Christmas in Beyoğlu: Churches, Traditions and a Christmas Table

At Christmas Beyoğlu shines in a different light. We meet in Tünel Square and walk along İstiklal Avenue to Taksim and on to Harbiye, listening to the history, culture and architecture of Beyoğlu, its churches, its arcades and its Christmas stories.

From the Crimean Memorial Church to Santa Maria Draperis and Saint Anthony of Padua, on to Panagia Isodion, from the Chaldean Catholic Church to Üç Horan, from the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate to Surp Hovhan Vosgeperan and Hagia Triada, we visit the churches of the Anglican, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Chaldean communities, and talk about why Christmas falls on 25 December, 6 January or 7 January, and how each community keeps its own traditions. Along the way the arcades, apartment blocks and hans of Beyoğlu, from the Hacopulo Passage to Çiçek Pasajı, tell their own stories.

The tour ends at the Cathedral of Saint Esprit in the courtyard of Notre Dame de Sion in Harbiye; on Christmas Eve we attend the Christmas Mass there. Midway, near Saint Anthony, those who wish stop for Christmas dinner at Fıccın; others have free time. Your guide is Osman Altay.

On request between Catholic and Orthodox Christmas, on weekday evenings and on weekend days or evenings; evening tours start at 18:00, weekend day tours at 12:00. In English or Turkish. Private tour for international guests: €200 per person, €250 with Christmas dinner, 2 to 20 travellers. Children under 6 free; evening tours are not suitable for children under 12. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.