MACKA PARK
One of the most popular parks in Istanbul
A welcome green space in the central city, the park still has standing areas of dense thickets of trees including Linden, Chestnut, Oak, Sycamore, Ash, Alder, and Walnut.
The paths leading through the park lead to children’s playground areas, formally set-out gardens, lawns for picnickers to use, and manmade ponds. There are also areas with exercise equipment (a very common component of many Turkish parks).
If you want an overhead view of the park, hop on the cable-car (called the Maçka-Taşkışla Teleferik), which runs west-east over the central grounds of the park.
The Maçka cable car station is accessed from the park’s eastern side. The cable-car was built for, and is mostly utilized by, students and staff at Istanbul Technical University, which has campuses on either side of Maçka Park.
The lowest point of Maçka Park is just northwest of Dolmabahçe Palace and is easily combined with a visit to the palace. To get to both, the nearest tram stop is Kabataş.
YILDIZ PARK
Located in the Beşiktaş district. One of the most beautiful and largest parks in Istanbul. Very popular among the locals, it is also highly recommended for tourists. It is the ideal place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the metropolis and just to relax.
Yıldız Park was once the sultan’s private hunting ground and part of the grounds of Yıldız Palace, which was used as the main residence of Sultan Abdülhamid II (reigned 1876-1909), walled off to all but the royal court.
Yıldız Park has vast biodiversity of flora collected worldwide since the Ottoman era. Yıldız Park also has an artificial lake, manmade ponds, waterfalls, beautiful gardens, lime trees, ash trees, and even a porcelain factory.
EMIRGAN PARK
Outside of the Istanbul metropolitan area, on the European side of the Bosphorus coast (18 kilometers north of central Istanbul), Emirgan Park is a vast slice of greenery incorporating both woodland and formal gardens that provides a welcome respite from the city bustle.
A trip out here is particularly worthwhile in spring, as Emirgan Park is one of the main focuses of the Istanbul Tulip Festival, and through the month of April, its formal gardens in the central section of the park are abloom with dazzling multi-colored tulip displays.
The park (which covers 325,000 square meters) is a rambling place, with various 19th-century pavilion buildings now housing cafés and restaurants, lawns for picnickers, children’s playground equipment, a large lake area at the center, and a vast array of meandering paths covering the grounds. There are great vistas over the Bosphorus from various points.
OTAGTEPE-FATIH PARK
Outside Istanbul’s metropolitan area (27 kilometers northeast of the central city) Otağtepe-Fatih Park offers some of the Bosphorus region’s most beautiful views.
The park is on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus, just south of the Fatih Mehmet Sultan Bridge, and this bridge dominates the views while the 15 July Martyr’s Bridge can also be seen in the distance to the south.
There are plenty of walking trails to explore, meandering past ponds and areas of dense tree thickets, but Otağtepe-Fatih Park has been deliberately kept as a natural area with no facilities, so there are no cafés and restaurants inside the park area, and picnicking on the lawns is not allowed.
GULHANE PARK
Gulhane Park is the oldest park in Istanbul, located near the Topkapi Palace and once part of it. Translated from Turkish, the name “Gülhane” means “House of Roses.” And the park did not accidentally get such a name, because in the spring-summer season, more than 80 thousand roses bloom here, as well as thousands of tulips adorn flowerbeds. In winter, Gulkhan carpeted with forget-me-nots.
There are also several historic buildings within the park, including the former Imperial Stables, which now houses the Istanbul Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam.
NAKKASHTEPE NATIONAL PARK
Nakkashtepe National Park is located in the Uskudar district of Istanbul. It was established on an area of 50,000 square meters in a former military area. What distinguishes it most is its unique view of the Bosphorus Strait. It also includes picnic areas, an adventure track, an aircraft road and an observation deck. Tennis court, biological pool, shooting area, fitness areas, as well as a wooden bridge, amphitheater, waterfall, outdoor camping areas, training hall and male and female toilets. In this park, you can spend a quiet and enjoyable day among the most beautiful scenery with your family and friends.
SARACHANE PARK
Sarachane Garden is a grassy park filled with trees and green natural areas, located next to the Shahzadeh Mosque, and includes fountains, a playground and views of the ancient Roman aqueduct. The park, with its natural attractions and facilities, is a distinctive family tourist destination, where you can relax in the heart of nature, read a book, or even take a walk with the family and eat a delicious meal.
BELGRAD FOREST
Located in the northwest of Istanbul, at Sariyer district. Belgrad Forest is one of the greenest places in Istanbul and covers an area of 55,000 hectare proliferation of protected woodland full of oak, beech and chestnut trees. You can do hiking, nature walking, mountain biking, and have a great day out with picnics and barbecue. You’ll find many picnic spots.
