist sights, but there’s still plenty to see. Here are some highlights:
- Çamlıca Tower: Ride up to the top for a panoramic view of Istanbul
- Çamlıca Mosque
- Beylerbeyi Palace
- Nakkaştepe Park – a national park right in the middle of Istanbul
- Kız Kulesi – the Maiden’s Tower or Leander’s Tower. It’s one of Istanbul’s main symbols. You can spot it on a boat ride or visit inside (I haven’t gone yet, and I’ve heard it may not be that worthwhile).
- Kadıköy neighborhood – we loved wandering here, especially to find street art
- Kadıköy Nostalgic Tram (T3) – One of the few panoramic tram routes in Istanbul and it costs only a regular fare. See our Public Transport in Istanbul guide.
- Soak up the vibe in Moda, known as Istanbul’s alternative pocket. It’s a delight – packed with cafés, bars, and lively local energy. We loved the feel of this area.
Book a tour on Istanbul’s Asian side
How to get to Istanbul’s Asian side
The best part about visiting the Asian side is that getting there is super easy, convenient, and cheap. The ferry ride is basically a scenic cruise for the price of public transport.
To cross from the European side to the Asian side, you’ll take a ferry. There are several routes, but the ones most travelers use go from Karaköy or Eminönü to Kadıköy.
I recommend using Google Maps to find the best route for your day, depending on where you are. We boarded in Kabataş instead of those two because we were sightseeing nearby.
Ferries on the main routes depart frequently – usually every hour. It’s worth checking the schedule so you don’t arrive last minute because, depending on the time of day, the ferry can be very full with few seats left.
You can pay the fare with the Istanbulkart.
Read our guide to Public Transport in Istanbul for details.
Pro tip: Take the ferry back around sunset and you’ll get one of the best views in town.
What to do on Istanbul’s Asian side: 1-day Kadıköy itinerary
Now that you have the basics down for visiting Istanbul’s Asian side, here’s a one-day itinerary to help you plan.
This is the route we followed on our last trip to Istanbul. We focused only on Kadıköy because I already knew it was the part of the city I enjoyed most from a previous visit.
It’s also a relaxed plan because soaking up the neighborhood vibe is one of my favorite things about spending a day in this area. If you want to add more attractions, just tweak the plan and include other stops too.
Arriving in Kadıköy
We boarded the ferry in Kabataş and arrived at Kadıköy port in the morning. If you really want to make the most of the Asian side, I recommend coming early and having a Turkish breakfast here.
From the port, we headed to Kadıköy’s Historic Market for Turkish tea.
Kadıköy Historic Market
The market sits to the right of the port and it’s an area full of all kinds of shops – mostly food.
Along narrow lanes, you’ll see vendors selling everything from basic ingredients like spices to small bars and street food stalls.
We stopped at one of the best cafés in the area called Fazıl Bey’in Türk Kahvesi. It’s a small place, but they’re specialists in Turkish coffee – highly recommended.
Street art in Kadıköy
Kadıköy is known as a hub for street art, so one unmissable thing on the Asian side is to roam the streets hunting for murals scattered across building façades.
I love street art, so that’s exactly what we did after finishing our Turkish coffee at the market.
You can book a guided tour if you prefer, but we explored on our own. We pinned a few must-see murals on Google Maps and then walked, discovering others along the way.
The streets on the far side of the market are full of murals – you’ll find a new one on every corner:
Nostalgic Tram route (T3)
One of the most special things in Kadıköy is that you can enjoy a scenic ride on one of Istanbul’s few traditional tram lines. Line T3 is the only one on the Asian side.
The ride uses a public transport tram, so it costs just a regular ticket.
What makes it special is that the tram cars on this route are classic – old-school style and beautifully maintained, as you can see above.
The loop circles the Moda neighborhood. It’s a circular route that returns to where you started – perfect for sightseeing. If you want to hop off mid-way, you can – it stops at regular stations like any other line.
You can board the tram here.
Good to know: This route is popular and the tram car is small, so it fills up fast. I recommend riding in the morning if you cross to the Asian side early, as it tends to get busier around lunchtime and early afternoon.
Moda neighborhood
Moda is Kadıköy’s coolest neighborhood. It’s known for a more alternative vibe than the rest of the city, with great thrifting, quirky cafés, and beautiful buildings.
I love this neighborhood. If I ever come back to stay longer in Istanbul, I’d happily base here for a few days to enjoy it like a local.
Take time to stroll the streets and enjoy the area.
Enjoy the cafés, bars, and local life
As I said, my favorite thing about the Asian side is feeling what day-to-day life is like. The European side is packed with must-see sights – the charm here is the opposite.
So I suggest setting aside time to hop between cafés and bars. This neighborhood is full of great restaurants and lively bars.
After dark, the area is buzzing too.
We also loved Pasifik Pastanesi, a classic pastry shop where we stopped for coffee and dessert. We ordered three different sweets and everything was delicious – and well priced.
Money saver: Prices on the Asian side are lower than in the touristy European areas. Take advantage and eat around here.
Head back to the European side in the late afternoon
My best tip is to plan your day so you take the ferry back to the European side around sunset.
You’ll catch the sun setting from the water – a show in itself. Watching Istanbul light up is incredible.
The sunset cruise is one of the city’s most coveted tours (and totally worth it in my opinion), but if you follow this tip you can enjoy a very similar view for the price of a transport ticket.
Where to stay on the Asian side of Istanbul
If you want to base yourself here, I suggest picking a place in the Moda area. These are my accommodation picks:
- DoubleTree By Hilton Istanbul: A large hotel right on the Bosphorus. If you want comfort, it’s a great option – though it doesn’t quite match the neighborhood’s hipster feel.
- Cozy Oasis in Moda Steps to Seafront: A well-located apartment that sleeps up to four – great for families.
Read next: Complete guide to where to stay in Istanbul
The eSim we recommend!
Don’t have time to read the entire guide? No problem, this is the international eSIM card we always recommend here at Mauka. It’s the one we always use when we travel and the only one that’s never let us down.
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