Nightlife in Turkey
Nightlife
Actually
it is pretty bright !
But you' ve got to come and explore yourselves.
More famous for its historical
sites and its carpets, most visitors come to Turkey not expecting to find
much in the way of nightlife. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Turkey's recent economic growth and
increasing prosperity had had enormous effect on the vitality, energy
and variety of its nightlife. The range of night entertainment is huge,
from traditional male-dominated birahanes to techno and rave nightclubs,
with new venues opening by the week. As a result, Turkey's nightlife
is quickly gaining recognition as one of the liveliest in Europe.
An authentic Turkish experience can be combined with a racuous nights drinking at one of Turkey's meyhanes. These tavernas serve raki, beer and wine, along with an awe-inspiring selection of mezes (starters), succulent kebabs and fruits of the season. A favourite location for raki drinking, the atmosphere gets louder and merrier as the night progresses, with clients often breaking into impromtu renditions of Turkish classics. The most famous meyhanes in Turkey are located in the Cicek Pasaj in Beyoglu, Istanbul, a bustling passage whose many meyhanes are interspersed with flower, fish and vegetable stalls, and where street musicians and vendors wander among the revellers. Birahanes are more basic, with the beer taking precedence over the food. Turkish women rarely enter birahanes. Although foreign women are tolerently expected to break all the rules, and will usually be made feel welcome, it is advisable not to go to such all-male preserves alone.
The past few years have seen a huge growth in the popularity of Anatolian
folk music or Saz bars. These tend to be garishly decorated in artificial
flowers and a profusion of kilims and wickerwork, but the prices are
very reasonable and the food fresh and delicious. The music is usually
provided by a sole singer, accompanied by a saz, who sings plaintive
tales of love and war. Dancing is an essential part of the evening, and
with customary Turkish hospitality visitors will always be invited to
join in. Luckily, the most common dance, called halay, is a simple folk
dance which can be
picked up in seconds.
For those
who want to see something more exotic, many nightclubs offer "Oriental
shows" with sequined bellydancers, troupes of Russian or Romanian
dancers, and flashy caberet singers. Most of these shows are quite tame
and sanitized, although the visitor should beware of the seedier style
pavyon, where the unsuspecting can be ripped off for an inordinate amount
of money, in return for some watered-down drinks and the dubious company
of one of the girls who work there. Fortunately, these joints are fairly
obvious, advertising their services with neon lights and photographs
of
scantily-clad girls, and its not difficult to avoid them. They appear to be
a dying species, being replaced in city centres by more profitable and fashionable
rock bars and cafes. If in doubt about the reputation of a place, clearly establish
the prices before ordering anything.
If the pavyons are not sufficiently tittilating for your tastes, Turkey has thriving red light districts, where genelev (brothels) operate legally under the control of the municipality. Certain hotels in the sleazier areas of towns also act as unofficial pickup joints. In the past few years Western-style bars and cafes have become the place to see and be seen. Opening hours are long; most bars stay open until 2:00 am and some keep going until 4:00am or later. The most downmarket of these are sawdust-on-the-floor style rock bars, where the beer is incredibly cheap, decoration is minimal, and heavy metal and 70s rock is the order of the day. These are popular among students, and the atmosphere is extremely lively, with lots of political discussion taking place amidst the headbanging. The dress code for these bars is strictly grunge, with body piercing, heavy metal t-shirts, and lots of hair. The oldest and most enduring of these is Koprualti Kemanci, also known as Eski Kemanci, which began life as one of the hangouts under the old wooden Galata bridge, but is now located in Taksim.
In the middle, there are numerous rock bars offering live music, usually
bands performing covers of popular rock classics from Pink Flyod, The
Who and Led Zepplin, alternating with the latest disco mixes. Prices
in Istanbul are usually a little less than other European cities, while
in tourist resorts competition means the prices are kept extremely low.
In Istanbul try Kemanci, Hayal Kahvesi and Mojo Blues Bar. In Turkish
tourist resorts you will find a selection of bars to suit every taste
in music. Kusadasi is famous for its aptly named Bar Street, lined with
self-styled Irish and British bars. The nightlife of Bodrum is known
all over Europe, the highlight being the outdoor Halikarnas disco. Homegrown
pop and rock is improving, and many Turkish stars also perform at bars
and clubs. A great way to spend a summer evening is to attend one of
the many outdoor rock and pop concerts featuring the current chart toppers
which are regularily held in the main tourist resorts. Admission is usually
free. Alternative music is becoming more widely available and popular
in Turkey, and the newest clubs cater for fans of underground, hardcore
and drum and bass. For a more relaxed atmosphere, there are many late-opening
cafes serving great cappuchinos along with alcohol and playing everything
from classical to drum and bass. At the top end of the market are bars
and clubs catering to the young and upwardly mobile elite. These are
superbly stylish, and concentrated mainly in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.
