Istanbul Nightlife

The nightlife in Istanbul is also very diverse (as everything else is also -its cuisine, hotels and people). There is something about Istanbul's nightlife that makes it one of the few cities in the world where it is impossible not to have fun: there is always something to do and someplace to go whether it is a business day or Sunday. Clubs, after-hour places and the bars generally do not close on any day of the week; and most of them are multi-functional (meaning you can drop by at these places for breakfast, lunch or dinner). The traditional form of going out for the Turkish is to go to a "meyhane" (a tavern that serves food and alcohol, and plays traditional classical or traditional popular Turkish music). Meyhanes are abound in Asmalimescit district and in Aksaray. There are a few meyhanes here and there in other districts of the city as well. Young adolescents prefer to go hard and core on clubbing and head for the main clubs in the city such as the famous Reina and Anjelique. Every now and then one or the other or some other club becomes the more preferable. You just need to know people who knows stuff to figure out which is "in" while you are here. Young professionals and mostly the i-bankers of the city hang around in Bebek for a drink after work hours. The music and the lights at bars in Bebek start to resemble a mini lounge-club after a certain hour in the night. White-collar professionals and senior college students head to Odakule-Sishane-Asmalimescit on weekends. You should not lose a pin there, because you will not be able to find it. Walking through Asmalimescit on a weekend is like rowing a boat in an oil tank. Whichever of these places you may choose to go, there is one simple rule of thumb: The fun in Istanbul doesn’t stop even when the sun goes back up. Leaving the clubs, locals head for wrap houses, mantı houses or soup houses. At 6 AM in the morning by the Bosphorus, you will see joggers, clubbers, early-risers... That is the mosaic of the city. Will you join in?

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