Explore Istanbul by Bike
One of the best ways of touring around Istanbul is by bike. The important question is where to find one and the good routes to ride for good pictures and good views. The city has many hills, and the traffic may not be suitable for bikes in some regions of Istanbul.
But if you know the best routes, you may enjoy the city with the freedom of bikes. All in all, here are some recommendations for bike lovers. The government installed many bike stations in Istanbul to motivate people to use them to decrease the traffic problem and promote a healthy lifestyle in Istanbul and Istanbul tourism.
The most significant advantage of this for a traveler is that many of these stations are located in tourism centers. For example, one station is just next to Hagia Sophia; another one is close to the Spice Market, and so on.
You can rent a bike in Istanbul from these stations with credit cards and the Istanbul public transportation card, Istanbulkart. After renting a bike, you can leave it at any station that you like. You don’t need to return them to the station that you rented.
When it comes to the best routes with the bikes, the seashore areas of Istanbul become the best option. Many of the coastal roads in Istanbul have a separate bike route. Here are three of the best routes in Istanbul to enjoy good views with historical visits for bike riders.
Route 1 City Walls of Constantinople (22 km)
You will rent the bike from the Sultanahmet bike station for this route. You will go down by following the tram line to Sirkeci tram station, and when you reach Kennedy Street, you will make a right-hand turn and follow the coastal way up to the end of the city walls. Once you see many of the city walls, you make a right-hand turn and continue visiting the walls on your right until the Golden Horn. After reaching the Golden Horn, another right turn will bring you back to the beginning point in Sirkeci tram station. Here you can return to Sultanahmet, or you can leave the bike just on the seashore at the Eminonu bike station.
In this route, the highlights are:
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Yedikule Dungeons
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Chora Museum
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Fener the old Greek
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Balat, the Jewish districts
Route 2: On the Shores of Bosphorus (13 km)
For this route, you rent the bike from the Eminonu bike station. After renting the motorcycle, you follow the Galata Bridge, and after the bridge, you continue to the right-hand side by following Necatibey Street. This is the road that will continue just on the side of the Bosphorus. You can continue straight depending on your energy and will.
There are lots to see following this route, such as:
You can leave the bike at any station up to your desire.
Route 3 Majestic Golden Horn (19 km)
For this route, you can rent the bike from the Sultanahmet bike station. You will go down by following the tram line to Sirkeci tram station, and when you reach Kennedy Street, you will make a left-hand turn to Resadiye Street. After reaching Resadiye Street, you will keep straight by following the Golden Horn coastal road. At the end of the coastal way, you make a right-hand turn to Kazim Karabekir Street. If you continue straight from this street, it will return you to Galata Bridge. You can leave the bike at Karakoy, Eminonu, or Sultanahmet bike station, up to your decision.
The highlights of this route are:
The Final Word
There are dozens of routes like this available in Istanbul. The routes above are just the most suitable ones for a bike and give the traveler some important highlights in Istanbul to see. Sometimes, the best idea with a bike is to make your route depending on your interests and start discovering. The city is waiting for you with all of its history and traditions. Istanbul has a lot to offer. The only thing to do is to come and experience it yourself.