Surrounding a motorway junction on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, Ataşehir is a bustling commercial and residential district in Turkey’s largest city. It’s clustered with high-rise condominium towers and light-filled shopping malls, as well as one of the tallest buildings in the city, the 301-metre-high Metropol İstanbul.
Things to do in Atasehir
For a retail fix, head to Brandium AVM, a glass-roofed shopping mall home to big-name international brands and local retailers. You can browse women’s fashions at Penti and Twist, shop for shoes at IN Street or pick up beauty supplies at Gratis. When it’s time to eat, there is a wide choice of options, including Bereket Döner and Granny’s Waffles.
Ataşehir is also home to the Ülker Sports Arena, a multi-purpose facility that regularly hosts professional basketball games and live music concerts. It serves as the home court of the Fenerbahçe men’s and women’s basketball teams and boasts several fast-food cafeterias where you can grab snacks before the games. Nearby is the Mimar Sinan Camii, a magnificent mosque topped by four 72-metre-high minarets.
On the northern edge of Ataşehir is the Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanical Garden, which opened to the public in 2002. Bordering a busy motorway junction, its landscaped grounds offer a tranquil escape, with seasonal flower beds, lily-filled ponds and a children’s play area among its attractions. The garden also features a herbarium, a botanical library and a seed storage facility.
Getting around Atasehir
Ataşehir is around 30 minutes’ drive from the centre of Istanbul and 45 minutes from Istanbul Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Subway services stop at the Kozyatağı and Yenisahra stations and buses also travel throughout the district, connecting most of its attractions.