5 bars with stunning views in Istanbul

On the very posh St. Regis Istanbul hotel rooftop you’ll find Spago, master chef Wolfgang Puck’s California cuisine restaurant and its gorgeous bar. Order a cocktail and enjoy the view over Istanbul or head to the lounge in case of bad weather for the same amazing views.

Hidden among the lovely boutiques of cobble-stone-bedecked Serdar-ı Ekrem, Georges Hotel occupies a beautiful apartment building from the 1860s. Its rooftop bar and restaurant is the perfect place for a dimly lit evening sipping cocktails and looking out over the city’s flickering lights.

Virtually unaltered since its establishment in 1892, during the glamorous days of the Orient Express, this nostalgic hotel has an Ottoman-Victorian elegance with plenty of red velvet. Apart from the bar downstairs with its caged exotic birds, the hotel also has a terrace bar with a fantastic view of Istanbul.

Istanbul is truly fortunate to have access to the top of the Deniz Palas Apartment, now used as the headquarters of IKSV (Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Art). Monkey Bar, belonging to Firuze Restaurant, looks out over the Golden Horn in all its splendour, made more enjoyable with a round of delicious cocktails.

You’ll feel like you can jump into the Bosphorus at any time because of this restaurant and bar’s location right on the water. Decked out in marble-top tables and French bistro chairs, there’s a sense of sophistication that’s also reflected in the seasonal menu and craft cocktails.