Kadıköy and Moda

Kadıköy sits on the site of ancient Chalcedon, founded before Byzantion across the water and called the city of the blind - in the ancient story, for passing over the better site opposite - but nothing of that is visible - what draws people now is the district itself. The streets behind the ferry pier hold the food market: fishmongers, pickle shops, cheesemongers, coffee roasters, baklava counters and the bars that fill Kadife Sokak, known to everyone as Barlar Sokağı. Yeldeğirmeni, uphill, is covered in large-scale murals from a street-art programme. Moda, the headland south, is quieter and greener - a tree-lined promenade round the shore, a small nostalgic tram looping the neighbourhood, tea gardens facing west so the sun sets behind the old city skyline across the water. Moda grew as a residential quarter only after the 1870s, when wealthy families built mansions here, and it keeps Armenian, Greek and Anglican churches and the Süreyya Opera House of 1927. The whole area is bookish and student-heavy, and it is the part of Istanbul residents most often recommend to visitors who have already done Sultanahmet.

What to look for

• The food market - fish, pickles, cheese and baklava streets.
• The murals - large-scale street art in Yeldeğirmeni.
• The Moda promenade - the shore walk round the headland.
• The nostalgic tram - the small loop line through Moda.

When to go

April to June and September to October. Mornings for the market, late afternoon on the Moda shore for sunset over the old city.

Practical notes

The bar streets are loud into the early hours. The market is genuinely busy and crowded on Saturdays. Ferries stop running late evening - check the last boat if you are staying on the European side.

Nearby

Üsküdar and Kuzguncuk are north along the shore; the Princes' Islands ferries leave from Kadıköy.

Key facts