As
one of the most popular and lively districts on the European side of Istanbul,
Besiktas is famous for its colorful population, students, cultural activities,
various shops and its football club. During your visit to Istanbul, be sure to
come by this beautiful district at least once. If you don’t want to get lost and
have the greatest time possible in this beautiful district, here are top
things to do in Besiktas.
Visit
Dolmabahce Palace
Among
the best attractions in Besiktas, Dolmabahce Palace manages to take the
win. Located on the southwest corner of the district next to the beautiful
strait of Bosphorus, this Ottoman imperial palace comes right after Topkapi
Palace in terms of popularity, and for good reasons. It was built in 1853 by
Sultan Abdulmecit, and is considered to be the most luxurious palace ever built
in the Ottoman Empire. It has a combination of Ottoman and neoclassical
architecture with a touch of baroque style. Its large courtyard with colorful plants
welcomes you as you walk towards this magnificent palace.
Inside,
you will find high ceilings, rooms and halls decorated with gold and crystals,
and many luxurious objects and decorations. Dolmabahce Palace has an
unbelievable number of 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 Turkish hammams (baths) and 68
toilets. There are very few spots that aren’t decorated with some sort of
expensive material or a detailed engraving. In the large Ceremonial Hall, you
will find a huge crystal chandelier that was bought from the United Kingdom. It
weighs more than 4 tons and has 750 lamps to effectively illuminate this big
room.
Take
a Bosphorus Cruise
One
of the best things to do in Besiktas is to book
a Bosphorus cruise. Though you will technically leave the district while doing so, you will
also experience one of the best aspects of Istanbul: the Bosphorus. This
natural strait that gives Istanbul its most unique property – which is being
split into two continents – has to be seen by everyone. You can also watch it while
enjoying your Turkish coffee in a café near the shores of Besiktas, but for the
full experience, definitely try getting on a boat.
You
will get to see the Marmara Sea and the Bosphorus bridges up close. Istanbul
looks even more astonishing from the Bosphorus as well. Watching the shores and
examining many historical mansions and palaces Ottomans built while enjoying
your treats in your Bosphorus tour will be an unforgettable experience. If you book
a Bosphorus night cruise, you also get the chance of seeing the city and the
Bosphorus bridges light up, which creates a completely different atmosphere
than the day.
Visit
Besiktas Museum
Football
is easily the largest sports branch in Turkey, and Besiktas’ football team is
one of the largest, oldest and most successful teams in the country. Their home
stadium has a very nice location near the shore, close to the Dolmabahce
Palace. If you are sports fan, be sure to stop by this stadium to visit the Besiktas museum Because of the club’s large history, you get to not only
witness Besiktas’ history, but Turkey’s sports history as well.
The
museum has different sections for different decades starting from the year
1902, which is the club’s year of establishment. These sections have many
applications that let you learn about Besiktas’ history interactively. You will
see many valuable historical objects that belong to the club like sportswear,
medals and cups. If you feel lost, you can always look at the small information
booths near the objects to learn about their significance. The museum also has
an exhibition center for temporary art and sports exhibitions.
Visit
Yildiz Palace
Yildiz
Palace is the last example of the Ottoman imperial palaces. It was built as a
complex like other imperial palaces, so you can find many other attractions
inside like villas, pavilions, kiosks, an opera house and a theatre. Today, the
palace is used as a museum for various temporary art exhibitions.
Walk
in Yildiz Park
As
one of Besiktas’ imperial palaces, Yildiz Palace has a very large park that is
between the Ciragan Palace and the Yildiz Palace. It is one of the biggest
green areas in Istanbul. There are beautiful waterfalls, ponds, pools,
countless trees and colorful flowers waiting for you to be explored. It is a
great place to just relax and rest during your Besiktas tour.
Visit
Naval Museum
Easily
one of the largest and most popular museums in the city, Naval Museum – also
known as the Maritime Museum – is definitely a must-visit in Besiktas. It has a
history that goes back to 1897. It changed locations and collections many
times, but today, it is located near the Besiktas Pier. Inside, visitors will
get to witness the grand naval history of the Ottoman Empire, from the famous
ornamented boats to countless historical objects and relics regarding the navy
in Ottomans, such as maps, flags, navy clothes, navigational equipment, weapons
and armor. A naval library is also present inside the Archives Department,
which is one of the largest sources of information regarding the naval history
of Ottomans. You can find 23,385 sources about the naval history of Turkey,
which includes 7,787 rare Ottoman printed books.
Tour
the Market Zone
Besiktas’
market neighborhood is certainly its center. While walking around, you will see
countless cafés, restaurants, various stores, bars and pubs, so it is really
easy to just get lost in this beautiful mess. You can go on a Turkish food tour
by visiting local restaurants, shop for clothes and groceries, sit in a café or
have fun in its countless great pubs and bars.
Visit
Mimar Sinan University Painting and Sculpture Museum
Originally
founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1937, MSU Painting & Sculpture Museum
is one of the best activities in Besiktas for the art-lover. It was initially
inside the Dolmabahce Palace complex, but it is administrated by Mimar Sinan
University today. Inside, you will find the finest examples of sculptures and
paintings created during the reign of the Ottoman Empire. With a current number
of 6531 drawings, 487 sculptures, 78 scriptures, 50 ceramics and 10 icons, there
are literally thousands of amazing art pieces to see in this museum.
