Destinations

Why Istanbul Should Be on Every Traveler’s Radar in 2022

From the long-awaited Galataport district to the new Renzo Piano–designed Istanbul Modern, a slew of openings are breathing new life into Istanbul's public spaces.
outdoor patio seating looking at skyline of Istanbul
Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus Istanbul

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Over the many centuries of Istanbul’s existence, it’s become trite to say it's a city that’s been rebuilt many times. Yet there is always something true in overused expressions. If not rebuilt, it’s a place that’s been reborn many times, and it looks to be entering into another incarnation, thanks to the culmination of a slew of long-awaited mega projects. From a massive, shiny new waterfront district to an old gasworks site refueling Istanbul’s creative scene, the Turkish city is exhibiting new life in public spaces in a way that hasn’t been seen for decades.

A rendering of the new waterfront Galataport district, which features a new cruise terminal.

Galataport

Where the Bosphorus, Golden Horn, and Sea of Marmara meet, the long-awaited Galataport district, a complex that's a mix of museums, shops, restaurants, and breweries set along the scenic shores of the funky Karaköy district, has finally opened its first phase. The $1.7 billion redevelopment project has bought to life an area previously closed to the public for 200 years, and it marks the spot where cruise ships are now returning to Istanbul for the first time since 2016, with passengers arriving through the world’s first underground cruise terminal. Though the return of mega cruise ships has predictably sparked mixed reactions from locals, Galataport’s unveiling was a pleasant surprise. What was feared to be a corporate waterside mall turned out to be one of the city’s best new culinary and culture hubs, opening a vast and pristine waterfront district overlooking what could easily become the best new vantage point to take in views of the Bosphorus and minaret-studded Sultanahmet skyline.

A nearly mile-long blushing sandstone promenade makes for a grand entrance, lined with rose-and-hazel-hued midcentury buildings accented by overflowing planters and benches, and gets credit from locals for showcasing some of Istanbul’s best home-grown culinary spots in a new light. The Populist, inside Istanbul's first brewery from 1890, brews craft beer in a sleek new three-tier space with unobstructed views of the water—a contrast to its flagship in the charmingly rustic Bomontiada factory complex in the Şişli district. Grandma is an intimate bakery offering some of the best seasonal pastries in Istanbul (order the hazelnut-cherry cake, if they have it), and Mezzaluna offers more toned-down Italian classics like ravioli de melanzane. The next phase of the new waterfront development will roll out in early 2022, with the highly-anticipated unveiling of Istanbul Modern’s new Renzo Piano-designed home among a slew of other openings.

The Children's Art Center at Ataturk Cultural Center

Ataturk Cultural Center

Near Taksim Square, Ataturk Cultural Center (also known as AKM) has opened after 13 years of construction. The center of Istanbul’s performing arts scene in the 1960s, it’s retained the original imposing mid-century style, but with a new veneer of shimmering metal cladding designed by the son of the original architect. It now boasts an opera house housed underneath a red-tiled dome and also features other multi-purpose spaces for performing arts and exhibitions.

Yet another major new hub changing Istanbul’s art scene is Muze Gazhane—another new cultural complex, but with a completely different vibe to sprawling Galataport and the imposing Ataturk Cultural Center. Inhabiting a 130-year-old former gasworks building, it’s been reimagined to house a science center and climate museum; two theater and concert stages; a library and bookshop; cartoon museum; and a marketplace selling locally-made crafts. A contemporary gallery with rotating exhibits across multiple spaces, plus craft workshops and acoustic candlelit concerts, bring it all to life. It’s also an opportunity for visitors to easily dip into the smaller, local cultural and artistic community.

But it’s not just new developments, even historic places like the 673-year-old Genoese Galata Tower—one of Istanbul's most popular sites—got a lengthy refresh over the last two years, recently reopening as a museum. The sky-high views remain as they have for more than 300 years, but the interior that not long ago still echoed its history as a dungeon, now features eight floors of new exhibitions. Newly uncovered stone walls set the stage for Byzantine, Roman, and Genoese artifacts and miniature models of Istanbul.

The Mandarin Oriental Istanbul opened along the Bosphorus earlier this year.

Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus Istanbul

Across the Bosphorus, another tower points to the future. The new Camlica Tower has been a curious fixture on Istanbul’s skyline since 2019, but opened to the public this year. Designed by local architects Melike Altinisik Architects, its geometric shape looks straight out of the Jetsons (though Twitter has compared it to the likes of an oven lighter), but the main perk of visiting it is that, at more than 1,200 feet, its observation tower offers the highest views in Istanbul.

And, of course, there are new places to stay in this ever-evolving megalopolis. For patient travelers, The Peninsula will anchor the Galataport district in 2023 with the Bosphorus’ newest 5-star hotel, featuring 177 guest rooms, a spacious hamam, and a pool with views of Topkapi Palace. A few miles up the strait, the long-awaited Mandarin Oriental Istanbul finally opened its doors this year, ushering more contemporary luxury to the waterfront. Of particular note is the hotel’s multiple dining spaces, culminating in an expansive indoor-outdoor experience right along the water. The menus bring together influences from Europe and Asia, right on the waterway that separates them. Dishes like risotto and sushi feel surprisingly at home here. But new hotels don’t mean that the past has been forgotten. That’s especially true at Ciragan Palace Kempinski, where a new corridor of the hotel has opened and been converted into a micro-museum, with docent-led tours of artifacts and archival documents that detail the palace’s storied history as the eternal grand dame of the Bosphorus.