All roads lead to Cheers

Cheers Porthouse  - Now Open in Karaköy

The Cheers Hostel group has been run successfully since 2009 in the Old Town Sultanahmet, Istanbul. Opened in April 2018 in the lively harbor quarter Karaköy, Istanbul, the Cheers Porthouse Hostel found its home in a quiet backstreet in a historical building where spacious dormitories and private rooms are waiting for guests.

Centrally located in the hipster quarter Karaköy, Cheers Porthouse Hostel is just a few steps away from bohemian bars, excellent small restaurants, clubs and fashionable boutiques. Nearly every Istanbul guidebook recommends the artsy and bohemian harbor district. Here you can find the local Simit Bakery, Turkey’s best Baklava Güllüoglu, the charcuterie Namli and small Lokantas serving homemade food next to hip coffee shops, delicious burger houses and small designer stores. Karaköy is centrally located within this unique assembly of different styles and traditions.

This central location makes it easy to reach the main sites of Istanbul by foot or public transportation. With the tram you can reach the old city centre Sultanahmet within 10 minutes to see Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace, or walk to the Galata Tower or the Istiklal Street in Taksim, the pulsing city centre of Istanbul. If you fancy experiencing the Istanbul art scene, that is just a street away at the old Galata Greek School and the former Tabaco DEPO, which both show young leading Turkish artists in rotating exhibitions. The main Turkish art galleries- Mixer and Pi Art Gallery- recently opened their doors in Karaköy, and the Museum for Contemporary Art Istanbul Modern moved to Pera, reachable with the Füniküler railway in just a few minutes.

Despite the wonders of the European side, the Asian side of Istanbul is always worth a day trip. Every 20 minutes a ferry leaves from Karaköy harbor to Kadiköy on the Asian side. The ferry ride itself is already an experience - an unforgettable view over historical Istanbul from Eminönü to Sultanahmet and even Galata Tower on the Beyoglu hills. Sometimes even dolphins will accompany the ferries and their ever-present flock of seagulls!