In Istanbul, the top discos have summer locations along the Bosphorus,
where you can enjoy the beautiful view while partying until the early
hours. Levent and Etiler are also recommended watering spots.
Gay nightlife is largely confined to Istanbul, where many bars and clubs
cater
for the gay community. Açik Radyo has a gay programme where you can find
details of any special activities going on. Bilsak, Prive, Hans and Club 14 are
currently popular, and are all centrally located around Taksim. A word of warning
- always carry your passport or some equivalent ID when you go out.
Taksim Street: Nighttime (Istanbul)
think that Taksim street is the best place for nighttime, It is filled
with people and shops on both sides of the street. You can here people
shouting, music being played from shops, and it is just a busy place
and fun to just have a walk in, and watch people passing by ... you also
can stay in a coffee shop, or drop by Mcdonalds and take an Ice-cream
or a burger... I think it is the best place to be in at night... I know
that most of you people want to go to nightclubs and bars at night but
i think this is more worthy and million times better than bars that do
not benefit you or do good to you!
The Nil Bar: Rockin' Bar in Ankara
I was really surprised to find a bar in Ankara which had a quality
band playing very good music. Even more pleasant was that it was free with
no cover and beer that was not priced above average. I actually began
sitting in the patio of this bar to watch a football game when the music
being played drew me in. The staff found me a place to sit at the bar.
The band, with a charismatic lead vocalists, was highly watchable and
I thoroughly enjoyed myself. A beer here will set you back about $2.00.
Theme: Live Music
Address: Bayýndýr Sokak 19/C Ankara
Phone: ( 312 ) 4310779
Directions: In wait might be regarded as the student hangout district
of Ankara
Aura, Budda and Charlotte: Nightlife
There are 3 main disco's in kemer...the Best one as for me, and
the biggest is Aura Disco. It's in the end of the moonlight Park, if u'll
be walking there, u'll not miss it! Budda, in the opposite direction,
smaller than Aura but has nice music, service and design.2 entrances
on from the beach side another from the road.Coastes about 10 million.The
the Olympus hotel Next to it, 10 meter further stands the Charlotte Disco.i
think its the most non crouded place but the most comfortable and lots
of R'n'B music..
You can
put on whatever u want and feel comfortable in.., exept take care off
the shoes u put
on, sometimes they don't let in when u wear
ur "swimming type" shoes as they say...
Address: Aura Disco - Moonlight Park
Bull Bar: Open bar party! In Olympos!
his place has some of the best parties in Turkey! There
is an open fire blazing in the middle of this open air bar with elevated
seating
and an area around the fire to dance. Great mix of backpackers and local
travellers. Drink up the Raki!
No adress code but you'll probably not want
to wear much, it is so HOT!
Theme:
Nightclub
Address: Kadir's Treehouse hostel
NIGHTLIFE IN ISTANBUL
The Wall
This place - located right in the middle of Ortaköy - has a genuine
'pub' feel to it. It has excellent background music, decent furniture
and fisherman.
Café Antre
This café - located in a pastel yellow 100-year-old Ottoman townhouse
- is easy to find. Antre is a female-friendly place, run by women, for
women.
Gay life in Istanbul
I checked out some of the gay bars one night (Monday, so it was fairly
quiet). It was an interesting experience. There are a lot of rent boys,
but they are not pushy. It's a totally different scene.
Gizli Bahce
This bar is located in a historic building at one of the side entrances
to Cicek Pasaji. The name Gizli Bahce means 'Secret Garden', and the
bar really has a balcony/terrace.
A Chill Bar
This is by far one of the best bars in Istanbul, and one of the best
I have ever visited anywhere. The name is Arka Bahçe and it is
a hot hangout.
Wine Bar
Pano is located off Istiklal Caddesi on Hamalbaþý Caddesi,
Taksim. To get there take your first right after the Galatasaray School
and walk about a block. It will be on the right.
Conrad Hotel
During the dinner described above, there appeared a small group of young
girls in harem costume and a small band. As the band played the girls
danced several native dances.
Arsen Lüpen Bar
Arsen Lüpen lies on Sakizaðacý Sokak, off Istiklal Caddesi
in Taksim. To get there walk down Istiklal Caddesi until you get to the
Aða Mosque on the right. At the mosque turn right.
Birac
Biracý is located down Istiklal Caddesi, a bit past the Galatasaray
School, on the left, on the second floor. It is a great bar that has
a large terrace with views of the Bosphorus.
Calinti
Well, here's one ragged hole of a bar. It's not really a hole (I'm just
cracking literature); it has three floors actually. But they're all quite
small, and not many places to sit.