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.
Babel Park Pub (20:00
- 20:00 / 04:00)
Sht. Pilot Mahmut Nedim Sokagi, No:3,Fatih, Istanbul
Click here for location map on Google Maps
Unlike all the other gay bars in Istanbul, this pub &
restaurant is situated in a distinct district called
Aksaray, approximately 5 kilometers away from Taksim.
It’s tucked beneath the
Babil Park Hotel and has served as a gathering spot
for the Turkish gay bear community since 2018. Local
bears, straight-acting individuals, and mature gay men
frequent this establishment, especially during the early
evening hours. Although it resembles a restaurant, you
can also drop by just for a drink. Saturday nights tend
to be quite lively. The prices here are slightly more
affordable compared to the gay clubs in Taksim. Another
distinction from Taksim bars is that this establishment
exudes a distinctly local atmosphere, and they
exclusively feature live performances of traditional
Turkish songs. For tourists, visiting this place would
be quite interesting due to its unique ambiance.
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 especially welcomes the bear community,
opened in 2020, relocated to a new address in April
2024, around 3-4 minutes walking distance from Taksim
Square. The club is on the basement floor of the
building.The club's owner
reported it as a mainly-bear club in a message sent to
Pride Guides in September 2021:
"Stay Club recently opened its doors in Istanbul
as the only bear gay bar in Istanbul. Club is open every
night and visited by not only bear gays, but also by
locals and foreigners."
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 the most senior gay cafe bars in
Istanbul. It is a place that may get busy before all
other gay bars. Usually there will be some people from
6pm until around midnight. Clients are mostly younger
gays, and some young bearish guys, but any ages are
welcomed.
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 it is a total mixture, however being the only
"after-club" (usually gets busy after 2 a.m) you can see
many bear and mature gay guys there even though the
majority would be younger guys.
Naturally, there may be bears 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.
Firuzagha Hamam. (10:00-23:00)
Cukurcuma Cd.
No: 6 Cukurcuma, Beyoglu
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. Cukurcuma Street and its
surroundings are also renowned for hosting numerous
antique shops.
Yeshildirek Sifa Hamam (10:00-20:00)
Tershane Cad.
No:124, Azapkapı, 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 eastern end of Ataturk bridge (also known as
Unkapani Koprusu), the second bridge over Halic, aka
Golden Horn. The bath house is on the Taksim / Beyoglu
side of Ataturk bridge and its entrance facing the
Golden Horn.
Cihangir Sauna
Altipatlar Sokak, No: 14. Cukurcuma / 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
Instagram - Istanbulbears
Scruff App
Growlr App
u4Bear App
BABEL PARK HOTEL - ISTANBUL
Booking
Com
Hotel Babel Park is probably the most bear-ish
accommodation in Istanbul, managed by bear guys and
located in Aksaray, which is the district mostly popular
among Turkish bears, mature man and straight acting gay
men. It is also has a cafe bar at the entrance floor which is the
one of the most visible
gathering place for Turkish bears. The
near-by
Muratpasa Park is also a cruising and gathering spot
for bears and other gay men.
Book Now - Make instant & Online reservation via
Booking Com.
The reservation, payment and cancellation procedure of
hotels will be handled via Booking Com.
THE FOX TAKSIM - Recommended Hotel
Booking.com
Location: Elmadag, Sisli
Rates starting from 49 / 79 Euro (winter /
summer)
The Fox Taksim is a very gay friendly hotel located 1.9
km from Taksim Square and 2.6 km from 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 are contain a
kitchenette with a fridge and a stovetop. The rooms at
The Fox Taksim come with a TV with satellite channels.
Click here
to see more details on
Booking Com
The reservation, payment and cancellation
procedure of hotels will be handled via Booking Com.
Click
here for a full list of gay friendly hotels
in Istanbul.
Free cancellation and discounted options
are available.
Instant & secure hotel reservation via Booking Com.
Best price guarantee by Booking Com
No commission will be charged by us
The reservation, payment and cancellation
procedure of hotels will be handled via Booking Com.
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