Cross the Galata Bridge from Sultanahmet and Istanbul changes character entirely. Beyoglu, on the northern bank of the Golden Horn, was historically the European merchant quarter - Genoese in the medieval period, then a cosmopolitan district of embassies and commercial exchange that shaped the Istanbul of the nineteenth century. The Galata Tower, the tram on Istiklal Avenue, the arcaded European apartment buildings: all of it traces back to those centuries of trade.
The walk from Sultanahmet to Galata across the bridge takes about fifteen minutes on flat ground. The T1 tram also crosses the bridge (Sultanahmet to Karaköy stop: three minutes, approximately 40 TL with a Istanbulkart).
November in Beyoglu: Temperatures are mild - 9--17°C - and the summer crowds are gone. Istiklal Avenue is busy at any time of year; November is moderate. The rooftop bars that compete for attention in summer are closed or running limited hours; the indoor meyhanes and fish restaurants are operating fully.
The Walk
Galata Bridge (Galata Köprüsü) spans the Golden Horn between Sultanahmet and Karaköy. The lower level contains fish restaurants - grilled fish, raki, the Bosphorus visible from every table - that operate from lunch into the early hours. The upper walkway has anglers stationed at regular intervals, lines descending thirty metres to the water below, at all hours including midnight.
SALT Galata on Bankalar Caddesi occupies the 1892 Ottoman Bank building at the Karaköy end of the bridge. A contemporary arts institution; the building itself is worth entering for the preserved vaults, the library, and the rooftop. Entry free to most of the building; temporary exhibitions typically free.
Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi): built in 1348 by the Genoese as a watchtower, still standing at 66 metres. The observation deck at the top offers a 360-degree view of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, and both the European and Asian shores. Entry approximately 350 TL; the queue moves quickly on weekday mornings. A lift runs to near the top; the final section is a spiral stair.
From the tower, follow the steep cobbled streets northwest to Istiklal Avenue (Istiklal Caddesi). A 1.4km pedestrian avenue running from Tünel at the south to Taksim Square at the north; a restored period tram runs its length. The avenue is lined with bookshops, record stores, bakeries, international chains, and a specific kind of Istanbul restaurant - mussel stalls selling midye dolma (stuffed mussels with lemon), lokanta lunch counters, and dessert shops.
The Çiçek Pasajı (Flower Passage) on Istiklal Avenue, built inside a nineteenth-century arcaded galleria, houses a permanent collection of meyhane stalls. The fish-market alleyways (Balık Pazarı) immediately behind it carry fishmongers, pickle sellers, and spice dealers.
Taksim Square at the northern end of Istiklal is large and functional rather than beautiful; the Atatürk Cultural Centre on the eastern side is a significant building. The interest is in the streets rather than the square itself.
Bosphorus Ferry
From Karaköy pier (a five-minute walk from the Galata Bridge's northern end), regular Şehir Hatları ferries cross to the Asian shore at Kadıköy or Üsküdar. A crossing to Kadıköy takes approximately 20--25 minutes; the return journey is the same. Cost approximately 40 TL each way with an Istanbulkart.
Kadıköy has its own market district, Moda neighbourhood, and café culture. For the ferry experience alone - crossing the Bosphorus at water level, the European skyline receding, the Asian shore approaching - the round trip without disembarking is possible and worthwhile.
For a longer Bosphorus experience, the Şehir Hatları Bosphorus Tour departs from Eminönü (adjacent to the Galata Bridge on the Sultanahmet side) twice daily in season; the long tour (4.5 hours) runs as far as the Black Sea entrance and back, passing under the suspension bridges, beside the yalı waterfront mansions, and through both the Bosphorus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. Approximately 250 TL; check sehirhatlari.com.tr for the November schedule.
Where to Eat
Mikla on the rooftop of the Marmara Pera hotel (25th floor, Beyoglu) is the most acclaimed contemporary Turkish restaurant in Istanbul: Scandinavian-trained chef, seasonal Anatolian ingredients, Bosphorus views. Booking essential months ahead.
Karaköy Lokantası on Kemankeş Caddesi in Karaköy is more approachable: a modern meyhane serving Ottoman mezzes and daily fish specials; no booking required at lunch, advance booking for dinner.
Midye dolma stalls on Istiklal Avenue: the correct street food for the walk north. Mussels stuffed with spiced rice and lemon juice; order by gesture, eat standing, pay by count.