Going out in Istanbul and on the Antalya coast

Beyoğlu (Nevizade, Asmalımescit, Galata)

The side streets off İstiklal Avenue have been the city's evening district for generations. Nevizade and the lanes behind the Fish Market are lined with meyhane taverns where dinner stretches late, while Asmalımescit and the slopes down to Galata hold small music venues and jazz clubs. It is busy all year, most of all on Friday and Saturday nights. Taksim and Şişhane metro stations and the Tünel funicular put you at either end of İstiklal; after the last trains, use a licensed yellow taxi or a taxi app, and agree on the route before you set off.

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Karaköy

The old port quarter below Galata has turned its warehouses and bank buildings into cafés, wine bars and small restaurants. Evenings here are quieter and earlier than in Beyoğlu, which makes it a good place to start the night. It is open all year. The T1 tram stops at Karaköy, and ferries to Kadıköy leave from the pier. Galata Bridge leads over to Eminönü on foot.

Kadıköy (Kadife Sokak, Moda)

On the Asian shore, Kadife Sokak, known locally as "Barlar Sokağı", and the streets around it towards Moda are the students' and locals' night out: small bars, rock and indie venues and late cafés, with fewer tourists than across the water. It is lively all year. Get there by ferry from Karaköy, Eminönü or Beşiktaş, or by Marmaray to Söğütlüçeşme. Check the time of the last ferry before you go. After that, the Marmaray line or a taxi over the bridge are the ways back to the European side.

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Kaleiçi

Antalya's walled old town holds garden bars, live-music venues and terraces above the old harbour, all in the lanes between restored Ottoman houses. It stays open all year, busiest from May to October. The city tram runs along the edge of the old town, and the harbour is a short walk downhill through the lanes. For the late return, taxis are easiest to find on the main avenues just outside the walls.

Kemer centre (Deniz Caddesi, marina)

Kemer's nightlife sits in a compact strip between the town centre and the marina. Big open-air clubs share it with smaller bars, all within walking distance of each other. It is a summer scene that runs from late spring to October; in winter most venues close. Most visitors stay in resorts along the coast road, so plan the return in advance: resort shuttles, dolmuş minibuses in the evening, or a taxi from the stand in the centre.

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Alanya harbour and Kleopatra side (İskele Caddesi)

Alanya's night centres on the harbour below the castle, where İskele Caddesi and the lanes behind it are packed with multi-level clubs and bars. Kleopatra Beach, on the other side of the peninsula, is quieter, with beach bars that close earlier. Large open-air clubs further east along the coast run their own evening shuttles. The season is summer, roughly May to October. The harbour is walkable from the centre; taxis and hotel shuttles serve the outer districts.

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