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Will you be in Istanbul on Saturday, 31 May 2025? Save the date. From 3.00 PM the Ritz‑Carlton rooftop turns into a football festival. A huge LED screen will show the Champions League Final live. DJs will keep the beat between the key moments. Chefs will serve gourmet street food that feels right at home in this city of bold flavours.
Istanbul loves football. You can hear match talk in every cafe and see club colours on every corner. Watching Europe’s biggest game here is special. Grab a ticket, ride the elevator to the roof, and look out over the Bosphorus while the action unfolds above Munich. Your Istanbul Tourist Pass® gets you there with ease. Come cheer, eat, dance, and make a memory you’ll tell your friends about long after the final whistle.
About the Event
There are many amazing events, concerts, and festivals in Istanbul all the time. Mark Saturday, May 31, 2025 in your diary. Doors open at 3:00 PM, and the DJs start playing right away. The Champions League Final goes on the big screen at 10:00 PM Istanbul time, giving you the whole afternoon and early evening to eat, chat, and feel the build‑up.
The venue is the Roof at The Ritz‑Carlton Istanbul, an open terrace with a clear view of the Bosphorus and the city lights. A huge LED screen shows every kick from Munich in sharp detail. Between plays, the resident DJs keep the energy high. Hotel chefs run a pop-up food court with sliders, fresh kebab wraps, hand-cut fries, and fun desserts. Sponsor booths add games and giveaways, so there is always something to do.
This event is for guests 18 and older, so bring photo ID. Food and drinks are sold on site, and you can pay by card or phone. Tickets are limited, and booking with your Istanbul Tourist Pass® lets you skip the line and head straight to the elevator. Grab your jersey, bring your friends, and watch Istanbul celebrate the biggest match of the year.
How to Get There
The Ritz-Carlton sits beside the Besiktas Football Club's Tupras Stadium in Beşiktaş. If you are near Taksim Square, walk downhill along Gümüşsuyu Street, and you will be at the hotel in about ten minutes. The same route is lined with frequent buses, and the stops named “Gümüşsuyu” are only a three- to four-minute walk from the lobby.
Coming from the Old City or Galata, take tram line T1 to its last stop, Kabataş, then hop on the F1 funicular. The ride up to Taksim takes three minutes. From Taksim, follow the signs for Gümüşsuyu and stroll down to the hotel, or grab a short taxi if you prefer not to walk.
From Istanbul Airport (IST) to Ritz Carlton Bosphorus, you have two good choices. The new metro link gets you into the city fastest: ride the M11 from the terminal to Gayrettepe, change to the M2 at Kağıthane, stay on until Taksim, and walk the final stretch; the full trip can take around forty‑five minutes off‑peak . If you want a simple door‑to‑door ride, the Havaist shuttle leaves IST for Taksim every thirty minutes and reaches the square in about an hour and a half, depending on traffic.
From Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to Ritz Carlton Bosphorus the easiest way is the Havabus shuttle to Taksim. Buses run every half‑hour and the journey usually takes ninety minutes, again depending on traffic.
Taxis are plentiful at all hours. In light traffic the ride from Sultanahmet or Karaköy to the hotel is about fifteen to twenty minutes; from either airport it can range from forty minutes to well over an hour. Whatever route you choose, aim to arrive by 3 PM, grab a drink, and settle in for the build‑up to the final.
A Perfect Weekend in Istanbul with Your Istanbul Tourist Pass®
Friday, May 30
Check into your hotel by mid-afternoon, drop your bags, and head to the 6:30 PM Golden Horn & Bosphorus Sunset Cruise is FREE with the Pass. The boat glides past the Mosques, Maiden’s Tower, and the summer palaces while the sky shifts to gold and pink. Back on shore around 8:30 PM, wander into Karaköy’s backstreets for dinner at a meyhane where you can try small plates and watch the ferries dock for the night. Turning in by 11:00 PM keeps you fresh for an early start.
Saturday, May 3
Be at Hagia Sophia for the first entry at 9:00 AM; the morning light floods the mosaics before the crowds build. Walk five minutes to the Basilica Cistern and step below ground at 10:30 AM for a cool break beneath the Medusa heads.
By 12:30 PM you are ready for lunch; grab a fish sandwich from a Sultanahmet grill and take the T1 tram to Kabataş. A short stroll brings you to Tupras Stadium where the Beşiktaş JK Museum opens its trophy‑lined halls to Pass holders at 2:00 PM.
At 3:00 PM the doors on the Ritz‑Carlton rooftop swing wide for the Champions League party. Find a spot with a Bosphorus view, sample the pop‑up food stalls, and let the DJ sets roll until kick‑off at 10:00 PM. When the final whistle sounds close to midnight, taxis and late buses on nearby Dolmabahçe Street make the ride home easy.
Sunday, June 1
Sleep in a little, then walk or ride the F1 funicular back down to Dolmabahçe for a self-guided tour of Dolmabahçe Palace, also covered by the Pass. The crystal chandeliers and waterfront gardens paint a very different side of Ottoman life.
By 12:30 PM hop on the Hop‑On Hop‑Off Bus at the palace gate; stay on for one full lap to Galata. Skip the ticket line at Galata Tower with your Pass and stand on the balcony by 1:45 PM for a full‑circle city view.
After a light lunch in Galata, walk downhill to the Spice Bazaar and browse the stalls for saffron and lokum. At 4:30 PM catch a ferry to Kadıköy on the Asian side; the ride is part of the city transport network, so your unlimited public transportation card covers it. Explore the market streets, grab a coffee in Moda, and watch the sun sink behind the Old City skyline at 8:00 PM.
By weaving the rooftop final into three leisurely days of classics and hidden gems, you squeeze maximum value from the Istanbul Tourist Pass® and still leave room for serendipitous finds. Pack comfy shoes, keep the Pass QR ready on your phone, and enjoy a weekend where football, history, and the Bosphorus meet.
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