Most visitors to Istanbul follow the same path. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in the morning, the Grand Bazaar after lunch, a Bosphorus cruise at sunset. These sights deserve the crowds. But after two or three days of queues and busy streets, many travellers start to wonder what else the city has.
The answer is further north than most people think. Istanbul is huge, and its European side does not end at the Bosphorus villages. Keep going and you reach thick forest, a Black Sea coastline and small villages where weekends are about long breakfasts and fresh air. This guide is for visitors who want to see that side of Istanbul.
Istanbul beyond the postcard
When people picture Istanbul they see minarets, ferries and rooftops. Few know that a large part of the city’s land is forest and countryside. In the district of Sarıyer, the city thins out into Belgrade Forest, and beyond the forest the land drops to the Black Sea.
For locals this is the weekend escape. For visitors it is still largely undiscovered, which is exactly why it makes a good change of pace. You will hear more Turkish than English, eat where Istanbul families eat and see a version of the city that is not in most guidebooks.
Belgrade Forest
Belgrade Forest (Belgrad Ormanı) is a protected woodland in the north of the European side. Wide dirt paths and walking trails run under oak and pine, and on a weekend morning you will share them with joggers, families and dog walkers.
The forest also holds a piece of Istanbul’s history. In Ottoman times, dams and reservoirs here supplied water to the city, and some of the old stone dams still stand beside their ponds. They make a quiet and unexpected stop after the busy monuments of the old town.
Our Belgrade Forest guide lists the best places to walk and stop.
The Black Sea coast
Most visitors only know Istanbul’s water as the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. The Black Sea is a different experience. The coast north of the city is open, the sand is wide and the wind is often stronger. Kilyos is the best known stretch.
In summer the beaches are busy with Istanbul residents. In spring and autumn they are calm, and a walk along the shore feels far from the city. One practical note: the Black Sea can have strong currents, so only swim where there are lifeguards and follow local warnings.
Village breakfast
If there is one local habit worth copying, it is the weekend village breakfast. In the villages of the north, breakfast is a slow event with many small plates, fresh bread and endless tea. It is less a meal and more a reason to sit outside for two hours.
At Kerem Bey Horse Farm the restaurant serves this kind of breakfast at garden tables, along with grills, tea and coffee. Menu prices are on the online menu.
Horse riding through forest and along the beach
Riding a horse is not something most people associate with Istanbul, which makes it one of the more memorable things you can do here. Kerem Bey Horse Farm sits on the edge of Belgrade Forest in Uskumruköy, close to the coast, so one stable can take you into the trees, past a lake or out onto the sand.
Every ride is guided, and helmets and equipment are provided. You do not need any riding experience for the beginner routes.
| Ride | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Forest ride (beginner) | 30 min | 1,500 TL |
| Lake ride (beginner) | 45 min | 2,000 TL |
| Beach ride (beginner) | 45-60 min | 3,500 TL |
| Belgrade Forest trail (experienced) | 90-120 min | 4,000 TL |
| Long beach ride (experienced) | 90-120 min | 4,000 TL |
Prices are per person. The beach ride at sunset is the most popular time of day. For more on routes and what to expect, see our guide to horse riding in Istanbul.
ATV tours in the forest
If you would rather have an engine than a horse, guided ATV tours use the same forest tracks and coastal routes. Before you start there is a short driving briefing and a practice run, and the guide leads from the front.
A 30 minute forest tour is 2,000 TL, a 45 minute forest tour 2,500 TL and the 60-90 minute beach and Belgrade Forest tour 4,000 TL. Prices are per ATV, and a passenger can ride on the back for 500 TL per ATV. It works well for couples who want to share one vehicle.
How to get there
The north of Istanbul is not well served by public transport for visitors, so the simplest options are a taxi, a private driver or a rental car. From Sultanahmet or Taksim you head north towards the Northern Marmara Motorway (Kuzey Marmara Otoyolu). Kerem Bey Horse Farm is 5-10 minutes from the Uskumruköy toll gates.
Journey times depend heavily on traffic. Weekday mornings and early weekend mornings are usually the easiest. Send us a WhatsApp message before you set off and we will share the map pin for your driver.
Planning your day
A few tips to get the most out of a day in the north.
- Leave early. You beat the traffic and find the forest quiet.
- Dress for the outdoors. Long trousers, closed flat shoes and a light jacket. The north is often cooler and windier than the city centre. Our guide on what to wear for horse riding covers the details.
- Check the weather. Rides and ATV tours are moved to another day in bad weather for safety.
- Avoid Thursdays. The farm is closed on Thursdays.
- Book ahead at weekends. Saturdays and Sundays fill up first.
A simple plan looks like this. Arrive in the morning for a forest ride or ATV tour, stay for a long village breakfast, walk in Belgrade Forest around midday, then head to the coast in the late afternoon. If you want one more highlight, finish with a sunset ride on the beach before driving back to the city for dinner.
Booking
Kerem Bey Horse Farm is open every day except Thursday, 09:00-19:00. You can book in English on WhatsApp at +90 546 414 00 89, or use the booking form, which turns your choices into a ready WhatsApp message. Include the date, the number of people, the activity and each rider’s experience, height and weight so we can match you with a suitable horse. All prices are on the prices page.