Turkey
Istanbul
Away-day guide
Istanbul is a brilliant but logistically demanding away trip: grounds are scattered across two continents, traffic is heavy and police transport can replace the route you planned. Base yourself around Taksim, Sirkeci or Karaköy, keep matchday flexible and treat the visiting club's final instructions as compulsory.
Public transport
Buy an anonymous Istanbulkart from a yellow or blue machine at major stations and load credit onto it. The same card works on metro, tram, municipal buses, Marmaray, ferries and funiculars, but each change normally counts as another journey and airport, Marmaray and Metrobus fares can differ from the basic fare. Contactless bank-card acceptance is not consistent enough to rely on. There is no normal daily fare cap; a tourist Istanbul City Card offers time-based unlimited travel, but groups making only a few journeys usually spend less with Istanbulkart. Use Google Maps or Moovit for general planning, Metro Istanbul for rail information and Otobüsüm Nerede for buses. Allow extra time for large interchanges such as Yenikapı and Gayrettepe and for ferry connections across the Bosphorus.
Typical prices
- Beer (0.5L)
- TRY 200
- Coffee
- TRY 110
- Meal, mid-range
- TRY 500
- Taxi from airport
- TRY 1,700
- Single transit ticket
- TRY 35
✈ Airports & cheaper alternatives
- Istanbul Airport IST primary 40 km Take metro M11 to Gayrettepe, then change to M2 for Taksim, Şişhane or Yenikapı. Havaist coaches also run to central districts and can be easier with luggage, though traffic is unpredictable. The main airport, with the widest choice of international flights. It is a long way north-west of the centre, so allow plenty of time before an early flight.
- Sabiha Gökçen International Airport SAW alternative 40 km Metro M4 runs from the terminal to Kadıköy. For the European side, change at Ayrılık Çeşmesi for Marmaray, or continue to Kadıköy and take a ferry to Karaköy or Eminönü. Airport coaches also serve Kadıköy and Taksim. Often cheaper with budget airlines, particularly for flights from elsewhere in Europe, but it is on the Asian side and can mean a lengthy cross-city transfer.
🍺 Supporters' pubs
Galatasaray
Home fans: Galatasaray supporters gather on Nevizade Sokak and adjoining streets off İstiklal Caddesi, around Galatasaray Lisesi and Çiçek Pasajı. Dab Pub is regularly recommended; older reports also mention Sanat Bar.
Away fans: Sultanahmet–Sirkeci is the conventional visitor base, with Red River Pub a commonly used neutral option. Do not treat Nevizade as an away pub area or wear away colours there. Official buses have sometimes left from Sultanahmet Square.
Some Nevizade venues impose a matchday entrance charge or minimum spend. Away-ticket checks can begin before supporters reach the stadium parking area, followed by several police and steward checks.
Fenerbahçe
Home fans: Home territory covers Kadıköy harbour and market, Kadıköy Çarşı, Kadife Sokak, Güneşli Bahçe Sokak and the roads towards the stadium. Named recommendations include Kuzen Bar, Harp Irish Pub, Nazlı’nın Yeri and Develi Kalamış; older reports mention Hamsi Pub.
Away fans: Taksim and Beyoğlu have been designated for visiting supporters at previous fixtures. U2 Istanbul Irish Pub and Corner Irish Pub are neutral-style options; Red River Pub in Sirkeci is another possibility when Sultanahmet is the official base. Avoid drinking near the stadium or around Kadıköy Çarşı in away colours.
Arrangements can require away fans to report to Taksim or Sultanahmet and board police buses after ticket checks. For some fixtures, supporters arriving independently have been refused access to the visitors' sector.
Beşiktaş
Home fans: Beşiktaş supporters gather around Köyiçi and Çarşı, particularly the fish market and Eagle Statue. Kazan Bahçesi, usually shortened to Kazan, is the main named meeting place. Other suggestions include Çıtır Pub, the bar called Çarşı, Turgut Vidinli, Hasbi and Ahtapot.
Away fans: Taksim Square has previously been used as the official away area. U2 Istanbul Irish Pub and Corner Irish Pub are central neutral options, while Red River Pub in Sirkeci is farther from Beşiktaş home territory. Do not use Çarşı or Kazan as an away drinking area.
