Known in ancient times as Chalcedon, Kadıköy is a bustling residential neighbourhood on Istanbul’s Asian side. It centres around a lively commercial district packed with restaurants, cinemas and bars while being framed by picturesque green spaces. Kadıköy is home to one of Turkey’s most famous soccer clubs, Fenerbahçe.
Things to do in Kadikoy
Stroll through the mural-adorned streets of Kadıköy to browse its independent boutiques and soak up the buzz of the Kadıköy Market. In addition to fresh fish, you’ll find mountains of olives, Turkish pizzas and delicious sweets to try. Be sure to admire the bronze-sculpted Kadikoy Bull Statue and soak up the views towards Sultanahmet from the waterfront.
Both young and old will enjoy the Istanbul Toy Museum, which exhibits around 4,000 toys, games and miniatures from Turkey and beyond. It was founded by the Turkish poet, Sunay Akın, with some of the toys dating back 200 years. The Istanbul Toy Museum occupies the historic site of the Eyüp Toy Shop where locals shopped for children’s gifts until the 1950s.
Coincide your visit to Kadıköy with a soccer match at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, which is the home ground of Fenerbahçe. It was here that the first official games of the Istanbul Football League were played in 1908, with the stadium named after Turkey’s fifth prime minister. Forming part of the stadium complex is the Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü Müzesi, where club memorabilia and trophies are exhibited.
Getting around Kadikoy
Kadıköy is around 15 minutes’ drive from Istanbul and 45 minutes from Istanbul Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Long-distance trains connect to the Haydarpaşa railway station while Line M4 of the Istanbul Metro travels through the district. A network of buses serves Kadıköy while ferries connect to Istanbul’s European side.