Kadıköy

This lively district on the Asian shore, opposite the historic peninsula, occupies the site of ancient Chalcedon, a Greek colony older than Byzantium itself. Today it is a bustling hub of markets, bookshops, cafés and street art, centred on a produce and fish bazaar whose stalls draw locals and visitors alike. Ferries from the European side dock at its busy quay, and a bull statue marks a popular meeting point. Away from the main tourist trail, Kadıköy offers an unfiltered sense of contemporary Istanbul life beside its ancient origins.