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Popular Nightlife | Miscellaneous Nightlife Tips | All Tips (254)
 | |  |  | Nevizade Sokak: Taksim Outdoor Nightlife | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
Nevizade Sokak, a side street 1 block from Istiklal Caddesi, is an area popular with locals for it's many small "meyhanes" - Turkish taverns, and outdoor sitting areas for chatting and drinking. All along Nevizade, primarily on nice evenings, you will find tables set up outside with loads of people chatting away; snacking on "meze" - small Turkish dishes, and sucking down Efes beer or some "raki" - a Turkish liquor. The taverns and bars here are generally quite small, but are great places to hang out with friends. Many of them play a variety of music, anything from traditional Turkish tunes to Rock. But if you really want to experience Nevizade, grab a spot outside on the street. When we were here, it got so packed outside, people were sitting anywhere they could, even on the curbs of the street. It was great! A excellent place to do some interesting people watching as well! Theme: Eating and DrinkingDirections: Nevizade Sokak is located just off of Istiklal Caddesi, near Galatasaray square & Çiçek Pasaji, in Taksim
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| | | | Sultana's: Belly dancing show | Tip Rating: | | | | |
There are not many places to see a belly dancing show in Istanbul. One of those places is Sultana's, a packaged dinner show, which cost 40 Euro per person. The Sultana, the mother of the sultan, was in charge of the harem and its concubines. At the beginning of the show, the audience watches as the sultana selects a new slave girl for the harem. If she is lucky, she will give birth to the next sultan and her power and wealth will increase. One of the ways a concubine would garner attention was by her belly dancing skills. There are many good belly dancers here. Later in the night, folk dancers dressed in traditional Turkish costumes give a demonstration. The night ends with a singer performing well-known ballads from various countries. This is more of a tourist trap than a cultural experience. I felt like I was in Disneyland, not Istanbul, while watching the show. That being said, I would recommend it to older travelers or people with children. The price includes the dinner, a small bottle of wine and transportation to and from your hotel. You can purchase tickets from any travel agency in Istanbul or through your hotel. There will likely be literature about Sultana's in your hotel lobby. Theme: OtherAddress: 16/1 Cumhuriyet CaddesiPhone: 212 2193904
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| | | | Crystal: it happens at around 3 am on weekends | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Crystal is the place to be after all the clubs shut down. This summer, due to the new 'noise level regulations' in effect on the European shores of Istanbul, many clubs have had to turn down their music at 2 am. So Crystal got busier earlier than usual. Cyrstal was good again this summer. I was only there three times this time around but the second time was the best. There was a DJ from Chicago that rocked the club inside. The DJ booth now moved to the opposite wall but the sound is still top quality as before. The club is open from Thursdays to Saturdays (going into Sunday morning actually). It's in Ortakoy almost right underneath the enormous span of the bridge to Asia. The location with its large 'outdoor' bar and seating all around it, large covered lounge area and house music create a super cool atmosphere to hang out in and dance to house music if you feel like it. Last fall/winter, the lounge area was spiffed up so that it's now sleeker and more disco-ey with disco balls, black and white scheme that lends the lounge a rsuper retro feel. Crystal books top DJs from Europe and the US regulary + hosts the best DJs in Turkey as well. Inside is the cavernous club with its dope sound system. Mostly deep, tribal and progressive house music is played in the indoor club but it's running a wider gamut these days from funky to break beats to electo tunes. Famous DJs from all over the world have gotten on Crystal's decks and some really good ones from Istanbul like UFUK and my friends, Evren + Evren played there a while back. I like it when house music is played in the lounge area by DJ Kiwi. One thing I don't like is it gets really hot in the summer months in the lounge area since it it not air-conditioned. The inside club is but there's so much smoke in there that I cannot stand being there for more than 10 minutes!
The dress code's pretty relaxed. Jeans is the predominant Crystal culture wear but for the tops, the trendier the better. Fashionistas have been known to hang out there but in the summer, it's really very casual. Men are usually in T's and crisp linens. Girls, feel free to wear your hot frocks with Christian Loboutins or Manolos, Jimmy Choos or Miu Mius, Gunmetals or G Shocks; your Diors, Dolces, Guccis or grunge, Stellas or Spassos; Polo Garage or Tweens and True Religion jeans and indie designer threads. Soho, boho or the real Bono...cool cats, gals and their pals are welcome as long as you have the matching attitude. It wouldn't hurt if you know people either...that should get you on the VIP line straight through the door. See you there when I go back! Leave a Comment Theme: DancingAddress: Muallim Naci Caddesi No.65 OrtakoyPhone: 0212 261 1988Directions: under the bridge in Ortakoy, a stone's throw across from ReinaWebsite: www.clubcrystal.org
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This famous Covered Gallery houses many nice terraces and restaurants. Though is a bit touristic, it’s often crowded, and anyway is nice to sit at the terraces and watch the people go by. Around it there are many local bars and cheap restaurants too (in the back, at Nevizade Street) in case you don’t find place here… To get here, go up Istiklal, if you go from Tunnel to Taksim, you will find it at your left after passing the Lycee. Leave a Comment Theme: Eating and Drinking
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