Rising by a Tower in Istanbul

WHEN Simay Bulbul, a 30-year-old fashion designer, decided to strike out on her own in 2006, many of her colleagues suggested she set up shop in the tony Nisantasi district of Istanbul.

Instead, Ms. Bulbul decided to give it a go in Galata, a historic neighborhood of cobblestone streets in Istanbul’s old European quarter, which had fallen on hard times in recent decades.
“Galata for me is a very special area,” said Ms. Bulbul. “The history, the old streets and the street life — they inspire me so much,” added the designer, whose moderately priced pieces often mix leather with delicate fabrics.
Simay Bulbul, her namesake boutique (Camekan Sokak 5-7; 90-212-292-7899; www.sim-ay.com), occupies a floor in a 19th-century Italianate building that includes her showroom, atelier and residence.
Other designers have been lured by Galata’s charms. In recent years, the still rough-around-the-edges neighborhood has been rapidly transforming, and it is now home to a cluster of stylish boutiques and small restaurants. It’s easy to see why.
Galata — a Genoese colony during Byzantine and Ottoman times, later a Jewish neighborhood (several synagogues remain) — may be one of Istanbul’s most atmospheric districts. Its winding streets and elegant buildings imbue it with a distinctly European flair. Grand old apartments offer stunning views of the Bosporus.
At the neighborhood’s center stands the 12th-century Galata Tower. A few years back, the city closed the area around the tower to traffic, creating a piazzalike square. The tower was already a powerful symbol for the neighborhood, but the closure had the effect of making it a kind of anchor from which civic life radiates.
“The tower creates the atmosphere here — it has its own energy,” said Sertac Haznedaroglu, owner of Paris Texas (Camekan Sokak 4/B; 90-212-252-4990), a closet-sized boutique that carries high-end women’s clothes and handbags by designers like Chloé. She also owns Adem & Havva (Camekan Sokak 3/B; 90-212-245-0551), which sells traditional goods like leather slippers.
Perhaps it’s the tower’s energy, but Galata has a relaxed vibe compared with the rest of Istanbul. When it comes to night life, the neighborhood’s top option is an intimate jazz club, Nardis (Kuledibi Sokak 8; 90-212-244-6327; www.nardisjazz.com).
The area’s dining scene is also unassuming. Furreyya Galata Balikcisi (Serdar-I Ekrem Sokak 2; 90-212-252-4853) has two tables and serves expertly grilled fish and a chowderlike fish stew. The husband-and-wife owners used to run a larger restaurant in a ritzier neighborhood, but say they prefer their new, slightly shabbier quarters.
“Old and new, history and culture — they live here in Galata together,” said Tumay Balteci, who works the front of the house, while her husband works the grill. “Other neighborhoods might be filled with rich people, but this area is rich in culture.”