No public holidays and no closed avenues this week. What you get instead is rain, concerts and one very international evening. We included only what was confirmed by at least two sources. Updated 1 November 2026.
Weather
Monday and Tuesday: heavy showers. Toward the end of the week it gets noticeably colder, so a proper jacket is a must. Bring layers, shoes that get along with puddles, and an umbrella. Just don’t count on it: Istanbul’s wind turns umbrellas inside out faster than you can say “çay”.
The big one: MIX Festival
- Date: Friday, 6 November
- Venue: Zorlu PSM, Beşiktaş
- Time and price: see the festival page
- What to expect: the 10th edition of the music festival. Kelis (USA), Saint Etienne and Sleaford Mods (UK), WhoMadeWho (Denmark) and other artists across several stages. This is the most international evening of the week.
- Link: zorlupsm.com/en/events/mix-festival-2026
Saturday, 7 November
Football: Galatasaray vs Amed
- Date and time: Saturday, 7 November, 19:00
- Venue: RAMS Park stadium
- Tickets: through the club’s official channels
- Good to know: expect traffic jams and heavy security around the stadium. If you’re not going to the match, don’t plan trips in that direction this evening. The metro is more reliable than a taxi.
Şebnem Ferah
- Date and time: Saturday, 7 November, 21:00
- Venue: Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Açıkhava Tiyatrosu (open-air theatre), Şişli
- Tickets and prices: Passo and Biletix
- What to expect: a concert by one of Turkey’s biggest rock stars, whose songs several generations now sing along to. The stage is open-air, so bring a blanket and a jacket.
The Notwist (Germany)
- Date: Saturday, 7 November
- Venue: Salon İKSV, Beyoğlu
- Time and price: on the Passo ticket page
- What to expect: indie and electronic music.
Hande Yener
- Date: Saturday, 7 November
- Venue: Jolly Joker Atakent Tema
- Time and price: on Passo and Biletix
- What to expect: a big pop show for fans of Turkish pop.
Sunday, 8 November
Football: Beşiktaş vs Gençlerbirliği
- Date and time: Sunday, 8 November, 21:00
- Venue: Tüpraş Stadium, Beşiktaş
- Tickets: through the club’s official channels
- Good to know: the area around the stadium will be busy and loud in the evening.
Also on
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 3 November | Emir Can İğrek | Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Açıkhava Tiyatrosu |
| 4 November | Mert Demir | Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Açıkhava Tiyatrosu |
| 4 November | The Away Days | Babylon |
| 5 November | The Veils | Salon İKSV |
| 5 November | mareux | IF Performance Hall Beşiktaş |
| 5 and 6 November | Edis | Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu Açıkhava Tiyatrosu |
| 6 November | Melek Mosso | Jolly Joker Vadistanbul |
| 8 November | Giorgos Kakosaios (Greece) | Zorlu PSM |
Check times and prices on Passo and Biletix, as they differ between platforms. For open-air concerts, check the listing on the day of the show.
Theatre
The 30th Istanbul Theatre Festival by İKSV is on from 22 October to 3 December. If Turkish isn’t your language of dreams yet, look for dance and performance in the programme: words aren’t always needed there. Schedule and tickets: tiyatro.iksv.org
Exhibitions and museums
A rainy week is a museum week.
- Pera Müzesi: the Frank Bowling exhibition and “The Republic Behind the Camera”. Check opening hours and prices on the museum’s website.
- İstanbul Modern, Karaköy: “Aria of All Colors” by Semiha Berksoy, an actress, singer and painter in one person. Extended until 22 November. Closed on Mondays. Opening hours: istanbulmodern.org/en/events
With kids
Rahmi M. Koç Museum, Hasköy: an interactive museum of technology where you can turn, press and touch. Closed on Mondays. Check hours and prices on the museum’s website.
Three tips
- On Friday and Saturday evenings, concerts, football and rain all happen in the city at once: the metro is more reliable than a taxi.
- For open-air stages, bring a blanket and a jacket, and check the listing on the day of the concert.
- When it rains, the best sights in Istanbul are warm cafés and tea houses. Step in, warm up and watch the wet Bosphorus.
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