Lovely loft with huge terrace in Beyoglu, Istanbul  

Description from the owner

Our 7th and newest flat is the summit of our experiences, not a luxurious choice, but home you always miss to have. Already experienced by 56 people in 29 group since June 2012. (11.01.2013)

You are coming to Istanbul, that means you are looking for something historical but urban, something imperial but humble, something oriental but western, something old style but fresh. Those are what we are offering make the city embracing you in a warm way. You may find real comfort in a spacious picture. The most of the furniture has been taken from our antique shop, cleaned, varnished and settled to make a difference and create an exceptional de...coration and make you feel yourself someone special who already you are. There will be a small garden you may share with our other flat in a month. Cezayir Street known as French quarter is a few steps away. Also Istiklal Street, Asmali Mescit, Galata, Cihangir in walking distance. The touristic attractions of Eminonu, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Bosphorus tours with ferries, Spice Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, several old hamams, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia are very easy to access by tram. You may walk those routes which could be fun also.

If you see your days are not available on calendar or if you have a bigger group, please ask for any other rooms, because we have 6 flats in the same building with numbers of capacity for hosting 26 people at the same time.

This is really lovely deluxe flat in Galatasaray managed by directly the owners who like to meet people from around the world. If you seek for exceptional places, this is it.

Please read until the end of this description to see what you will have in Istanbul with us.

Want to go to Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace or Grand Bazaar. Get a tram from Tophane after 5 minutes walk.

Would you like to shop? Walk to Galatasaray, Istiklal Street in 5 minutes and get everything you want.

You wanna try a glass of Raki? "Cicek Pasaji - Passage de Fleure", an old and very decorative gallery with full of drink houses, is in 5 minutes walk away. Or you may go to Nevizade Street after there. But take it slow, Raki would make you dizzy. It is our strong and very delicious spirit. It's best in a conversation.

Or you can take Galata area, near the Galata Tower. You may get there in 15 minutes by walking. There are new shops and cafes await you.

What about neighborhood? Cezayir Street, also known French Street is 25 steps up. You cannot find anything French, but lots of cafes and restaurants offers variety of courses from Turkish and international cuisine. In the street there are singers playing guitar and sing popular Turkish and English songs in the evening. This ambiance attracts tourists and natives together.

Of course entertainment is not the only thing we have. History begins from our building and street. In Tophane, the old arsenal building, the Mosque of the Admiral Kilic Ali Pasha, Modern Art museum and the new art galleries are some of attractive places you would like to interest.

By following the tram line you can get Galata Bridge, with a great view, some oriental and makes you feel you are in a fairy tale especially in the morning or near to the evening. There are fish restaurants under the bridge or near the ports also. BalikEkmek-Fish&Bread; would be a good meal.

On the way to the bridge, there are several old churches, which are hundreds of years old.

After the bridge you get Eminonu. This journey takes 20 minutes maximum by walking. Or you can take tram of course. Eminonu is where the Spice Bazaar is. We call it Egyptian Bazaar.

You want more? You will have it.

Go left from Tophane. After 2 tram stop you get Kabatas, where the ferries go to Prince's Islands. Except winter, the islands offer an experience about living in another world in Istanbul, without kaos and crowd of cars. There are 2 type of ferries. Seabuses and ferries. We recommend open ones, because you will have opportunities to feed the seagulls with simit. What is simit? It's a kind of bagel with sesame on it. Very crispy. And the best ones are being baked in our street, Bogazkesen. For islands one day would be enough.

From Kabatas you may take buses to Sariyer, near the edge of Bosphorus. There are several villages after and after with old neighborhoods on the coast with fish restaurants and cafes, and parks to sit near the sea. Ortakoy, Bebek, Emirgan, Yenikoy, Sariyer. Without taking tram, you can walk to Kabatas in 15 minutes, and get a bus to go the villages above.

After Kabatas, it is Dolmabahce, where the last Ottoman Palace is. Very decorative.

We may show you around, if you don't know anything about the neighborhood, when you get here.

So, lots of words to attract your attention.

We have some more space to write something, but why don't you come here to explore the others?

Thanks for visiting.Read more

Additional Location Information

This is the neighborhood I was born. The most central location of Istanbul, between Tophane and Galatasaray. So, everywhere is in a walking distance.. Tram line is 5 minutes away near to Istanbul Modern in Tophane, the famous Istiklal Street is on the opposite way with its cafes, drink houses, bookstores and unrivaled entertainment facilities. Also Galata and Asmalimescid is in 10-15 minutes away by walk. Also just steps to Cezayir Street, also known as French Street, full of cafes and restaurants with live music. If you come to us, expect you will have fun.

Location Type City, Downtown

Rental fees

What Past Guests Are Saying

Overall Rating

• rebelemergency
  toronto, on

  Feels like Home and comes with a great landlord/guide/friend

  Left on 05/12/2013 for a stay in April 2013
  
  

  We were here for a total of five days as part of our honeymoon and we loved the apartment, the location, and the landlord and his wife. The apartment was spacious, clean, comfortable and felt like a home, not just a rental apartment. The apartment was also very Turkish, you will feel like a local staying here. The location was great because it was right in the middle of the "European" area of Istanbul with lots of great shops, cafes, and restaurants. Aydin (landlord) blew our expectations out of the water - he was kind, knowledgeable, attentive, and passionate about hospitality. He met us when we first arrived and even though it was late, he gave us a great tour of the local eateries and attractions. His wife (a talented artist) provided us with a cool, homemade map of the area with all the best spots marked off. You can see her artistic influence throughout the apartment. We would recommend it to anyone and we will be back one day.