Previous visiting-club advice has told away fans to avoid Beşiktaş supporter areas, keep colours covered and join an escorted movement from Taksim. Ticket collection or coach boarding may require matching photo ID.
İstanbul Başakşehir
Away fans: Drink centrally in Taksim or Beyoğlu, with U2 Istanbul Irish Pub and Corner Irish Pub among the neutral options, then use the meeting point specified by the visiting club. Previous assembly points have included Gezi Park, the TRT parking area on Refik Saydam Caddesi and Sultanahmet.
There is no well-established stadium pub district. Spike Game & Sports Café beside the stadium shows matches and has pool tables, but is described as a hookah café rather than an alcohol venue. At previous European fixtures, use of an official police shuttle to away block E has been compulsory.
Sourced from supporters' forums — always follow your club's and police advice for the fixture.
Nightlife
Beyoğlu is the easiest base for a short trip: İstiklal Caddesi, Asmalımescit and the streets around Taksim have late bars, music venues and food. Karaköy is good for bars and restaurants close to ferries and the T1 tram, though prices are higher. Kadıköy has a strong pub and live-music scene around Kadife Sokak and the market, while Beşiktaş Çarşı is busy and more local. On matchday, remember that Nevizade is Galatasaray territory, Kadıköy is Fenerbahçe territory and Beşiktaş Çarşı is firmly Beşiktaş territory; visiting groups should use the area named in their club's travel advice.
Food & drink
Try döner, köfte, pide, lahmacun, dürüm and balık ekmek for straightforward match-trip food. A proper sit-down meal might include kebabs, meze and grilled fish; menemen and börek are useful breakfasts. Local drinks include tea, strong Turkish coffee, ayran and rakı. Efes and Bomonti are the common lagers. Alcohol is expensive compared with everyday food, and many restaurants near mosques or in conservative outer districts do not serve it.
Cheap eats & beer
For a quick central feed, try Kızılkayalar at Taksim for ıslak hamburger, Dürümzade near İstiklal for dürüm, or the lokanta-style trays at Balkan Lokantası branches. Around Sirkeci, Şehzade Cağ Kebap and the small pide, köfte and döner shops around Hocapaşa Sokak are handy before an official away-fan meet. Expect a basic döner, pide or cafeteria plate to cost roughly 150–300. Beer is rarely genuinely cheap because alcohol is heavily taxed: a 500ml draught is commonly 160–250, rising further in rooftop bars. Beyoğlu side streets generally undercut Sultanahmet hotel bars, while Kadife Sokak in Kadıköy has plenty of competition but should not be used by identifiable away fans before a Fenerbahçe match. Neutral or visitor-oriented choices include Red River Pub in Sirkeci and U2 Istanbul Irish Pub or Corner Irish Pub around Taksim. These are useful meeting places rather than guaranteed official away pubs; follow the visiting club's notice for the actual assembly point.
Staying safe
Keep away colours covered outside the designated visitor area, particularly in Nevizade, Kadıköy and Beşiktaş Çarşı on relevant matchdays. Avoid political demonstrations and large gatherings around Taksim, İstiklal and government buildings. Use official yellow taxis, insist on the meter and follow the route on your phone; traffic can make airport fares and journey times climb quickly. Watch for pickpockets on packed trams, İstiklal Caddesi and ferries, and avoid the familiar Beyoğlu bar scam where a stranger invites you for a drink and an inflated bill follows. Carry your passport for UEFA ticket checks, but keep a separate digital copy. Turkish law and policing around insults, flags, pyrotechnics and public disorder can be stricter than travelling fans expect.
On matchday
Wait for the visiting club's final supporter notice before choosing a route to the ground. Istanbul police frequently require away fans to assemble in Taksim, Sultanahmet or another designated area, have tickets and passports checked, and travel on guarded buses. This can override otherwise sensible metro directions, and independent arrival may be refused. Away sectors are segregated behind several ticket, passport, flag and bag checks; take the passport linked to the ticket and keep screenshots or printed copies available. Alcohol may be unavailable inside. Roads around Dolmabahçe, Seyrantepe, Söğütlüçeşme and Başakşehir can close, while nearby stations may shut temporarily, become exit-only or hold away fans after full time. Do not book a tight post-match airport transfer.