Photos: Dosseman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Jwslubbock, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: Dosseman, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Jwslubbock, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Meyhane night in Beyoğlu
Your local guide
Mehmet Aydın
View profile
Highlights
- İstiklal Street as Beyoğlu's evening crowd builds
- Old Greek and Armenian taverns off İstiklal
- A meyhane table, meze and fish explained
- The etiquette of drinking rakı, on camera
- Toasts and traditions behind an old rakı night
About this tour
This session follows a meyhane evening in Beyoğlu, starting on İstiklal Street and turning into the old side streets where Greek and Armenian taverns once stood. The camera settles at a table set with meze and fish, then the etiquette around drinking rakı. It is a look at Pera's night life through one meal rather than a walk between sights.
The call opens with a sound check, then follows the evening from the street to the table, with the guide explaining each course and each round as it happens, taking questions throughout. A short list of what was covered is sent once the call ends.
This suits anyone curious about Turkish drinking culture or Beyoğlu's history, or anyone who misses an old-fashioned meyhane evening. It also suits those planning a first night out in Istanbul who want to understand the customs first.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 10 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Istanbul before heading out.
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İstiklal Street 21 min
Walking down İstiklal Street as the evening crowd builds, the camera takes in the old tram running past shopfronts, and the guide explains how this street became the centre of Pera nightlife.
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Old Pera side streets 21 min
Turning into the side streets off İstiklal, the camera passes the doorways of old Greek and Armenian taverns, and the guide tells the story of Pera's mixed community before much of it left the city.
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Inside a meyhane 21 min
Inside a traditional meyhane, the camera moves across a table laid with cold and hot meze and the evening's fish, and the guide explains how a meal here is meant to be paced through the night.
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The rules of rakı 21 min
At the same table, the camera settles on a glass of rakı turning cloudy with water, and the guide explains the etiquette around drinking it, from the ratio of water to the toasts that go with each round.
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Your questions 18 min
Time to ask anything about Istanbul: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 8 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Meze and Sultanahmet, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Istanbul time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Istanbul, showing you Süleymaniye Mosque and Hagia Sophia live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Is this suitable if I do not drink?
Yes. Say so when you book and the guide will focus on the atmosphere and venues rather than the drinks list.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Istanbul live with my phone and you ask anything as we go.
Times shown in Istanbul time (GMT+3)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Fri 30 Oct · 10 seats left From 34,00 €
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