Istanbul Gay Guide

Practical Gay Guide of Istanbul

A printable, brief guide of Istanbul featuring gay bars, clubs, hotels, hammams, saunas, gay cruising areas as well as lesbian and transgender venues.

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Ideal for Cell Phones - All you need to do is to bookmark this page on your phone before coming to Istanbul and click on the links to find the venues on Google Maps.
All in One Page - Complete guide listing all LGBT & friendly places worth visiting.
Reliable - Updated instantly by local people unlike other international gay guides.
Brief - There is no unnecessary information and long descriptions.
Multilingual - Available in major languages.


Abbreviations for clientele types in venues

G / g : Gay men
L / l : Lesbians
T / t : Transgenders
B / b : Bears / bi / mature men
S / s : Straight people
R / r : Rentboys
H / h : Hustlers, unsafe people
Gf : Gay friendly

Useful Tips
If it is a capitalized letter it means they are the majority of the clients there, or else few of them would be around.
Click on name of the venues to find them on Google Maps
 

Gay Cafes & Bars

These venues are busy in the evening and around midnight roughly between 21:00 pm - 02:00 am. The price range is around $7 - 8 for local drinks. No entrance or cloakroom fees required to be paid normally. Most of them would be open everyday.

Mor Kedi Cafe (G-b) - Ipek Sokak 16 / 3, Beyoğlu (3rd floor)
Ex Bar (G-b) - Dernek Sk No:11, Kat 1, Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Anason Bar (B-g)  - Imam Adnan Sk. No:10, Kat 3 Beyoğlu

Click here to share your experiences; add or remove a place.

Gay Night Clubs

These venues are busy after midnight roughly between 24:00 pm - 04:00 am. The price range is around $10 - 12 for local drinks. Entrance fees would be compulsory especially during weekends, which would be around $14 - 17, typically including 1 local drink. They might be closed during some weekdays.

Stay Club (G-b) - Sıraselviler Cad. No 35 / 2, Taksim, Beyoğlu
Tekyön Club (G-b-r) - Sıraselviler Cad, No: 63/1 Taksim, Beyoğlu
Love Club (G-l-s) - Cumhuriyet Cad. No: 349 Harbiye, Istanbul
Super Fabric (G-t-r-s) - Cumhuriyet Cad. No: 42 Elmadağ, Istanbul
Pinokyo Club (G-r-h) - Büyük Parmakkapı Sk, No: 17, Beyoğlu
Club Cheeky (G-b-r) - Tarlabaşı Bulvarı No: 32 Taksim, Istanbul
Bigudi Club (L-g) - Bekar Sok, No:23, Beyoğlu (top floor)
X Large Club (G-S-l) - Atatürk Oto Sanayi. 52.Sok. No:12/1, Maslak

Click here to share your experiences; add or remove a place.


 

Gay Friendly Venues

Despite the numerous venues in Istanbul where LGBT individuals can feel at ease, the following establishments are particularly recognized for being gay-friendly, as confirmed by their owners or recommended by gay men who have been to them.

  Do not expect a visible gay scene at these venues.

Şahika Upperground (S-l-g-Gf) -  Nevizade Sk. No:5, Beyoğlu
Ziba Pub (S-Gf) -  Tomtom, Akansu Sok. No:10, Beyoğlu
Urban Cafe & Rest (S-Gf) -  Kartal Sok. 6, Galatasaray, Beyoğlu
Street Pub (S-Gf) -  Mis Sk. No:19, Taksim, Beyoğlu.
Frankestayn Bookstore & Cafe (S-Gf) - L. Hendek Cad, Beyoğlu
Basement Cafe (S-Gf) -  Dalga Sk. No:20, Caferağa, Kadıköy
Karga Bar -  Kadife Sk. No:16, Caferağa, Kadıköy
Arka Oda -  Kadife Sk. No:18/A, Caferağa, Kadıköy
Salpa Bar (S-Gf) - Piri Çavuş Sk. No:3, Osmanağa, Kadıköy
Reset Bar (S-Gf) -  Sarraf Ali Sk, No: 31, Caferağa, Kadıköy
Böcek Cafe (S-Gf) -  Bademaltı Sk. 17/A, Moda, Kadıköy

