Akmar Pasajı: Kadıköy's Record & Book Arcade
Behind an ordinary doorway on Mühürdar Caddesi hides one of Istanbul's most beloved 'pasaj' (arcades): Akmar Pasajı, a warren of second-hand bookshops, vinyl dealers and music stores. Since the 1980s it has been the underground heart of Kadıköy — equal parts dusty treasure hunt and cultural pilgrimage.
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Quick facts
- LocationMühürdar Caddesi, near Kadıköy market
- CostFree to browse; records and books vary
- From the ferry pier~5 min walk into the market
- Best timeAfternoons; most shops open ~11 am
An icon of pasaj culture
Opened in 1982, Akmar Pasajı quickly became a cultural hub — first for students hunting cheap textbooks, then for music lovers chasing rare records. It's often called the most distinctive surviving example of Istanbul's 'pasaj' (covered arcade) culture.
In the late 1980s and through the 1990s it turned into a true counterculture stronghold: stalls of cassettes, band T-shirts, independent publishers and political musicians filled the corridors, a small island of free expression.
Digging for vinyl today
The arcade is still a magnet for crate-diggers. In the basement, one shop holds one of Istanbul's biggest LP collections — thousands of mostly second-hand records — while smaller shops specialise in '50s and '60s soul, funk, rock and Turkish classics.
Alongside the music you'll find second-hand and academic bookshops, comics and old magazines. Prices are friendly and the atmosphere is unhurried — this is a place to lose an afternoon, not to shop in a rush.
What to see nearby
- Tellalzade Sokak — The antique and vinyl street, just a few minutes' walk away.
- Kadife Sokak — Bar Street, where the night begins after a day of digging.
- Kadıköy Çarşı — The surrounding market, full of food, fish and çay.
- Süreyya Opera House — The 1920s opera house nearby on Bahariye.
How to get to Akmar Pasajı
From the European side, the ferry from Eminönü or Karaköy to Kadıköy lands you a five-minute walk away — head into the market toward Mühürdar Caddesi. The Marmaray from Sirkeci to Ayrılık Çeşmesi plus the M4 metro one stop to Kadıköy is the rainy-day option. A taxi from Sultanahmet runs about 450–600 TL in daytime traffic; tell us your hotel and we'll arrange a transfer to the market entrance.