A weekend with children at Zorlu Shopping Mall- Beauty and the Beast @ Zorlu PSM

Certain as the Sun
Rising in the East
Tale as old as Time
Song as old as Rhyme
Beauty and the Beeaaast!!

Summer is over :( the autumn has just started but an early winter crushed in the sunny long dayss. Being at home is all we missed after all the outdoor exercises done during summerr. So we sat and thought what to do @ weekend with children in rainy Istanbul.

There were lots of workshops for children or moviee but nehh, playing "uno" or "monopoly" ...nooo, cooky cooking @home may beee... What else could we do more exciting and different? Finally we made the decision; watching the Beauty and the Beast @ Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PAC) was just the thing we all needed!!

entrance of Zorlu PAC

As all agreed we headed to Zorlu Shopping Mall (SM).  It was the last day of Beauty and the Beast. The tale and of course its theatre was a gorgeous performanceee. My son really loved it, he couldn't sit on the couch because he got really excited of the music and the visualss...
And I am/ we are still murmuring the song at home....

Ever as Before
Ever just as Sure
As the sun will Rise

The fare of the theatre was reaaly expensive, you all know that :((...
Therefore we hesitate to visit the PAC with children. Now here comes my tip; Check from the web side of Zorlu PAC if there is a spare seat  for the theatre. If there is, immediately go to PAC at the performance day and buy ticket for children only for 20 Turkish Liras!! ( The cost vary from 160 to 400 Turkish Liras according to performance)

Oooops did not know thatt?? Well now you do, so follow the life saver mommy tips around ;))

the hall inside the PAC

Zorlu PAC is in Zorlu Shopping Mall.
The architecture of the theatre helps you view the stage good from every aspect.
Acoustic is also perfect. Air condition is good. The staff is very good mannered and fairwell trained.
The seatings are comfortable, however the space between two seats and front seat are very close.
This situation blocks your view of stage!!! Thus you gotta change your seat if you are with a child :((

At the PAC, if you can't find spare seat for a theatre, do not be mad at me please ;)) Always have an alternative plan.

entrance to PAC from Meydan Floor

Zorlu Shopping Mall differs from others in Istanbul. This a very faashionable market where you will find world leader fashion studios... Also a cultural and an event place that you can see world performances.

So at the weekend or during the week time there are a lot of activities you can take your children which can be held in or outside of the mall area. Such as;

• Workshops for children
• Art Galleries
• Free concerts
• Gourmet restourants
• A 1600 square metres playground
• Movie theatres
• and many other more activities you can attend with your children for planing your time.

The mall has a huge playground where you will also find sandpit. As the weather is rainy here in Istanbul, so we can't visit. But I promise when the sunny days come back in town I will be there and letting you know my sightsee of mom notes ;))

Meydan floor at Zorlu SM

So here are the must knows and do's of Zorlu SM and Zorlu PAC:

• The whole area is stroller friendly :))
• So during summer time, take your child with you to the open air, let him run around as you sip your americano ;))
• Or if there is a baby needs to sleep, take a tour and seat on a bench in or out, and read your newspaper relaxingly

shops inside the mall

• Take your child to the playground, but must have spare clothes for the sandpit area.
• If you are hungry there are a lot of choices you can find. Fast food, Turkish kitchen food, Italian food, gourme restaurants, kultural kitchens.. Choose the one suit for your family.
• Each section of food is at the different location at Zorlu Mall. You can have the whole fast food section at Bogaz floor. If you just need to shop and want to have coffee, this section is at Metro floor. The fashion brand shops and gourmet restaurants are at Meydan floor of the mall. The home furnitures are all at Kopru floor. 

food court at Boğaz floor

• If your children are more than one in number, sometimes you need to use the restrooms all together. Don't you? Hey, here you can find family restrooms that you can use with all your children...Lovely haa, nice thought thank you Zorlu ;))
• Of course there is a baby sitting room, where you cand find good accomodation for your needs.
• At the weekend make reservation a couple of hours before your arrival for the gourmet restaurants such as Jamies Italian, Eataly, Tom's Kitchen and Morini.
• At the PAC, there are mini shops for drinks, junk food and fresh fruits. A water costs 3 TL, a banana is 8 TL... I found the prices a little expensive. However you can bring your food from home or buy from these mini shops as you wish.
• At the performances there takes a long break, like 20 minutes. This gives us a long breath for easily arranging the whole needs of the children.
• Please do ask a raising seat for the child from the staff as you enter the hall.
• I suggest you to use the public transportation such as metro and metrobus especially for arrivals from Asian side of Istanbul. (But do not use the metro and metrobus with children at rush hour time. )

drive to parking lot or valet services and the metro 

Transportation

Public Transportation

By metro: Hop off at Gayrettepe station. Follow the signs leading to Zorlu Shopping Mall.

By metrobus: Stop at Zincirlikuyu. Walk to metro and follow the signs leading to Zorlu Shopping Mall. (This an advantage especially for the winter days at Zincirlikuyu)

Private Vehicle: Drive to "Zincirlikuyu". Turn to Gayrettepe and follow the signs showing "Ulus- Levazım". Then you will see Zorlu Shopping Mall in front of you.

Parking: Parking is free. You can also leave your car to valets at Zincirlikuyu and Levazım entrances. 

the view of  Zincirlikuyu from Zorlu Mall

The Mall is open to visitors between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm a week.

For the address and the contact please check the following.

Zorlu Shopping Mall and Zorlu Performing Arts Center are contributing substantial cultural acts to the life of Istanbul and will be adding more values. 

During your stay in Istanbul I suggest you to visit Zorlu Mall and Zorlu PAC with your children, thus showing the modern face of Istanbul.

one of the shops at Meydan floor