Gay, bear, hairy and Turk !
Turkish bears form a remarkable community in Istanbul’s
gay life, although there are not many venues catering to
bear men exclusively. Istanbul’s bear community
interacts with each other in several bars, clubs, and
via the internet. There have been several very
successful international bear parties in Istanbul in
recent years, supported by the international bear
community. Turkish bears are usually very easy-going people and they
have comparatively less problems with the society with
respect to other members of the LGBTQ community, which
can traditionally absorb straight-acting males more
easily. Bears from all around the world are invited to
discover Istanbul’s exotic bear life.
Anason Bear Bar (21:00-04:00)
Istiklal Cad.
Imam Adnan Sk. No:10, Kat 3 Beyoglu
Click here for guest reviews, location map
and more
Anason Bar, which opened in early 2025, aims to serve as
a meeting point for both the Turkish and international
gay bear community. Located on the third floor of the
building, access requires taking the elevator after
ascending the stairs to the first floor.
Stay Club (23:00-05:00)
Siraselviler
Cad. No 35 / 2, Taksim, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for reviews, location map and more
Stay Club, which particularly welcomes the bear
community, opened in 2020 and relocated to a new address
in April 2024, just a 3-4 minute walk from Taksim
Square. The club is situated on the basement floor of
the building.
Mor Kedi Cafe & Bar (20:00 - 01:00)
Ipek Sokak 16, Kat 3,
(3rd floor) Beyoglul
Click here for reviews, location map and more
More Kedi is one of Istanbul's longest-standing gay café
bars. It tends to get busy earlier than other gay bars,
with patrons usually arriving from 6pm and staying until
around midnight. The clientele mostly consists of
younger gay men and some younger bear guys, but people
of all ages are welcome.
Club Cheeky (24:00-05:00)
Tarlabasi
Bulvari, No: 32 Takim, Istanbul.
Click here for reviews, location map and more
Cheeky Club is not intending to welcome only bear people
and the clientele is a total mixture, however being the only
"after-club" (usually gets busy after 2 a.m) you can
also see
many bear and mature gay guys there.
Naturally, there may be a number of gay bear men in any other gay bars in
Istanbul.
Click here for full list of gay bars
and clubs in Istanbul.
Simit Sarayi Taksim
Tarlabası Bulvari,
No: 6 Taksim, Istanbul.
This is not a gay venue.- There are always
several venues around Taksim square which function as
meeting places for gay men in day time and early
evenings, usually before going to gay bars/clubs. This
is one of them. It is a branch of a Turkish-owned tea
house chain. There are many gays hanging around on the
upper floor, mostly straight acting men and bears.
Beware of some hustlers who also come to this place.
Espresso Lab Taksim
Istiklal Avenue,
No: 15, Taksim, Istanbul.
This is not a gay venue - This coffee house is
part of a chain and is situated on Istiklal Avenue near
Taksim Square. The top terrace floor tends to attract a
local gay crowd, including many who identify as ‘bear’
Although it’s not specifically a gay venue, on weekend
evenings, you’ll often find the top floor bustling with
gay men. It’s worth noting that the clientele on the
other floors is primarily composed of straight
individuals.
Traditionally Hamams (Turkish baths) are the most
popular venues among bears and mature gay men living in
Istanbul. The following Turkish baths are the ones where
it is most likely to meet other Turkish gay bears as
well as gay tourists, listed in order of bear
visibility.
Firuzagha Hamam
Cukurcuma
Cad, No: 6 Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for reviews, location map and more
This historic Turkish bathhouse is situated in Beyoglu,
within walking distance of Taksim Square. It holds a
special place among the local gay and bear community and
comes highly recommended if you’re interested in
experiencing the authentic local atmosphere. You’ll find
it at the far end of Cukurcuma Street, if you enter from
the Taksim direction.
Yesildirek Hamam
Tersane Cad, No: 124, Beyoglu, Istanbul
Click here for reviews, location map and more
A mixture of various types, ages of gay people visit
here including many Turkish bears. It is located near
the
Golden Horn shore of Beyoğlu under the metro bridge,
about 30 minutes walking distance from Taksim Square and
10 minutes from Galata Tower.
