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Bebek is an upscale neighborhood on the European side of the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey. It’s located in the Beşiktaş district between Arnavutköy and Rumelihisarı.
Introduction to Bebek
Bebek has been a desirable residential area since the Ottoman period due to its attractive position on the Bosporus. Bebek translates to Baby, and was known as Chilés (Χηλές) or Skalí (Σκαλί) during the Byzantine period. The Turkish name may come from Bebek Mustafa Çelebi, who was assigned by Mehmed the Conqueror to secure the area during construction of Rumeli Fortress and the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. He built a mansion and garden during his time there.
Later, in the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy Turks, Greeks, Jews, Georgians, and Armenians built mansions and summer homes in the area. Ferry service began in the middle of the 19th century making Bebek more accessible. After the foundation of Robert College by merchant Christopher Robert (1802-1878) and missionary Cyrus Hamlin (1811-1900) in 1863, French, British, and American expats began to move there.
Many mansions and old wooden homes were demolished during a period of rapid growth beginning in 1965. They were replaced by large modern apartment buildings and the area’s green spaces began to dwindle.
Today, Bebek is home to Boğaziçi University (Boğaziçi Üniversitesi), one of the best public universities in Turkey. It occupies the buildings of the former campus of Robert College. The neighborhood has high real estate prices and continues to be a preferred location for wealthy Istanbulites. It’s also a popular hangout for locals thanks to several excellent restaurants and cafés as well as a few seaside fish restaurants.
Getting to Bebek
To get to Bebek, you can take the 40T bus from the Park Otel stop in Gümüşsuyu near Taksim Square; the 22 or 40T from Kabataş; or the 22, 22RE, 40, 40T, or BŞK5 from Beşiktaş. The ferry terminal has service on the City Ferry Lines (Şehir Hatları) every hour or so from Eminönü and Beşiktaş.
Bebek Park
At the heart of the neighborhood is Bebek Park (Bebek Parkı). It’s a nice green space right on the Bosporus. There’s a path along the shore where boats are moored.
In the center the park is a fountain and a statue of Fuzuli (1494-1556), a Turkic poet. There’s also a playground and plenty of places to sit. I’ve seen lots of families having picnics in the park.
Emine Valide Pasha Mansion
At the southern end of the park is the Emine Valide Pasha Mansion (Emine Valide Paşa Yalısı). It’s one of the largest Ottoman seaside mansions on the Bosporus.
There were two mansions on the site before the current one. The original mansion was built in 1781 by Dürrizade Mehmed Ataullah Efendi (1759-1811), the Şeyhülislam (Shaykh al-Islam) of Sultan Abdülhamid I. In the 19th century, Rauf Pasha (1780-1859) built the second mansion. He served as Grand Vizier twice under Sultan Mahmud II and three times under Sultan Abdülmecid I .
Ali Pasha (1815-1871), a five-time Grand Vizier under Sultans Abdülmecid I and Abdülaziz, purchased the mansion from Rauf Pasha and renovated it. After Ali Pasha died, his heirs couldn’t afford the upkeep of the mansion. Sultan Abdülhamid II purchased it and, depending on the source, either sold it or gifted it to Princess Emina Ilhamy (1858-1931) in 1895. She was the mother of Abbas II (1874-1944), the last Khedive of Egypt.
Princess Emina had the mansion demolished and commissioned Italian architect Raimondo D’Aronco (1857-1932) to build the current mansion. Upon her death, she donated the mansion to the Egyptian government. It opened as the Egyptian Consulate and residence of the consul general in the 1960s. The building underwent a 2 ½ year restoration completed in 2011.
Bebek Mosque
Sitting just north of the park is the Bebek Mosque (Bebek Camii), officially the Hümayûn-u Âbad Mosque (Hümayûn-u Âbad Camii). The first mosque on the site was built in 1726 by Nevşehirli Damat Ibrahim Pasha (1662-1730), a Grand Vizier under Sultan Ahmed III. That mosque was demolished and rebuilt in 1913 by Turkish architect Mimar Kemaleddin (1870-1927), who designed it in the First National style.
The mosque is on a square plan and has a main dome supported by four half domes. There are a total of 34 windows, 6 large and 28 small, illuminating the prayer hall. It was under renovation during my last so I wasn’t able to enter.
Agios Charalambos Greek Orthodox Church
Heading uphill from the north end of the park are two churches. The walk takes you through a residential area with a mix of modern and historic buildings.
The first church is Agios Charalambos Greek Orthodox Church (Ἅγιος Χαράλαμπος Βεβεκίου / Ayios Haralambos Kilisesi). The church was first mentioned in 1796 and was built on land owned by monks from the Monastery of Iviron on Mount Athos. The current church was built in 1830.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Off the main road and hidden behind a high wall is Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Sacré-Cœur / Sakrekör Latin Katolik Kilisesi). It dates back to 1851, when French Lazarist nun Sister Therese established a school and orphanage for 17 orphans. Sister Stéphanie managed the complex from 1857 to 1897, and before her death in 1907 at the age of 83, she bequeathed the funds for the construction of the church.
The church was designed by Italian architect Ercole Michelini. Construction started in 1908 and it was consecrated on March 16, 1910. A statue of the Sacred Heart, donated by the Daughters of Paris on October 30, 1932, stands on the main altar. The four side altars are dedicated to St. Louis, St. Vincent de Paul, the Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph.
The church is still operating but the school and orphanage have been converted to luxury residences. It’s open for mass on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings.
Bebek Cistern
On the north end of the neighborhood is the Bebek Cistern (Bebek Sarnıcı). It was used by locals from the 19th through late 20th century. The city restored it and opened it as an art gallery on September 29, 2021. It’s open daily except Mondays and admission is free (as of May 2025).
Where to Eat in Bebek
Although Bebek has some great restaurants, I’ve only stopped into a few places for coffee and sweets.
Granny’s Waffles
If you’re looking for waffles, Bebek has some great options. We went to Granny’s Waffles, which is a few steps past all the action on Cevdet Pasha Street. This chain originally from Dubai has your typical waffle toppings and of course the waffles are delicious.
Baylan
Also in Bebek is a branch of Baylan. This famous pastry shop has been around since 1923, when Filip Lenas moved to Istanbul from the mountains between Albania and Greece and opened the first branch in Beyoğlu.
The house specialty is the Kup Griye, which was invented in 1954 by Filip’s son, Harry Lenas. It’s vanilla ice cream topped with almonds and other nuts, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and a lady finger. The Kup Griye is an Istanbul original and a true gem.
Espressolab Bebek
One of the many branches of Espressolab sits along the main road through the neighborhood. They have good coffee and friendly baristas as well as a decent atmosphere.
La Sirène
Finally, if you’re looking for good coffee in a beautiful setting along the Bosporus, you can visit La Sirène. Although they have a full menu, we decided to sit and have a coffee outdoors by the Bosporus. Unfortunately, service was slow and unfriendly.
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Hi! I have enjoyed your posts about various places in Istanbul and wanted to see if I could talk to you in person. By email I mean! Get some input from you, with your experience. I live in Portland, Oregon now. I was with the American Consulate for awhile in the early 1990s and also worked at the American Hospital as a nurse educator. I am the author of a book called, From the Bosphorus. Now, I’m writing a followup to that book that is quite extensive. Just looking to connect with other people who love and know the Bosphorus.