Istanbul fish market / Karaköy Balık Pazarı

There are several fish markets in Istanbul, but the most popular one for tourists to visit is between the tourist areas of Sultanahmet and Beyoglu near Galata Bridge. There is nothing particularly remarkable in it, but if you like such "folk" places, you can visit it. The main trade takes place in the morning, when fishing boats arrive with freshly caught fresh fish and various sea reptiles. If you come here at lunch or in the evening, you will also be able to see the fresh catch, but there will not be the color of the noisy traditional fish market saturated with sellers and buyers. In addition, in the morning the range of fish is the richest, and it is possible to "study" the rich local underwater fauna.

Buyers of goods here are mainly restaurants in the tourist areas of Istanbul, so it is possible that here you will "get acquainted" with the fish that you will eat in the evening in one of the fish restaurants under the Galata Bridge. And if you do not want to wait long, you can taste the freshest fish right here in one of the nearby non-tourist cafes. And by the way, it is on this side of the bridge that it is better to buy the famous balik Ekmek Fish sandwiches. Those that are sold in the hyped cafes from the boats on the other side of the bridge on the Eminonu embankment are not so tasty. Is one such sandwich worth 15 lire in 2019 (0.32 USD, see all about Turkish currency).

To make visiting the sights of Istanbul more interesting, you can choose a tour on one of these trusted sites:

• Excursions from the tour operator TezTour
• Excursions from Sputnik8
• Trips from Tripster