Around Taksim Square, several
venues serve as meeting spots for gay men during the
daytime and early evenings. Many gay men visit these
places before heading to bars and clubs, and some come
here to connect with others. It’s important to note that
the managers and staff at these venues may not be
particularly LGBTQ-friendly. Additionally, you might
encounter rent boys and well-known hustlers from the
Taksim district in and around these locations, so
exercise caution when meeting new people. Below, we’ve
listed the most popular meeting points from recent
years.
EspressoLab Taksim
Istiklal Avenue,
No: 15, Taksim, Istanbul.
This is the Taksim branch of a coffee house chain
located on Istiklal Avenue, near Taksim Square. You can
often see several gay men sitting at the tables facing
Istiklal Avenue, but the terrace floor is particularly
popular among them. Although it is not a designated
gay-friendly venue, the terrace can be overwhelmingly
gay during weekend nights, typically attracting trendy,
younger Turkish gay men. Overall, it offers a safe
environment.
Simit Sarayi Taksim
Tarlabası Bulvari
No: 6 Taksim
Square, Istanbul.
This is the Taksim branch of a well-known Turkish-owned
tea house chain. On the upper floor, overlooking Taksim
Square, you’ll find many community members, including
straight-acting gay men, bears, and a notable number of
Taksim’s resident rent-boys. Be aware that there is
another Simit Sarayi branch on the opposite side of
Taksim Square, so use the
Google Map link to ensure you go to the correct one
Istiklal Shopping Mall
Istiklal Caddesi, Beyoglu, Istanbul.
This shopping mall is situated in the heart of the
renowned Istiklal Avenue. Particularly on the terrace
and top floors, you’ll find fast-food restaurants and
coffee shops where you might occasionally encounter
local gay men. During unfavorable winter
weather, it serves as a refuge
Burger King Taksim
Istiklal Caddesi
No:1 Taksim, Istanbul
It is perfectly located facing Taksim square and right
at the start of the bustling Istiklal Avenue. It is a
quick meeting point for gay and lesbian people but there
is no visible gay-scene, since the venue attracts
everyone because of its location.
Unfortunately, gay cruising places are not as busy as
they used to be since the widespread use of the internet
and cell phones, especially after gay mobile
applications were launched. As in other big cities
around the world, cruising areas, especially isolated
parks, are where people should be a little cautious with
the people they come across. It’s important to take
precautions to ensure your safety. We recommend that you
do not carry your valuable things on you when you go to
outdoor cruising places, just in case.
Please
also read our main page for general safety warnings
Taksim
Park
Gezi Park, situated near Taksim Square, is a well-known
spot. The area closer to the sea is more likely to attract 'cruising,'
particularly after dark. It gets busier on Sunday afternoons and Saturday
evenings. However, we advise caution for foreign visitors and newcomers
unfamiliar with the local gay culture.
Taksim Square
People sitting on the fences around the monument at the
very center of the square might be gay or bi-curious guys interested in meeting
gay men, but remember it is also a gathering place for some tourist hustlers and
rent-boys.
Istiklal
Avenue
Istiklal Avenue, a bustling pedestrian street stretching
approximately 2 kilometers, begins at Taksim Square, gently winds through the
Galatasaray district, and culminates at Tunel. This lively street serves as a
vital link between Taksim Square and numerous gay venues tucked away in the
surrounding backstreets. As you stroll along Istiklal, keeping your ‘gaydar’
alert, you’re likely to encounter gay, bisexual, and bi-curious individuals.
However, it’s essential to note that this isn’t a cruising spot by design.
Aksaray Muratpasa Park
Muratpasa Park
is a cruising and gathering spot for bears and mature gay men. Unlike other
cruising parks this is a busy park with straight people with many cafe
houses in the vicinity, but straight acting gay man are also always
around, usually sitting on benches around the pool.
Fatih
Saraçhane Park
Saraçhane Park lies in close proximity to Aksaray,
adjacent to the administrative building of Istanbul Municipality. Interestingly,
there are several parks on both sides of the street. The cruising activity
primarily centers
around the parks
near the remnants of the Roman church known as Polyeuktos. If you’re arriving from
Taksim, alight at the Sarachane bus stop (located under the street), just before
reaching Aksaray, and ascend the steps. Notably, its popularity has waned since
2016 due to the removal of benches by the municipality and increased lighting in
the vicinity. Additionally, the advent of mobile apps has led to a general
decline in cruising spots.
Sarayburnu
Sarayburnu
(Seraglio Point) is coastal area behind Topkapi Palace with respect to
Sultanahmet. It is a waterfront by the coastal road, covered with big rocks and
concrete waterfront. There is no visible gay scene here also. There are single
people or groups of guys drinking and young ghetto boys swimming and lying on
the rocks in summer time. Some local gay men hang out here frequently in summer
season.
If your hotel is in Sultanahmet, you can try this place for a couple of hours in
early evenings, at least to get a little sun tan. Do not stay after dark.
Kadikoy Parks
Kadikoy is the major residential district on the Asian
side of Istanbul. The coastal area, the parks near
Kadikoy >
Besiktas Iskelesi (the older ferry pier in Kadikoy) and
the breakwater are
historically well-known gay cruising areas in the evening. You can get to
Kadikoy from Eminonu, Karakoy and Kabatas piers by ferryboats, with a
journey lasting about 20-30 minutes. Unless you are only into outdoor cruising,
this is not the place worth spending time for tourists who visit the city for a
few days.
Check out our
Online LGBT Map for exact locations of gay cruising
spots in Istanbul
The most popular dating app in Turkey is
Hornet among Turkish LGBTQ people since Grindr
was banned for not filtering pornographic content.
Nowadays, almost every Turkish gay man, as well as
many transgender people, rent-boys and bisexual men
are there on Hornet. A less popular mobile dating
application especially among Turkish gay bears is
Growlr as expectedly. Naturally, you should be a
little careful if you date someone via gay dating
applications, just like
anywhere else in the world. You can also come
across many rent-boys on these dating applications.
Unfortunately, Istanbul no longer has
any gay or adult-oriented cinemas. Previously, there
were about a dozen erotic movie theaters frequented by
gay men, but these were all closed down successively in
the mid-2010s. This decline was primarily driven by the
rise of the internet and smartphones, which led owners
to either shut down or convert these spaces into
mainstream movie theaters.
Are you a gay man visiting Istanbul for the first time?
Are you a stranger to the gay world of this mysterious
mega-city? You surely need somebody to lead you the way
during your first few days.
Are you a gay man visiting Istanbul for the first time?
Are you a stranger to the gay world of this mysterious
mega-city? You surely need somebody to lead you the way
during your first few days.
A private gay guide will accompany your first nights in Istanbul
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