Arnavutköy: Istanbul's Bosphorus Village with Fish Restaurants and Ottoman Houses
What is Arnavutköy and is it worth visiting
Arnavutköy is a small Bosphorus village on the European shore, about 15 minutes by bus from Beşiktaş. It's known for two things: rows of wooden Ottoman houses standing right at the water, and a strip of fish restaurants along the shore. Worth half a day if you like walking and eating slowly.
The whole thing fits into an afternoon. You walk the waterfront, eat fish, then carry on to Bebek next door for coffee. No museum tickets, no queues, no rush.
Getting here is simple. From Beşiktaş, take the 22, 22RE, or 25E bus north along the shore and get off at the Arnavutköy stop, around 15 minutes depending on traffic. There's no ferry that stops directly at Arnavutköy, so the bus or a taxi from Beşiktaş (about 200 lira in 2026) is your route. If you're already in Bebek, it's a flat 10-minute walk south along the water.
Arnavutköy→The wooden houses and the waterfront
The wooden Ottoman houses are the reason most people come. They line the shore in a row, painted in faded pastels, built so close to the water that the back rooms sit almost on top of the Bosphorus. These are 19th-century timber mansions, and many are still lived in, so you're looking from the street, not going inside.
Walk the shore road slowly. The houses run for a few hundred meters, and the gaps between them open onto the water with tankers and ferries passing close enough to read the names. Across the strait you get the Asian shore, and looking north the Bosphorus Bridge frames everything.
The contrast is the part people don't expect. Stand on the old wooden balconies' street and look inland: the Levent skyline, all glass towers, rises straight behind the village. Two-hundred-year-old timber in front of you, banking headquarters behind. That's Istanbul in one frame.
Where to eat fish in Arnavutköy
Arnavutköy is one of the better fish-eating spots on the European shore, with several restaurants set right on the water. Sur Balık and Hide are the two we'd send a friend to. Expect to pay 1,500 to 2,500 lira for two people with mezes, a fish to share, and a glass of rakı each, depending on the catch.
Sur Balık Arnavutköy sits at the water's edge with tables looking straight across the strait. The mezes come first, the way they should: cold plates of stuffed vine leaves, sea bass marinated in lemon, fried calamari. Pick your fish from the display, ask the price by the kilo before you commit, and don't be shy about it. That's normal here. Fish restaurants along the Bosphorus all work this way, whether you're in Çengelköy or Sarıyer.
Sur Balık Restaurant Arnavutköy→Hide Arnavutkoy is the slightly more modern option, same waterfront, a younger crowd, good for an early-evening rakı with meze before the dinner rush. Both fill up on weekend evenings, so book ahead if you're coming Friday or Saturday after 19:00.
Hide Arnavutkoy→A note on the rakı (anise spirit, served with water and ice). It's the standard pairing with fish here, served in a tall thin glass with a separate jug of water and a bowl of ice. Add the water yourself, it turns cloudy white, and you sip it slowly over the whole meal. Nobody rushes a rakı table.
The walk to Bebek
From Arnavutköy you can walk south to Bebek along the Sarıyer-Bebek coast path, a flat 10 to 15 minutes right by the water. It's one of the easiest and prettiest shore walks in the city, no hills, and it lands you in Bebek with its cafés and the bay full of small boats.
Bebek is the posher neighbor, more polished, more expensive. For coffee, Espressolab Bebek does a solid flat white with a view of the bay. If you want the contrast in one afternoon, do Arnavutköy first for the fish and the old houses, then Bebek for coffee and the boat-watching.
Espressolab Bebek→The last buses back to Beşiktaş run until late, roughly every 10 to 15 minutes in the evening. If you've had a long fish dinner, a taxi from Bebek to Beşiktaş runs about 200 to 250 lira.
Go on a weekday afternoon if you can. Weekends bring the brunch crowd and the fish restaurants fill early.
Explore Istanbul on your own.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to Arnavutköy in Istanbul?
Take the 22, 22RE, or 25E bus north from Beşiktaş along the shore and get off at the Arnavutköy stop, around 15 minutes depending on traffic. No ferry stops directly at Arnavutköy. A taxi from Beşiktaş runs about 200 lira in 2026.
Where can you eat fish in Arnavutköy?
Sur Balık Arnavutköy and Hide Arnavutkoy are both set right on the water. Expect 1,500 to 2,500 lira for two people with mezes, a shared fish, and a glass of rakı each. Always ask the price per kilo before choosing your fish.
Is Arnavutköy worth visiting in Istanbul?
Yes, if you like walking and slow meals. It's a small Bosphorus village with 19th-century wooden Ottoman houses on the water and a strip of fish restaurants. Plan a half day and walk on to Bebek next door for coffee.
Can you walk from Arnavutköy to Bebek?
Yes. The Sarıyer-Bebek coast path runs flat along the water and takes 10 to 15 minutes. It's one of the easiest shore walks in the city and lands you in Bebek with its cafés and bay full of small boats.
What are the wooden houses in Arnavutköy?
They are 19th-century timber Ottoman mansions, called yalı, built right at the water's edge along the shore road. Many are still lived in, so you view them from the street. Behind them rises the Levent skyline, an unusual old-and-new contrast.
More in · Hidden Places
