Nişantaşı: Istanbul

Nişantaşı is one of the most socialite part of İstanbul. Featuring as a shopping spree, a café and brasserie haven, rich neighbourhood with rich rents and a happy hour buzz, Nişantaşı is where the locals go to hang out, to see and be seen. The trendy luxury boutique Hotel Sofa and its elegant spa Taylife, City's (the so-called Harrod's of İstanbul), some of the finest art galleries and the famous Long Table Restaurant are all here. Abdi İpekçi Caddesi is the Turkish equivalent of 5th Avenue with rich boutiques and cafes lined up along its sides, it is also where a street party was held in the honor of New Year's Eve celebrations in recent years (2003, 2004 and 2005). Recently, the borders of Nişantaşı's social scene have expanded to include the Akaretler district -the short road uphill connecting Beşiktaş to the tip of Nişantaşı. This is also where the famous new Hotel W is located, along with trendy new bars and restaurants, such as Joke Prestroyka, Der Die Das and Vogue. There is also new shopping buzz in Akaretler, as the street running parallel now features all the Champs-Elysees boutiques and stores starting with Marc Jacobs. Getting in to Nişantaşı is not very hard. Metro line connects to Osmanbey, which is 5 to 10 minutes walking distance from the heart of Nişantaşı, and minibuses arrive to the heart of Teşvikiye -one of Nişantaşı's smaller districts. © NileGuide