Avnavutkei is a haven for fishermen in Istanbul. Neighborhood and real estate overview.

The Arnavutköy neighborhood is located in the European part of Istanbul. It is said that this area was called so back in 1850. In the 15th century, Albanians settled here, which gave rise to the name, because "Arnavut" translates as Albanian and "köy" means village. In fact, the place is called an Albanian village, although later Greeks and even later Ottoman Turks mixed with the Albanians. In 1951 they emigrated here from Anatolia, at that time there were only about 350 houses, a school, a store, a cafe and that was it. But over time the neighborhood grew, the infrastructure improved, and in 2008 Arnavutkoy was officially designated one of the provinces of Istanbul. Greeks are still here, the neighborhood has a large enough community, peacefully coexisting with other nationalities. The largest Greek Orthodox church in Turkey, Taksiarhis, with stunning old architecture, mosaics and frescoes, stands here.

And the place is really wonderful. Despite the fact that it is a suburb of such a huge metropolis as Istanbul, it is very picturesque, surprising with an abundance of gorgeous gardens, parks, sculptural compositions. The old Ottoman wooden architecture has been preserved here (Unfortunately, some of the houses were burned down in a fire in 1887). People are kind, as in all of Turkey, tender and gentle sea. The neighborhood is one of the ten greenest areas of Istanbul. There is no city noise and bustle. How great it is to have a jog along the seashore under the cries of seagulls, later to drink Turkish tea in a coastal cafe. And in the evening to enjoy romantic sunsets on the sea. Tempting, isn't it?

Although the area is considered a tourist destination, people come here to get away from the city, away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. And to live here is a fairy tale. The infrastructure is quite developed, a lot of stores with basic necessities and not only, there are several food and clothing markets in walking distance. But you will not find here new-fashioned boutiques, as almost all of them in the tourist centers of Istanbul.

What will really delight you in the area are the fish markets and restaurants. All winter during the fishing season, the markets are filled with all kinds of fish caught here in the Black Sea. It is very fresh and the locals prefer to take only TODAY's catch. In the markets and fish stores you can clean fish for free, and sometimes fry it for a small fee. This is a convenient service for those who are too lazy to do it themselves.

If you want to make it more romantic, go to one of the fish restaurants.restaurants, of which there are many. They're lined up along the promenade, and the people at the entranceat the entrance asking everyone to come in. But the wonderful aroma of freshly fried fishbeckons. Believe me, you won't be disappointed. With a mug of excellentTurkish beer you can enjoy fish delicacies for every budget, fromsimple hamsi to tender salmon with breaded squid rings.