# Kadıköy, Istanbul > Istanbul's liveliest Asian-side neighbourhood, where locals come to eat, shop and hang out by the water. The highlights are the food market behind the pier, Bahariye street with its bronze bull, and the Moda seafront looking back at the old city. It's free and there are almost no museums. The ferry from Eminönü takes about 20 minutes; give it 2–3 hours. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/kadikoy - City: [Istanbul](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul), Turkey - YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Opening hours: Open-air district, always open; the market runs daily from about 9:00 into the evening - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — it's a city neighbourhood - Ferry from Eminönü: ≈ 20 min, Şehir Hatları, pay with Istanbulkart - Other ferries: From Karaköy, Beşiktaş and Kabataş, ≈ 20–25 min - Marmaray: Sirkeci to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, then one stop on the M4 metro - Market: Daily, roughly 9:00 until late evening - Tuesday market: Big street market on Tuesdays; some sources add Fridays - From Sabiha Gökçen Airport: M4 metro to the Kadıköy terminus - Landmark: Kadıköy ferry pier, İskele Square - Coordinates: 40.99291, 29.02287 - Facts checked: 29.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Chalcedon** — the Greek city here, founded by settlers from Megara in the 7th century BC — before Byzantium (source: English Wikipedia (685 BC); Encyclopaedia Britannica (early 7th century BC)) - **451** — the Council of Chalcedon, the Fourth Ecumenical Council, met here (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1864** — the year cast on the bronze bull in Altıyol Square, signed by Isidore Bonheur (source: Daily Sabah; bianet) - **“City of the Blind”** — Herodotus’ nickname for Chalcedon — its founders missed the far better site across the water (source: Encyclopaedia Britannica; English Wikipedia) - **1908** — Haydarpaşa station opened — you see its castle-like façade from the ferry (source: English and Russian Wikipedia (some sources say 1909)) - **Otto Ritter & Helmuth Cuno** — the German architects of Haydarpaşa station (source: English Wikipedia; Kültür Envanteri) - **1927** — the Süreyya Opera House opened on Bahariye — the first music theatre on the Asian side (source: istanbul.com; Cornucopia) - **M4** — the Asian side's first metro line, from Kadıköy to Sabiha Gökçen Airport (source: English Wikipedia; Urban Transport Magazine) - **T3** — the nostalgic tram loop between Kadıköy and Moda (source: istanbul.com; The Better Vacation) - **Moda** — an old, quiet quarter on the headland south of central Kadıköy (source: English Wikipedia; istanbul.com) ## Is Kadıköy worth visiting? Yes — if you have more than a day in Istanbul. Kadıköy has no blockbuster monument; it's about **eating, wandering and watching the city live**: a working food market, cheap and good meyhanes, coffee shops and a seafront where locals watch the sunset. If you only have one day, stay in the old city. On day two or three, the ferry over is one of the best-value trips in Istanbul. ## How to get to Kadıköy from Sultanahmet 1. Take the T1 tram to Eminönü (or walk from the Spice Bazaar — the pier is a couple of minutes away). 2. Board a Şehir Hatları ferry to Kadıköy and tap your Istanbulkart at the gate. 3. Get off at Kadıköy pier after about 20 minutes — the market starts across the road. 4. Rainy or windy? Take the T1 to Sirkeci, the Marmaray under the Bosphorus to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, then one stop on the M4 to Kadıköy. 5. Come back a different way — ferries also run to Karaköy and Beşiktaş. ## Things to do in Kadıköy - **Kadıköy Market (Çarşı)** — pedestrian lanes behind the pier full of fish, cheese, olives, spices, Turkish delight and snack bars. A food market, not a souvenir bazaar. - **The fish stalls** — the catch of the day, with cafés next door that will cook it for you. - **The Bull statue** in Altıyol Square — an 1864 bronze and everyone's meeting point. - **Bahariye Caddesi** — a pedestrian shopping street running from the bull past the 1927 Süreyya Opera House. - **Moda** — a quiet headland quarter with cafés, ice cream, a park and a seafront facing the old city and the Princes' Islands. - **Haydarpaşa station** — the 1908 waterfront terminus, best seen from the ferry. - **The T3 nostalgic tram** — a short loop from the pier via Bahariye to Moda. ## Kadıköy ferry: routes and timetable Şehir Hatları ferries run **from early morning until late evening, usually every 15–20 minutes** from Eminönü, with other routes from Karaköy, Beşiktaş and Kabataş, and boats on to the [Princes' Islands](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/princes-islands). Timetables change by season — check the Şehir Hatları app or website on the day. Kadıköy has several terminals side by side and routes can leave from different buildings, so read the destination board before the gate. Pay with an Istanbulkart — single tickets and bank cards cost more. On the way you pass the [Maiden's Tower](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/maidens-tower) and Haydarpaşa. ## Kadıköy Market and where to eat The market is a grid of car-free streets right behind the pier, where Istanbul residents do their real shopping. Tasting is normal; hard haggling like at the [Grand Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/grand-bazaar) is not. Eat right there: lokantas with home cooking, fish restaurants, meyhanes for meze and rakı, and third-wave coffee. On Tuesdays the neighbourhood also hosts a big open-air street market. