Health
Istanbul may not be the most jogger-friendly city due to heavy traffic and uneven footpaths. However, there is no shortage of modern well-equipped health and fitness centers. You’ll be able to find one in your neighborhood.
Besides sweating it out at the gym, you’ll be able to find local soccer clubs, yoga classes, indoor swimming pools and activities like archery and wrestling.
Popular Fitness Centers
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The Gym in Sariyer district is a modern establishment that offers all fitness activities with trainers if required. There is also Pilates and kickboxing.
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World Gym Fitness Center is in Kadıköy and offers private functional training. There is also yoga, Pilates, boxing and Jujitsu.
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Flash Gym in Taksim has all modern equipment and fitness classes. They offer a weight-loss program too.
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CrossFit 34 in Ümraniye is a no-nonsense gym for trainers that take their sport seriously.
For an extensive list of fitness centers in Istanbul go here.
Yoga Studios
- YOGAŞALAhas numerous studios around Istanbul and offers many courses and workshops in all forms of yoga. Classes are both online and in-studio.
For a more extensive list of yoga studios in Istanbul, go here. Various membership packages are available at each studio. Check the conditions before signing up.
Soccer/ Football
Turkish people are obsessed with soccer. If you are into soccer, there are many amateur clubs around Istanbul and, of course, there is always a game to watch. The main teams to look out for are FenerbahçeGalatasaray and Beşiktaş
Archery
For something different, there are a few archery schools in Istanbul where you can learn the skills of traditional Turkish archery as well as normal archery.
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Kemankesh Turkish Traditional Archery in Fatih has all your archery needs plus courses. A cultural experience.
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Istanbul Archery Youth and Sports Club offer coaching for all ages and levels. They take archery very serious with representation in competitions both national and international.
Tennis
Tennis courts and tennis coaching is available.
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Tennis Istanbul is a modern complex in Sariyer. Courses for beginners through to competitive training.
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Tennis Club in Ataşehirhas coaching for all ages as well as indoor and outdoor courts.
Whatever your sports preference, You will most likely find it in Istanbul. Even sailing, diving and golf have centers for instruction and play.
Beauty
Over the past ten years, Istanbul has become a major hub for medical and health tourism. This includes cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dental work and boutique hospitals and clinics. For a list of clinics and the services that they provide, check out this website. It also can give quotes for all kinds of cosmetic procedures and dental work. Prices are much less than in the UK or USA.
Cosmetic Surgery
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Royal Estheticis a modern cosmetic hospital in Atesehir offering facelifts, hair transplants, dental implants, teeth whitening, tummy tucks and numerous other procedures. They speak English.
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Vanity Clinicis in Üsküdar and offers all cosmetic surgical procedures. English is spoken.
Hair
There are, of course, many hair salons in Istanbul. You might be surprised to find that usually, the stylist is a male. Most have trained abroad and taken pride in their work. Getting a haircut in Turkey usually involves a team, the stylist, the washer, the color person, the hairdryer, the holder of the hairdryer and the coffee girl. It’s quite an experience. Other services available at the hair salon are manicures, pedicures and eyebrows.
For a list of top hairstylists, check out this website.
For a list of the best nail salons, check out this website.
For a list of the best day spas, check out this website.
