Coming to istanbul for the very first time and not hearing about taksim while on your way to turkey is not something normal, for some reason the taksim holds a special magic in the hearts of the tourists and locals, it is famous for its local and worldwide brands sitting on both sides of the street, in addition to its wide variations of local stores from turkish delights to restaurants.
Here are some options for you to let you know what to do in Istanbul especially in Taksim.
Atatürk kültür Merkezi is a multi-purpose cultural center, with its opera house, it sits as an important example of the Turkish architecture back from the 60’s, it hosted many theater performances and the Turkish State Opera and Ballet, and a classical Turkish music Choir, as well as the festival of Arts and Culture during the summer. Visit this magnificent building at night to enjoy the view that will take your breath away with its illuminated view though, it is not the only magnificent culture center in Istanbul the city is full of culture that could charms you such as Hagia Sophia, the old city…to a list never ends in Istanbul.
After buying your souvenirs from the Grand Bazaar, you will find yourself buying more Souvenirs from Taksim square since they offer different types of Souvenirs, it is considered one of the best places in the entire city to buy from, you will find shops from every kind, including clothes brands, book stores, jewelry and don’t forget the beautiful handmade souvenirs made by locals, you won’t get enough of Taksim by visiting it in one day, make sure you spend more than one day during you visit in Istanbul in Taksim.
After wandering around the Taksim, you will find yourself hungry, take a deep breath, look around for many options to choose between variations of cuisines, bars, and international fast food, and enjoy a meal in one of the various eating spots, one of the favorite local dish is the Islak Hamburger which is a burger made with a special tomato sauce and herbs, and don’t forget the Döner the famous Turkish sandwich which is either a meat or chicken.
One of the places that serves the best cheesecakes and coffee in Taksim and really famous for locals and tourists is not Starbucks as what you think, it is named Viyana kahvesi (Viyana Café) it is next to Galata Tower, the place has a spectacular atmosphere and famous for their delicious San Sebastian cheesecake, whether you like it sugarless or with caramel or dark or milk chocolate, in addition to their wide variations of delights available for you to serve, their coffee roaster is also as good as their cheesecakes, and an outdoor seating viewing the Galata Tower with not much of a street crowd moving next to you, definitely a place to sit down and have a nice treat after a long walk in Taksim.
Walking around the Taksim and Istiklal street you will notice a lot of wonderful, colorful, and talented street art you will ever see, spend some time enjoying the lovely pieces of art and let your ears listen to the wonderful melodies the street artists offer you during the evening, they can be found anywhere across the street in Taksim.
While you are there as well during the weekends, sometimes if there is a match day for a famous Turkish Club Football, you will see the crowds of fans cheering all the way with beautiful music for their club alongside fireworks, making a magical atmosphere, you can even join them with the chants as well if you any.
Normal day or a holiday, if you are a fan of parties and clubs, you will find plenty of bars and clubs around in Taksim you can enjoy, believe it or not in New Year’s Eve these clubs are almost full of people so you might want to go there a little early to catch a spot and live an atmosphere with locals you will never forget.
You want to have a lovely and calm evening with your partners with a beer or your favorite drink, when you are walking through the Taksim street you will notice in the peaceful avenues a lot of great bars to checkout, just sitting down have a good chat and drink your favorite beverage.
The Taksim is never a onetime visit for many people around the world, as we mentioned in the beginning it holds a special place in the hearts of people, since it gathers around many cultures together and its crowded avenues full of people with a smile on their faces.