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Istanbulkart topped up for the ferry both ways - [ ] Arriving hungry — this is the place to eat - [ ] Allowed 2–3 hours, or half a day with Moda and sunset - [ ] Comfortable shoes — the market streets climb uphill - [ ] Some cash for small market purchases - [ ] Know when the last ferry back leaves ## Kadıköy vs Üsküdar (and Balat) | | Kadıköy | Üsküdar | Balat | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Shore | Asian | Asian | European | | Go for | Market, food, cafés, Moda | Mosques, Maiden's Tower, sunset | Colourful houses, old streets | | Ferry from Eminönü | ≈ 20 min | ≈ 15–20 min | Not needed | | Entry | Free | Free | Free | | Time needed | 2–3 h | 2–3 h | 1.5–2 h | | Vibe | Busy, young, arty | Calm, traditional | Photographers and visitors | Üsküdar is for history and the waterside sunset; Kadıköy is for food and street life. They're about 15 minutes apart by bus or Marmaray, so you can do both in one afternoon. ## Istanbul's markets compared Every market in Istanbul rated by YesGo. - [Grand Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/grand-bazaar) — YesGo score 61/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · Free - [Spice Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/spice-bazaar) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free - [Kadıköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/kadikoy) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free - [İstiklal Avenue](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/istiklal-avenue) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Nişantaşı](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/nisantasi) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free ## The Asian side in half a day The Spice Bazaar, a ferry across the Bosphorus, lunch at Kadıköy market, then Üsküdar and sunset at the Maiden's Tower. 1. [Spice Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/spice-bazaar) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Free 2. [Kadıköy](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/kadikoy) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free 3. [Üsküdar](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/uskudar) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free 4. [Maiden’s Tower](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/maidens-tower) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Boat and entry: verifying > **Sunset from the Moda seafront** The sun drops behind the European shore, with the [Blue Mosque](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/blue-mosque) and [Hagia Sophia](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/hagia-sophia) in silhouette. Moda is a 15–20 minute walk from the pier. ## Good to know Kadıköy is both a large district and its centre by the pier — as a visitor you want the centre: the market, Bahariye and Moda. Bağdat Caddesi is in Kadıköy district too, but it's a long shopping avenue far from the pier. ## Tips - Go over from Eminönü and come back to Karaköy or Beşiktaş — two different Bosphorus crossings. - Have lunch at the market rather than in Sultanahmet — cheaper and better. - Catch sunset in Moda, then take the ferry back for the city lights from the water. - Flying into Sabiha Gökçen? The M4 metro goes straight to Kadıköy. - Pair it with [Üsküdar](https://yesgo.io/turkey/istanbul/uskudar) for two Asian-side neighbourhoods in one afternoon. ## Questions ### Is Kadıköy worth visiting? Yes, if you have more than a day: it shows everyday Istanbul and has some of the city's best food. With just one day, stay in the old city. ### How do I get to Kadıköy from Sultanahmet? T1 tram to Eminönü, then a 20-minute ferry. Or T1 to Sirkeci, Marmaray to Ayrılık Çeşmesi and one stop on the M4 metro. ### How long is the ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy? About 20 minutes. Ferries usually leave every 15–20 minutes; check the Şehir Hatları timetable on the day. ### What is Kadıköy known for? Its food market, meyhanes and coffee shops, the bronze bull, Bahariye street and the Moda seafront — and, in history, as ancient Chalcedon. ### What to do in Kadıköy? Graze through the market, see the bull and Bahariye, walk to Moda for the seafront and sunset, and take the ferry back. ### How much time do you need in Kadıköy? 2–3 hours for the market and Bahariye; half a day if you add Moda and sunset. ### Kadıköy or Üsküdar — which is better? Üsküdar for mosques, the Maiden's Tower and sunset; Kadıköy for food and street life. They're 15 minutes apart, so do both. ### Is Kadıköy safe? It's a busy, mainstream neighbourhood popular day and night. Use normal city precautions and watch your bag in crowds. ### How do I get from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Kadıköy? The M4 metro runs from the airport to the Kadıköy terminus by the pier in about an hour; Havabüs coaches also go there. ## How we checked Kadıköy is a free public neighbourhood, so there are no ticket prices. Ferry times and market hours come from travel guides because the official Şehir Hatları timetable would not load during our check, so they are marked “verifying”, and we leave out fares because they change. Historical facts are checked against at least two sources. Haydarpaşa's opening is given as 1908 or 1909, so we show 1908 with a note. Sources disagree on when the bull reached Kadıköy (1969–1971) and Altıyol (1976, 1987 or 1990), and on the sculptor (Bonheur or Rouillard), so we give only the cast date and Bonheur's signature. The Tuesday market is confirmed everywhere; Fridays are not. ## Sources - English and Russian Wikipedia: Kadıköy, Chalcedon, Haydarpaşa railway station, M4 (Istanbul Metro); Wikidata Q932886 - Encyclopaedia Britannica: Chalcedon - Daily Sabah, 17.02.2018, and bianet — history of the bull statue - Kültür Envanteri: Haydarpaşa Garı - Istanbul.com — guides to Kadıköy, Moda and the market - Cornucopia — Süreyya Opera House - Urban Transport Magazine, 2022 — M4 extension to Sabiha Gökçen - Istanbul ferry guides (feribotseferleri.com.tr), 2026 — routes and crossing times --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.