Istanbul New Years Eve 2014

Fireworks, Events, Live Stream, Webcams, Parties, Hotels

Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, 31 December 2013, Midnight

Istanbul, as the capital city of Turkey is the focal point for the country's celebration of the New Year, and NYE 2014 will be no exception. With a dramatic setting at the mouth of the Bosphorus, the city of Istanbul provides a spectacular backdrop to some on the most spectacularly scenic fireworks displays anywhere in the world.

It's not necessarily a city you would associate with huge festivities for the new year, but the city certainly comes to life on this night. You have to remember Christmas isn't celebrated in this region, so perhaps they benefit from the relative lack of party-fatigue that affects some of the world's other major population centres. The Turkish people are very fond of pyrotechnics too, so and large sclae fireworks displays will always see them out in numbers to enjoy the spectacle.

The New Year’s Eve Party in Istanbul sees crowds gather in Taksim Square and Istiklal Street in the City centre where all around there is the sound of blaring horns from the hundreds of vehicles traversing the streets of Istanbul, and as the countdown to midnight reaches its dramatic conclusion the skies above the city are lit by spectacular fireworks launched form vantage points across the city.

Many people choose to celebrate with a special New Year's Eve dinner on a Bosphorus cruise, and there are many companies offering this service. For those preferring a more sedate setting, or to take in a show the Kervansaray Restaurant is among the most preferred places to visit while Orient House, Sultana's, Gar Restaurant and Istanbulin all offer a great night out. Generally speaking, anywhere on the Golden Horn will provide a lively evening's entertainment, while also providing close proximity to the coastal areas where the views come midnight are truly spectacular.

If you're looking for the best places to see the fireworks, the Fatih district corresponds to what was, until the Ottoman conquest, the whole of the city, across from which stood the Genoese citadel of Galata. Those Genoese fortifications were largely demolished in the 19th century, leaving only the Galata Tower. Galata is now a part of the Beyoğlu district, which forms Istanbul's commercial and entertainment center around Taksim Square. Restaurants featuring foreign cuisines are mainly concentrated in the Beyoğlu district. Residing along İstiklal Avenue is the Çiçek Pasajı, now home to winehouses, pubs, and restaurants.

For visitors to the region, Istanbul's tourist industry is concentrated in the European side, with 90 percent of the city's hotels located there. Low and mid range hotels tend to be located on the Sarayburnu, while higher-end hotels are primarily located in the entertainment and financial centers north of the Golden Horn. Istanbul's seventy museums, the most visited of which are the Topkapı Palace Museum and the Hagia Sophia.

Places to watch live online: Istanbul webcams

For hotels, bed and breakfast, apartments and guest houses in Istanbul for New Years Eve, visit local hotels here.

We would love to hear feedback from anyone who has visited Istanbul for New Years Eve and would like to share their experiences.

Also if you know of any events or parties we don't yet have listed, whether it's something you're attending or organising, please let us know and we'll be happy to update the page.