Cihangir Sauna
Altipatlar Sokak, No: 14.
Beyoglu / Istanbul
Click here for reviews, location map and more
Cihangir sauna stands out as the most liberal among the
historical hammams in the area. While it attracts a
predominantly gay clientele, it’s important to note that
it isn’t meticulously maintained and the staff can be
kind of unfriendly sometimes. Nevertheless, for those
curious about local experiences, a visit to this venue
is worthwhile. Inside, you’ll find amenities such as a
sauna, a dimly lit room, showers, and a sloppy
cafe-lounge area.
Click here for other
bathhouses popular among Turkish gay men.
Click here for other (non-gay) saunas and
historical Turkish baths
The most
popular dating app among Turkish LGBTQ people is
Hornet, since Grindr was banned for not filtering
pornographic content. Another popular gay dating
application, especially among Turkish gay bears, is
Growlr. You may also come across many rent-boys on
these dating applications, some of whom may not disclose
their profession in advance. It is better to ask
directly if you have such a suspicion.
Cruising spots are not as crowded as they once used to
be before the Internet era, especially after mobile apps
became popular. Although there may still be some gay men
in these places, usually after dark; it is advisable to
be a little cautious especially in parks and secluded
beaches. It is recommended that you do not carry very
valuable items or large amounts of money with you, just
in case. Here are some possible outdoor cruising areas
in Istanbul, where it is more likely to see Turkish bear
men.
Muratpasa Park,
Aksaray
Sarchane Park, Aksaray
Taksim Park
(beware especially)
Click here for
a complete list of gay cruising grounds in Istanbul.
Please also
read this page for general safety warnings.
Gay Friendly Beaches
There isn't any obvious gay beach area in
Istanbul. Please
click here
for full list of of recommended beaches in Istanbul
Google Group
This is a group for meeting Turkish gay men and sharing
info. The group is not particularly for bears, but there
are many bears among its members.
Istan Bears
Istanbul Bears organize local and international bear
meetings, parties and events for bears, chubs, cubs,
chasers and admirers to build well communication between
Turkish bears,
Bears of Ankara
Facebook group aiming to bring Turkish gay bears living
in capital city Ankara
See also >>
Facebook - Icimdeki Ayi (Turkish)
Twitter.com - Istanbulbears
Scruff App
Growlr App
u4Bear App
BABEL PARK HOTEL - Gay Friendly Hotel
5
Good
-
See all 7 reviews
Location:
Aksaray, Fatih
Rates starting from 39 / 59 Euro (winter /
summer)
Hotel Babel Park is probably the most bear friendly
accommodation in Istanbul, being managed by local guys
from the community. It is located in Aksaray, the
district popular among Turkish bears, mature man and
straight acting gay men. The near-by
Muratpasa Park is also a cruising and gathering
spot.
Book on HotelsCom (No commission &
Free cancel option)
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hotels will be handled via Hotels.Com.
THE FOX
HOTEL - Recommended Hotel 
Tripadvisor 4.7
#376 of 2,366 hotels in Istanbul
Location:
Elmadağ, Şişli.
Rates starting from 49 / 79 Euro (winter /
summer)
The Fox Taksim is a very gay friendly hotel located only
15 minutes walking distance from Taksim Square and Istiklal Street.
The property has a 24-hour front desk, room service and
currency exchange for guests. At the hotel, rooms
include a balcony. Certain rooms contain a
kitchenette with a fridge and a stovetop. The rooms at
The Fox Taksim come with a TV with satellite channels.
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Free cancellation)
The reservation, payment and cancellation
procedure of hotels will be handled via Hotels.Com.
Click
here for a full list of gay friendly hotels
in Istanbul.
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Staying in a short-term rental apartment would be the
best alternative to hotels for LGBTQ people who
prioritize privacy. We offer reservations via the
reputable vacation rental website
Vrbo, an affiliate of
Expedia which
also owns Hotels.Com
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