Hotels near Kadıköy and Moda

A 20-minute ferry ride from the old city takes you to Kadıköy on the Asian side, where locals outnumber visitors. The market streets around Güneşli Bahçe Sokağı are lined with fishmongers, pickle shops, cheese counters and meze bars. December is the season for hamsi, small Black Sea anchovies fried in cornmeal and served with onions, and for glasses of sour pickle juice that locals swear keep winter colds away.

From the market, walk 15 minutes south to Moda, a residential neighbourhood on a small headland. Its waterfront park and tea gardens face west across the water to the domes and minarets of the historic peninsula, which makes it one of the best sunset spots in the city. Kadıköy's backstreets also have good cafes and bars for an evening out.

Pro Tip: Order hamsi tava at one of the fish restaurants by the market, and take the ferry back after sunset to see the old city's mosques lit up from the water.