Istanbul beats Paris any day when it comes to experiencing romantic moments, as far as I am convinced. Even logistically it is superior to most golden standard romantic cities. Easy to get to, few if any visa requirements. I know of many long-distance couples that have decided on it as their meeting point in recent years. If you don’t have anyone to take on a date yet but would like to, there is a good chance you can meet them here. People from everywhere come here for a variety of reasons. A friend of mine went for a short walk by the Golden Horn (she was with me all the time and this was the only hour she had alone) and ended up having an hour-long interesting conversation with a cute stranger. It does not need to lead to anything, as it’s never about the quantity of time in Istanbul. The quality of random conversations in this old city is something to tell stories about.
To be fair, you don’t really need a guide to romantic places in Istanbul, perhaps just for inspiration. For that reason, here is my personal take on the best places to make you feel alive and in love. I hope you make your own list!
Cisterns
Any of Istanbul cisterns is a perfect place for a date for a few reasons. First, it is pretty innocent to be suitable for an early date. It is a tourist attraction and a must-see so you can ask them out without making it a big deal. However, it is also quite dark so it offers some opportunities – such as sneaking a kiss or accidentally touching hands while watching the light show or walking the cistern’s narrow paths.
If you are lucky, there will be a concert or exhibition, hyping up your experience. Recently opened Yerebatan Sarnici (Basilica Cistern) is the most discussed one and you might have seen it in the old James Bond movie, From Russia with Love. However, the other two, Şerefiye Cistern and Binbirdirek Cistern are also well worth a visit. All are located in Sultanahmet area, and you can extend the date to Gülhane Park if it goes well.
Ferry rides
I know ferries are often just a way of public transport, but I refuse to not see taking them as a romantic activity. Riding a ferry together could be as innocent as sitting across each other, or heavily romantic, cosplaying Leo and Kate on Titanic. You could try spotting the dolphins during the summer, or indulge in Hagia Sophia and the skyline throughout the year.
With a ferry, you can regulate the duration of your date. A short one from Beşiktaş to Üsküdar to see if the conversation flows along with the Bosphorus, or tanks and gets stuck like the Evergreen. If you are feeling confident and want to talk for hours, you do not need to buy a Bosphorus tour – just take a regular ferry from Eminönü to Sarıyer and back, and it will take you a few hours. There will be tea and squeezed juice offered, and sometimes even live music (on municipality Şehir Hatları ferries only). I recommend using the Şehir Hatları app to see the schedule of departures.
While I might not necessarily advise this, taking the same ferry there and back without leaving is more fun. The shared experience of doing something mischievous brings you closer. If you are sure you want to be just alone, you can call a sea taxi (Deniz taksi) from every ferry port. You can call them from the official app, and the price is for the ferry ride, not for the passenger. It can fit up to ten passengers and the starting price is 100 TL. They operate 24/7 which is very convenient if you get lost in time with your date.
Shores of Istanbul
You can try every place by the sea you can find, and they will all be great. The area between Galata and Haliç bridges gives off European vibes with its wooden steps by the sea, along with the cycling and running lanes. Caddebostan Sahili in Asia offers seating on the grass or the rocks just by the sea. If you are enjoying your date, you can even dare to meet the sunrise together, and take a sea taxi afterward.
Be prepared to say no to the flower sellers. They are most certainly going to invade your personal space for business. If you want to do it in an authentic way, you can raise your eyebrows as Turkish people do. Please do be on the lookout for roving tea, snacks, and water sellers, their prices are fair and their drinks are fresh. If you are here for a long time, you can mimic locals further and invest in garden chairs (which can be bought in most supermarkets).
Open air (açık hava) concerts
If it is summer (September and October as well!) there are a lot of free concerts in public parks and by the sea. There, you can choose your own level of comfort: lie on the grass, bring your own foldable chair, or dance next to the stage. At one concert I saw a family using the time better than most businessmen and peeling a big bucket of beans. These concerts are truly for all people. Dogs too – you are warned.
Müze Gazhane in Kadıköy offers free concerts quite regularly. The space itself is also very well worth the visit. It is a renovated Ottoman gas storage facility, built in 1892 and functioning until 1994. Besides an open-air stage, there is also a café, a bookshop, and a museum of caricatures. Kids are using the space as a roller drome, too.
For a free show, you can also follow Istanbul City Orchestra (İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi Kent Orkestrası) around the city. They perform at prime spots such as Haliç Bridge, Maçka Park, and others, playing covers of famous songs in English, Turkish, and occasionally French. I really like the obligatory game in the end when the crowd shouts “Bi daha” (one more) and the band pretends they did not plan to play more, but then agrees to have more fun. The repertoire is changing, but having been to quite a few of their concerts I can state that Abba’s Dancing Queen is their favorite.
Wandering around
When in Istanbul, you can travel without leaving it. I don’t mean exclusively the museums. For me, Balat, Nişantaşı, and Galata area feel like very different cities. For traveling in time, I recommend downloading the KarDes app which has very interesting self-paced audio tours around the city. The most date-appropriate is Loves of Istanbul which starts in Kadıköy and then goes around the European side. It also has short and long Büyükada tours to explore the biggest of Princes Islands (Adalar).
The audio guide is nice but not required. Depending on your interests you could have a date in what feels like different countries and cultures without crossing a single border, and never run out of topics to discuss. I once went from Beşiktaş to Fatih and back through all the popular must-sees and to this date, it is still my record for daily steps (35 thousand steps or 27 kilometers). We stopped in Küçük Hagia Sophia, sat down at the Dolmabahçe mosque to take in its beauty, almost got killed by the tram on the narrow street next to Gülhane park, and had balık ekmek near Galata bridge. No awkward pauses, guaranteed. As a last resort, you can play a game watching people and guessing where they are from.
Take yourself on a date
All of the above absolutely does not require another person with you. I regularly take myself out for dates in Istanbul. Tea (or coffee) is the only mandatory requirement for a successful date (according to me so you don’t have to agree). After all, if you don’t have or need anyone to love, you can fall in love with the city. Istanbul loves us all back.
