Belgrad Forest: hiking, Ottoman dams and picnics north of Istanbul

Updated on October 4, 2026

Belgrad Forest (Belgrad Ormanı) is Istanbul's great green lung: more than 5,000 hectares of oak and broadleaf woodland north of the city, between the Sarıyer and Eyüp districts. Its name comes from a village founded after 1521 by Serbs deported from Belgrade and settled in the region after the Ottoman conquest. The forest also served as the city's water reservoir: the Ottomans built dams (bent), aqueducts and channels here to supply Istanbul with water, and several of these works can still be visited. Today it is the Istanbulites' favourite nature outing: running, walking, cycling or picnicking less than an hour from the centre. The forest has nine landscaped nature parks; the two best known are the Bentler (the dams) and Neşet Suyu. Allow half a day.

Highlights

The Sultan Mahmut Dam

One of the Ottoman dams in the Bentler nature park, about a kilometre from the main entrance on the Bahçeköy side. The great stone wall can be admired from the lawns below, where families spread out for picnics. The forest's other dams (Valide Sultan, Topuzlu, Kirazlı, Ayvat…) are linked by paths.

The top of the dam

You can walk along the crest of the Sultan Mahmut Dam, lined with a stone balustrade, with views over the lake and the forest. The water level varies a great deal with the seasons and the rainfall.

The lake and the Neşet Suyu park

The Neşet Suyu nature park has a 6 to 6.5 km loop around the big dam, very popular with joggers and walkers, with changing rooms and a few refreshment stands. It is the simplest starting point for a proper hike.

The aqueducts

In the Bahçeköy area, the aqueduct of Mahmud I (1732) and the Maǧlova aqueduct are easy to reach from the village. They were part of the two great water systems of Constantinople.

Infos pratiques

Tips

Entry to the forest is free for pedestrians and cyclists; a fee is charged for vehicles at the Bahçeköy entrance (the amount varies, check on site). Public transport stops at Bahçeköy, about 3 km from the Neşet Suyu park: plan on walking or taking a taxi. Personal barbecues are tolerated in the picnic areas, but fires are regulated (banned in the evening and outside the designated areas, according to published information): follow the signs, especially in summer because of the fire risk. Camping is not allowed. Bring water and food, as refreshment stands are few. Next door, the Atatürk Arboretum (paid, closed on Mondays) shows more than 2,000 plant species.

How to get there

Main entrance at Bahçeköy, Sarıyer district. İETT buses 42T (Taksim–Bahçeköy) and 153 (Sarıyer–Bahçeköy); other lines in the 42 series link the forest to nearby metro stations. Lines change: check them in a transport app.

Opening hours

Idéal : Spring and autumn, weekdays

The forest has no gates and is open at all times; the nature parks and their picnic areas are mostly used in daylight (free on foot; personal barbecues tolerated, fires banned outside the designated areas)