Asian side, Istanbul

You arrived to Beykoz and realized that there is no affordable transportation to Polonezköy...
So don't go there and explore this quarter on the Asian side of Istanbul. It is really worth it!
Following the main road, you will first arrive at a fountain house whith seven water outlets. The water didn't harm me. Then you follow the way to an old ruined Ottoman military building. Walk through it and find the road on the other side. Walk upwards and wait for the bus, because Yusha Tepe is still an hour away by feet. There is a way leaving the main road to the left. On the beginning you may meet Hashim Bey selling wood spoons carved by himself. The way up, you arrive at a popular Muslim worship place.
You'll have a very great sight of the Bosphorus from there.

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Unseen i should think by any tourists.Best from June.
Dolmus from Taksim (in the road next to the Ataturk Kultur Merkezi)passes the park and only costs 5 Ytl or $4 one way.Ask for Goztepe or Sahil and takes usually 15-20 mins.

The asian side of Istanbul is a very beautiful place.
Not too many attractions like in the old city or the european side but very beautiful , cheaper prices , modern places and less touristic.

mostly of traveler are missing the Maiden Tower in Istanbul.
Which is middle(almost) of the bosphorus.Close to Uskudar(asia side)

since 2001 they made restoration and you can have dinner or breakfast there.

they have live music and a boat which will take you there in 5 min. ;-)

my suggestion is having breakfast with freash air and incredible view !!

As most of people may know Istanbul is landed on two continents and I am living in Kadikoy Asian side. If you are in Istanbul take a ferry from Eminonu or Karakoy and come to Kadikoy than take the tram 20 go to Moda and beside the seaside eat yr famous ice cream named "Moda Dondurmasi".........

I was sitting on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus - somewhere between Uskudar and Salacak. I was watching the ships, the current, and the birds. Three women sat down about 10 meters away from me. One kept looking at me and smiling, I smiled back. Some forms of communication are just universal.

She sat next to me and things turned awkward. She spoke maybe 20 words in English. I spoke two in Turkish.

"Evet" and "Chai" will not get you very far.

A women came by selling flowers and so I bought one for her. I took her picture. We are back to a universal language.

Those friendships that last five minutes, those experiences that stay with us for a lifetime.

In my mind you are all so scattered around the world for me. Those that are and those that will be.

Once over the shock of the monstrousness of the pink theatre as you step off the ferry, cross over into the labryinth of small streets that is the heart of Kadikoy. This is where Istanbullus shop, enjoy and meet friends. The cobbled streets are lined with bookstores, art galleries,jewellers, cake shops, clothes stores.... and cafes. Climb higher up the hill into the maze and you will discover antique and craft shops.
The market is buzzing and colourful with stalls and shops specialising in different types of local food. Look out for the honey shop, the fish shops, and the olive oil shop and best of all the marzipan shop!
Take the ferry from Eminonu, Karakoy or Besiktas.

Uskadar is on the Asian side of the Bospherous. As there are few obvious sights on this side, many only take the ferry trip across to experience 'Asia'. But its worth simply wandering round the streets, stumbling across mosques, local food markets and, perhaps even more rewarding, the famed wooden buildings that have not been restored (many into hotels) as they have in the Sultanhamet area of the city. You will also see considerably more Turks than tourists simply going about their business. Combine the trip with the fantastic Kanaat Lokantasi restaurant or fish onone of the boats bobbing around on the Bospherous.

Don't neglect the Asian parts of Istanbul. Although there aren't so many of the traditional tourist attractions on this side of the Bosphorus, this is where 'real life' goes on (of course it exists on the European side too, but at times in Sultanahmet and Taksim it doesn't seem like it!). The large suburb of Uskudar has many old mosques and some interesting markets, while further south, and even more 'off the beaten path', is Kadikoy, an area I saw a lot of, as it was the ferry stop for Erenkoy where my friend lives. We spent a couple of evenings at the teahouses on the seafront (from where this photo was taken), and these are prime locations for sunset views across to Haydar Pasa (the Asian train terminal...better than it sounds!) and in the far distance, the minarets of Sultanahmet and Aya Sofya. Behind the port area and the wide and busy main road, are several narrow streets which seem to be quite a trendy area for students, with streetside cafes and second-hand bookshops. For more photos of Kadikoy, see my 'Sunsets Travelogue'...

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Uskudar is another neigborhood on the Asian side. It can be reached by ferry from Eminonu. We went here by taxi from Kadikoy. You can walk along the Bosporus shore and watch the Kizkulesi tower.