Emaar Square Mall opens on Asian Side of the city in Istanbul

Dear readers,

Since no one really talks anymore, I received a WhatsApp message from my sis on the morning the day before Mother's Day to say she received an email that Galeries Lafayatte had opened on said day at newcomer Emaar Square Mall & should we go to check it out. Since GL (as I call it for short) is my favorite department store on this side of the Atlantic (Bloomies on the other side), I said definitely!

She came to pick me up a couple of hours after our 'conversation' and we turned on google maps to show us how to get to this new shopping mall on the Asian side of the city.

Now... let's hit the pause button for a moment! Living on the European side of the city with shopping malls galore, a shopping mall on the Asian side of the city has to really tempt me to cross a bridge and deal with traffic when I have about 5 shopping malls within a 1-mile radius to my house!

Of course, the "trigger" for me was Galeries Lafayatte!

@ Emaar Square Mall, Çamlıca - Istanbul

Now, let me remind you... the department store had just opened on the morning of our visit. So, you can imagine that it was not "fully-stocked" yet, but at least we had a preview of what to expect. The 4-story 9,500 square meter department store is airy and very inviting that's for sure!  

@ Emaar Square Mall, Çamlıca - Istanbul

I was happy to see that a couple of retail brands I personally like and not before sold in Istanbul were on display, but of course, this branch cannot compare to their flagship shop in Paris, but will definitely help to appease my shopping needs in between visits to Paris! So, welcome to Istanbul Galeries Lafayatte!

Just a general comment about shopping malls in Istanbul before I share some more info about Emaar Square.

A "shopping mall" in Istanbul is not a shopping mall if the complex doesn't include million-dollar luxurious residences, state-of-the-art "smart" office building(s) and a five-star hotel thrown in for good measure!

Emaar Square fits and exceeds these expectations! First, the shopping mall has 150,000 square meters of rentable space, a family entertainment center, ice rink, aquarium & underwater zoo, 2,400 seat 4D movie-theater and a 4,500 vehicle parking lot! 

Surrounding the complex are 1,000 homes, 180-room Address Hotel and 40,000 square meters of rentable office space! 

Open since April 28, 2017 and owned by Dubai-based Emaar Properties (The Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, etc), some of the other attractions at Emaar Square that impressed me were:

Although, I cannot afford it... but, I still like to look... Harry Winston is opening its first shop in Istanbul...

@ Emaar Square, Çamlıca - Istanbul

Cartier has a few branches in Istanbul and is opening at Emaar Square too...

Cartier @ Emaar Square, Çamlıca - Istanbul

Vakko Patisserie Petit Four, a newcomer at Akmerkez Shopping Mall on the European side of the city is also opening a branch here! You can read all about this heavenly pastry shop in my blog. 

Vakko Patisserie Petit Four @ Emaar Square Mall, Çamlıca - Istanbul

Since Emaar Square is so new, except for the "classic" shopping mall retailers, the majority of the major players have not opened yet. This also includes the more upscale eateries that I'm sure will open soon so I don't have information to share with you about them. Currently, the Food Court is open with many fast food eateries, some with private seating areas, where you can grab a quick bite. While most are inexpensive, some are a little pricier.

From the indoor Food Court area, you can go outside to the terrace which is surrounded by several coffee houses and a nicely sized stage in the center where there will be live performances on weekends...

Emaar Square Mall, Çamlıca - Istanbul

One final area I would like to mention and had time to visit is the Turkish Village located on Level 3 of the mall.

Turkish Village @ Emaar Square Mall, Çamlıca - Istanbul

There are two Turkish food restaurants in the village, but more importantly and more interesting are the stands that will be open only on weekends where you can taste or buy and take home a variety of regional Turkish delights from around the country. 

Finally, Emaar Square Mall will be organizing Atelier Workshops on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and will also host Art Exhibitions.

So, welcome to Istanbul Emaar Square! It will take a while for you to "settle in" but the major portion of your journey is complete and now it's time to dot the "i"s and cross the "t"s!

Stay well,
Dani

Emaar Square Mall, Çamlıca - Istanbul

Emaar Square Mall

Ünalan Mahallesi, Ayazma Caddesi No. 78

Çamlıca, Istanbul

Open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm