Of the many galleries affiliated to a bank, this one has perhaps the most interesting programme . Close to Taksim Square, the first-floor space is accessible via the main...

Antre stocks around 40 regional cheeses, all bought from local producers and free from additives. There's also a fair selection of cold meats, Austrian wholegrain breads,...

You name it, this place pickles it. Going strong since 1938, the artistic displays of colourful jars are a sight to behold. In addition to old-fashioned pickles, you can down...

Above a muddled arcade selling anything from kitsch accessories to second-hand clothes, this once imposing cinema has been carved into three smaller screens. The largest still...

Popular with the grungy and black-clad, the layout of this arcade behind the Atlas cinema is more structured than most, and its stock is of a higher quality, with a better...

In business since 1966, the Avrupa has a cheerful orange, green and yellow colour scheme. The unfussy rooms with small ensuite bathrooms are good value. There's a breakfast...

This bowling café is one of the most popular among young people in Istanbul. There are also pool tables, and a café serving fast food and snacks.

More of a live music venue than a club, the intimate Babylon hosts some of the best parties in town. Run by the prolific Pozitif group, it's one of the few places that offers...

A modest, single-room venue just off Tünel Square, Badehane began as an eaterie, but quickly evolved into one of the most popular bars in town. Smarter after a recent...

This popular student hangout on two floors issupplemented with a pleasant garden in summer. It gets busy early, with crowds turning up for passable Britpop and rock cover...

Possibly the cleanest and most atmospheric hamam in town. Built in 1584 by Sinan, it was commissioned by Nurbanu, wife of Sultan Selim the Sot, as a charitable foundation for...

Behind the Galatasaray Lycée, this fabulous 19th- century building was originally a school for the Italian Workers' Association. Beautifully converted into a glamorous bar and...

The hotel is an annexe to a 19th-century palace on the Bosphorus built for Sultan Abdülaziz, an ill-fated ruler who killed himself with a pair of scissors in one of its...

The 130-year-old premises once housed the Dutch Consulate. This shop specialises in books on a maritime theme (deniz means 'sea'), but is also strong on travel guides,...