Arnavutköy, Istanbul: wooden houses and Bosphorus fish restaurants

Updated on October 4, 2026

Arnavutköy ("the Albanians' village") is a village on the European shore of the Bosphorus, in the Beşiktaş district, south of Bebek. It is known for its Ottoman wooden houses with colourful façades, packed along the coastal road, and for its fish restaurants facing the strait. The streets are open to all year round. Allow one to two hours to wander and have lunch, or half a day if you combine it with Bebek along the seafront promenade.

Highlights

The waterfront

Wooden and stone houses run down to the water, with Bosphorus boats at the foot of the quay. The coastal road is narrow: the nicest way is to walk on the waterside pavement and look up at the façades.

The wooden houses

Painted white, ochre, red or blue, with enclosed balconies and shutters, they are among the finest examples of Bosphorus timber residential architecture. Many are lived in: admire them from the street without going in.

The fish restaurants

The village has several fish restaurants facing the strait, where you choose your fish at the counter and pay by weight. Ask the price before ordering. See our guide to where to eat fish in Istanbul.

The lanes and the church

Walking up the cross streets takes you through a district of small shops, pastry shops and former Greek houses; the village has a long Greek Orthodox history, reflected in the church of the Holy Archangels. The area is also known for the historic Robert College campus on the hill.

The walk to Bebek

To the north, the seafront promenade reaches the bay of Bebek in about twenty minutes. To the south you reach Kuruçeşme and then Ortaköy.

Infos pratiques

Tips

In the evening and at weekends, book at the fish restaurants; prices vary a lot with the fish and the season, and a service charge may be added to the bill. For payment and tipping customs, see our guide to money, payment and tipping in Istanbul. Our guide to the villages of the Bosphorus European shore places Arnavutköy on the full itinerary.

How to get there

Arnavutköy, Beşiktaş, Istanbul (European shore of the Bosphorus). From Kabataş, the terminus of the T1 tram, bus 25E follows the Bosphorus via Ortaköy and serves Arnavutköy before Bebek. From Beşiktaş, buses and dolmuş follow the same road. By taxi from Taksim, allow about 20 to 25 minutes outside rush hour.