Before and after the show
Around Taksim Square
Taksim Square and its surroundings for a night out: İstiklal Avenue and its nostalgic tram, the Atatürk Cultural Center and how to get to and from the square.
Book the belly dance dinner show ↗Quick answer
Taksim Square sits in Beyoğlu and is, in Wikipedia's words, a major tourist and leisure district famed for its restaurants, shops and hotels. The dinner show this site covers is described as being close to the square. İstiklal Avenue and its nostalgic tram begin there, and the metro and bus links make it an easy base.
The square
Wikipedia says Taksim Square is in Beyoğlu, in the European part of Istanbul, and is considered the heart of modern Istanbul. The Republic Monument, crafted by Pietro Canonica and inaugurated in 1928, commemorates the fifth anniversary of the Republic. The square is flanked by The Marmara Hotel to the south, the Atatürk Cultural Center to the east, Gezi Park to the north and Taksim Mosque to the west.
The name
Taksim means division or distribution in Arabic, according to Wikipedia. The square was originally the point where the main water lines from the north of Istanbul were collected and branched off to other parts of the city, a use established by Sultan Mahmud I. It takes its name from the Ottoman-era stone reservoir along one side of the square. Wikipedia notes that several major roads converge here, including Cumhuriyet Caddesi, İstiklal Caddesi and Sıraselviler Caddesi.
İstiklal Avenue and the tram
İstiklal Avenue is a pedestrian street in Beyoğlu that runs from Tünel Square in Galata to Taksim Square, lined with late Ottoman-era buildings, according to Wikipedia. It measures 1.4 kilometres. Trams run between Taksim and Tünel squares and were reinstated in 1990. The Tünel itself was inaugurated on 17 January 1875 and is described as the second-oldest underground urban railway in the world, after London's Underground.
The Atatürk Cultural Center
Wikipedia calls the Atatürk Cultural Center a multi-purpose concert hall and cultural centre on Taksim Square. It reopened after renovation in 2021 and faces the Taksim Mosque, which also opened in 2021. If your evening in Istanbul is built around the performing arts, the building is a landmark for the area, though this dinner show is a separate venue and has no connection to it. For the show itself, use the meeting point on the ticket, not the square.
Getting to and from the square
Wikipedia describes Taksim as a main transportation hub, the main transfer point for the municipal bus system, with the central station of the Istanbul Metro network. The Kabataş to Taksim funicular, opened on 29 June 2006, connects the metro station with the Kabataş tram station and seabus port. A route planner will give you current services, and the dinner show's shuttle option is the alternative if you prefer a door-to-door ride.
Before and after the show
Wikipedia calls Gezi Park a small green park in the midst of the concrete expanse of central Istanbul, on the north side of the square, and describes İstiklal Avenue as a long pedestrian shopping street that ends at Taksim. Both make easy additions to an evening: a walk down the avenue before dinner, or a ride on the nostalgic tram afterwards. Opening hours and tram times change, so check them locally on the day.
Eating and wandering
Wikipedia says the square is surrounded by travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and pubs. It names the InterContinental, the Divan and The Marmara among the grand hotels around Taksim. Since the dinner show includes a three-course dinner, you may want only a walk before or after: İstiklal Avenue is the obvious one, and it is pedestrian, so you can stroll it without traffic.
Who this isn't for
A full tour of Beyoğlu is outside its scope, and walking times are left out, because they depend on where you start. It also says nothing about opening hours, which change, or about demonstrations: Wikipedia records that gatherings in the square have been restricted in recent years, so check current local advice if you plan to be there at a busy time.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Taksim Square?
In Beyoğlu, in the European part of Istanbul, at the end of İstiklal Avenue, according to Wikipedia.
Is there a tram on İstiklal Avenue?
Yes. Wikipedia says nostalgic trams run between Taksim and Tünel squares and were reinstated in 1990.
Is the dinner show at Taksim Square?
The ticket describes it as close to Taksim Square, between the Divan and Hilton hotels.
Sources