“Yellow Place”
Sarıyer is almost as far up the European shore of the Bosphorus as most people can travel without a car. Although it’s still a part of the conurbation it has something of the feel of a place apart on account of its remoteness from the city centre. Still, it boasts all the same ingredients as other Bosphorus suburbs: graceful wooden yalıs (waterside mansions), boats bobbing up and down in the harbour and fish restaurants aplenty. This is also where you will see some of the huge boats of the serious fishing fleet tied up by the shore.
There are not many specific attractions although many Turks come here to visit the shrine of Telli Baba.
Around Sarıyer
The best place to get out of the bus is the fishing harbour where a statue of Atatürk in opera cape and top hat greets all comers. On either side of the harbour are fine wooden yalıs, some of them restored, some seeking new owners.
To find the best of them you actually have to head inland in search of the multi-faceted wooden mansion occupied by Kizılay (Red Crescent) in Yeni Mahalle. It’s unique in its elegant design. The Yeni Mahalle is also home to the 19th-century Greek Orthodox Church of Hagios Iohannes Prodoromos (St John the Baptist). If you continue uphill to Havantepe the trek will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the Bosphorus.
To find the popular shrine of Telli Baba you need to head out of Sarıyer on the road to Rumeli Kavağı. Externally it is not particularly alluring. Inside, however, you’ll find the tomb of İmam Abdullah Efendi, AKA Telli Baba because of the strips of silver thread (tel) tied to his tomb. Those in search of a marriage partner sometimes come here to pray for his intervention, taking with them one of the threads which they will return in thanks once the desired partner materialises.
Various stories are told about Telli Baba although they make little sense since one suggests that he lived in the 15th century and another in the 19th. Since the Kadiri sect wear turbans decorated with silver threads he may have been one of their dervishes and resident at a lost lodge on the site.
Eating
These days branches of Sarıyer Börekçisi can be found all over town but the original shop dating back to 1895 still survives on Yeni Mahalle Caddesi. If you’ve never tried one of the tasty, flaky-pastry parcels that are börek, this is surely the place to do so.
Sleeping
Six Senses Kocataş Mansions. Tel: 0212-355 5500
Transport info
Buses to Sarıyer leave from Kabataş, Beşiktaş and Taksim.
To avoid the coastal traffic bottlenecks you could alternatively take the Metro from Taksim to 4.Levent and then catch a minibus on to Sarıyer.
Occasional Şehir Hatları ferry services link Sarıyer to Rumeli Kavağı, and to Andolu Kavağı. on the opposite shore. There are also regular ferries across to Beykoz and summer-only ferries to Poyrazköy.
Nearby areas