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Gay Friendly Hotels

List of real gay friendly hotels in Istanbul confirmed by their owners with direct links to their Hotels Com pages, thus you can book them instantly or later. Listed roughly from cheaper to more expensive.
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 Naz Wooden (Gf) - Akbıyık Değirmeni Sk. No:7, Sultanahmet
 Hotel Sultanahmet (Gf) - Divan Yolu Cd. No:20, Sultanahmet
 Babel Park (Gf) - Ş. P. Mahmut Nedim Sk. No:3, Aksaray, Fatih
Kunterbunt Aparts (Gf) - Pelesenk Sk. No:10, Taksim, Istanbul
Hotel Novano (Gf) - Akbıyık Cd. No:76, Sultanahmet
The Fox Taksim (Gf) - Babil Sokak No: 69, Elmadağ, Taksim
Walton Lina Pera (Gf) - Hamalbaşı Cad. No:28, Galatasaray, Beyoğlu
Tomtom Suites (Gf) - Boğazkesen Cad No:18, Beyoğlu

Click here for more detailed info about these gay-friendly hotels
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Saunas & Bath Houses

Even though mainly frequented by gay men none of these bath houses are not officially gay venues and their staff may not always be very gay friendly. Clients would be mostly middle aged and mature men. Hammams mostly close around 10 pm. Entrance fee would cost around $10 - 15 excluding massage and other extra services.

Aquarius Sauna (G-R-b-h) - Sadri Alışık Sokak, 29/1 Beyoğlu (open 7 & 24) 
Firuzağa Hamam  (G-B)  - Çukurcuma Cd. No: 6, Beyoğlu
Cihangir Sauna (G-B-r) - Altıpatlar Sokak, No: 14 Beyoğlu / Istanbul
Yeşildirek Hamam (G-B-s) - Tershane Cad. No:124, Beyoğlu

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Meeting Points

These are not gay venues, but rather meeting points where gay men often hang out during the day time and in the early evenings.

EspressoLab Taksim (S,G) - Istiklal Cad, No: 15, Taksim. (terrace floor)
Simit Sarayi Taksim (S-b-g-r-h) - Taksim Square, Taksim (upper floor)
Istiklal Shopping Mall (S-g-r) - Istiklal Cad. No:52, Taksim (3rd / cafe floor)
Burger King Taksim (S-g-r-h) - Istiklal Caddesi No:1, Taksim  (upper floor)

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Cruising Spots

Not very busy as before since gay mobile apps became widespread. There might also be hustlers in all cruising places. It is advised not to carry valuable things and a lot of cash.

Taksim Square (S-b-g-r-h)
Taksim Gezi Park (S-b-g-r-H)
Cihangir Sanat Park (S-b-g-r-h)
Saraçhane Park (S-b-g-r-H)
Muratpaşa Park (S-B-g-r-h)
Kadıköy Park (S-b-g-r-h)

  Kınalıada Beach (S-b-g-r-h)
  Burgazada Beach (S-b-g-r-h)

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Trans Friendly Clubs

Sahra Club (T-H-r) - Sadri Alışık Sok. No:42  Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Super Fabric (G-t-s) - Cumhuriyet Cad. No: 42 Elmadağ, Sisli

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Lesbian Bars & Clubs

Bigudi Bar (L-g) - Bekar Sokak, No:23, Beyoğlu, Istanbul

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Recently Closed

Following venues has been closed recently and they might still be listed on other online and printed gay guides

Babil Hotel's Pub
Rocinante Bar
Chianti Bar
Chaplin Cafe
Durak Pub
Club 17

 

Information About Gay Life

Click here for detailed information about LGBT life in Istanbul, gay nightlife, orientation, drink prices, security warnings, laws and regulations

Contribute Our Guide

Click here to share your personal experiences about the venues listed on this page.

 

ISTANBUL GAY TOURS

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.