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Friends

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• Fanny, Patrick et Paule
  France

  La Delicatesse

  Left on 04/17/2013 for a stay in March 2013
  
  

  La porte s'ouvre.Le refuge.Literie parfaite. Douceur du beau linge sur la peau. Aydin LE Genereux vous fait le plus beau des cadeaux : Sa carte de son Istanbul pour vous aider à voir l'essentiel, à le ressentir. Le plus beau des cadeaux...
  
  Et aussi, le récit de Daniel Rondeau, Istanbul.
  
  Aujourd'hui aucun de nous 3 ne sait. Était-ce un voyage ou un câlin ?
  Pendant une semaine notre tête devenue Bosphore, calée entre deux seins_Europe et asie_ : posée au plus près du cœur.
  
  Et encore, Cerise sur le gâteau : Dauphins sur le Bosphore.
  
  A Demain.
  

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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• Farjan
  Akcay

  Home from home..

  Left on 02/15/2013 for a stay in February 2013
  
  

  We stayed here for 5 days and had a great time. From the start when aydin bey picked us up and settled us in our little home from home, giving us a little map of the area to help us on our way.. even though he couldnt do anything about the weather, we had a great time catching up with family and friends. Would thoroughly recommend the lovely little loft flat we stayed in. Thankyou very much to aydin bey and his lovely wife Evrim..

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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• Claudia P
  genova

  Super comfortable house and great hosts!!

  Left on 01/12/2013 for a stay in January 2013
  
  

  We stayed for one week in Istanbul at Evrim and aydin's. We were lucky to experience two of their very nice apartments, one is this loft. Both flats were absolutely charming and equipped with everything you could need. Great location, lovely views from the terraces. And Evrim and aydin are really two great hosts, very helpful with everything, very friendly and well, two persons we hope to meet again next time we visit Istanbul. I'll keep their hand drawn map of the surroundings jealously!!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Romantic, Families

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• Silvia
  Firenze Italy

  Un piccolo nido sui tetti di Istanbul

  Left on 01/08/2013 for a stay in January 2013
  
  

  Ho trascorso una splendida settimana in questo delizioso appartamento, curato nei minimi dettagli, estremamente accogliente e confortevole. La zona è bellissima molto caratteristica ed ad un passo dai mezzi pubblici. L'ospitalità di Evrim e di aydin è stata eccellente ed è stato un vero piacere conoscerli e stare nel loro appartamento

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Romantic

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• Anne
  Auckland/Amsterdam/London

  Great location, awesome terrace, helpful owner!

  Left on 11/13/2012 for a stay in October 2012
  
  

  Great little apartment, centrally located. Close to transport links and fantastic restaurants, bars, tourist sites and shops. Owner super helpful and very easy to contact and very responsive. Beautiful apartment, wonderfully decorated and fantastic large terrace. Highly recommend.

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Travelers, Romantic, Luxury, Families, Rugged

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• ipbg
  Hamburg

  homelike flat with great terrace

  Left on 10/24/2012 for a stay in September 2012
  
  

  We stayed 5 nights in this flat and felt very comfortable. There was nothing to complain! The terrace is great! Aydin & Evrim Balcik were so courteous and helpful. We can absolutely recommend this flat!

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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• Natalie
  Bulgaria

  Thank you for our cozy and amazing holiday!

  Left on 10/18/2012 for a stay in August 2012
  
  

  I would like to recommend this cozy apartment.We were impressed first from the way Evrim and aydin organized our trip - very detailed explanation how to get the address,later they made for us special trip around the house with lovely map made by hand.
  They helped us even in identifying national peculiarities.
  The apartment is with very interesting interior, clean and with super position - we are with our daughter 5 years old and in fact we succeeded to visit a lot of touristic places and in the same time to be fresh.As a conclusion we were happy there and I hope some day we will be back.
  

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

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• Kristinb
  Canberra

  Centrally located terrace apartment with excellent hosts

  Left on 08/22/2012 for a stay in August 2012
  
  

  We loved our two stays in aydin's apartments, located in the middle of Beyoglu where the hawkers are at a minimum, and the main sites are simply a walk or tram ride away.
  
  The apartment is very new, with comfy and funky furniture including some lovely antiques from the former shop that used to be in the base of the building.
  
  Aydin and Evrim were like friends to us from the start, providing great tips on where to eat and helping with whatever we wanted to do.
  
  A great place for people who want to be independent and have their own space.

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Travelers, Romantic, Families, Rugged

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• Adam E
  london

  I loved staying there

  Left on 08/01/2012 for a stay in July 2012
  
  

  We had a great time in this apartment ,it was so central to all the major attractions,really secure and very clean
  The hosts spoke were very friendly and spoke perfect English , they are helpful and easy going as he even picked me up from
  The bus stop .
  The loft apartment was furnished with antiques and had a homely feel , the only downfall was the temperature was hot in the entire apartment even with an aircon and fan.
  It didn't bother too much as I was out most the time and loved coming back to sleep there in the evening
  .
  I will definately stay there next year :)
  

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  Would you recommend this vacation rental to a friend? Yes

  Recommended for: Romantic, Rugged

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  Was this review helpful? Yes