During one of the conversations I had with Serkan, the receptionist of Levanten hostel (where I lived in Istanbul), I asked him what made Beyoğlu special. Since Levanten hostel is located in Cihangir, one of the neighbourhoods that composes this district on the European side of the turkish city, I thought it would be nice to know what a local thinks about the area. 

When you google Beyoğlu, the first articles you read state that it is a centre for the nightlife and art scene in Istanbul and that the entire Istiklal avenue is a tourist magnet. This is actually true because almost everywhere in Beyoğlu you'll find small boutiques, antique shops and nice cafes and restaurants. Even Altuğ, the hostel owner, told me that there are people who come to Istanbul only to go to the clubs on Istiklal. So I started to wonder if that was the only aspect that made this area so attractive.

Serkan, who was born and raised in Galata, another neighbourhood of Beyoğlu, told me a beautiful phrase which I will never forget. It goes like this: "In Beyoğlu the world comes together. You see so many people from Europe, the United States and elsewhere living and working here, because Beyoğlu offers them something that their hometowns doesn't. Call it what you want, people come here, love it and stay. And by staying, Beyoğlu assimilates a part of them and a part of Beyoğlu stays in them. This constant exchange is exactly what makes this place so special and different from the rest of Istanbul". 

Every single one of my strolls around Beyoğlu was accompanied by the feeling of being at the right place and at the right time. There is more than just clubs and cool bars here. It's hard to explain. You have to see and experience it for yourself. From walking down the hill in Cihangir to the shores of the Bosphorus to strolling around the narrow and winding streets of Çukurcuma and sitting  down at a cafe in Galata; you will always find sights here that stay with you forever.
In my case, I've taken a part of Beyoğlu with me and a part of me stayed in Cihangir and the rest of the corners of this part of Istanbul that I so loved.