Western Suburbs

Much bigger aquarium than Sea Life, with over 1,500 species. 3 cafes and large parking lot.

This district lies between the "little lagoon" of that name, and Ataturk airport. It houses the Halkali Railway Station. There are lakeside areas for strolling and cycling, and there is a 16th-century stone arch bridge over the creek that connects the lake to the sea, but you wouldn't make a special trip.

This lagoon and district has more to offer. There are lots of cafes around the Kültür Park, and restaurants along the banks of the lagoon's outlet channel. There is nothing of note in modern downtown Büyükçekmece.

The main attraction is this small circular park on the lakefront. Much of its content is modern, including the amphitheatre and sculpture. But behind the amphitheatre are the old baths, and on the park's southeast rim is the caravanserai: Büyükçekmece was traditionally the first overnight stop for caravans trekking west to Europe from Constantinople, or their last stop eastbound. Also known as Kurşunlu Han, the "lead inn" as that's what it was roofed with, it's now a cultural centre: see if there is an exhibition on, and in any case try to peek inside at the architecture supporting the roof. Next to it is Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque, with its kerbside minaret artistically carved out of a single piece of rock, and a large fountain to provide water to the arriving caravans.

Stretching west from the park is this impressive 16th-century stone bridge with four humps and 28 arches spanning the channel between lagoon and sea. The bridge is pedestrian only and offers some very nice views, so it's worth walking across the entire (breezy!) span via the three islets to the quiet western end, even though beyond is industrial gap site, with the modern highway roaring to the south. In the park, the pillbox menacing the bridge was part of the "Çakmak Line", the World War II fortifications stretching from here to Terkos, which were Istanbul's last line of defence from the west. The pillbox exterior is colourfully decorated but the interior is closed.

A charming coastal neighborhood, known for its sandy beaches, vibrant summer atmosphere, and stunning views. One of the few swimmable places in the Marmara Sea.

An Olympic venue. Home court of the national team.

A 60-km, 4-day hiking trail between the coasts of the Marmara and Black Seas across the rapidly changing outskirts of the city, passing through various urban, natural, historic, and industrial sites.

A 2,500-km hiking and cycling trail stretching all the way to Vienna, retracing the campaign of Suleiman the Magnificent onto the Habsburg capital. It is not marked on the ground, but the GPS tracks are available through its website. In the east, it kicks off at the mausoleum of Suleiman in Istanbul's Old City, while to the west the next major town is Saray.