Turkey Nightlife

The majority of the travelers to Turkey do not expect to find much in the way of nightlife. A Turkey tour is more famous for its historical sites and its carpets. However, in recent times, there have been some changes in the variety of nightlife in Bodrum Turkey and nightlife in Alanya Turkey. The recent economic growth combined with increasing prosperity has had a tremendous effect on nightlife Bodrum Turkey. The variety in night entertainment is huge and ranges from traditional male-dominated birahanes to techno and rave nightclubs. In fact the nightlife in Turkey sees new avenues opening in quick frequency. Turkey’s nightlife is fast gaining a reputation as being one of the liveliest in Europe.

One can enjoy a raucous night drinking at one of Turkey’s meyhanes for an authentic Turkish experience. In these taverns one is served raki, beer and wine in combination with amazing selection of mezes (starters), kebabs and flavor of the season fruits. The fun experienced in raki drinking is that the atmosphere gets loud and merry as the night progresses and it is not surprising to see guests rendering impromptu renditions of Turkish classics. The Cicek Pasaj in Beyoglu, Istanbul is a bustling passage where one will come across many meyhanes which are interspersed with flower, fish and vegetable stalls. And, do not be surprised to see street musicians and vendors roaming around freely amongst the revelers! The Birahanes are more basic in that here one sees beer taking precedence over the food. And although foreign women are tolerated and expected to break rules and will also be made to feel welcome, it is recommended that the womenfolk avoid going to such an all-male dominion alone.

There are many nightclubs which offer “Oriental shows” where sequined belly dancers, troupes of Russian or Romanian dancers perform shows. These shows are quite tame and sanitized, the tourists should be aware of the seedier style pavyon where one ca be unsuspectingly be ripped off an inordinate amount of money simply for some watered drinks. And, since these joints are quite obvious it is not very difficult to avoid them. You will also find a number of rock bars offering live music. The bands here perform popular rock classics from Pink Floyd, The Who and Led Zeppelin, all alternating with the latest disco mixes.