The annual workers' holiday has traditionally been a place for confrontation between protesters and police but in recent years the authorities have left nothing to chance by entirely barring access to key protest areas, AFP reported.
The central Taksim Square was entirely barricaded off by police, with images taken from the air showing the usually thronged urban space deserted apart from officers.
Authorities also barred access to the city's main shopping street, the pedestrianized Istiklal Avenue, which has in the past been the scene of protest marches.
Reports said that almost all shops were closed the length of the street and tradesmen would have to wait until the evening for the public to be allowed through.
Protesters seeking to defy the ban on demonstrations in Taksim by marching towards the square were roughly arrested, with police pinning detainees to the ground, an AFP photographer said.
In total, police arrested 52 people in Istanbul, the Anadolu news agency reported. They were taken in buses for questioning.
Meanwhile, thousands of people were taking part in officially-sanctioned May 1 events in the Istanbul district of Maltepe at a vast meeting area.
Similar events were taking place across the country, including the capital Ankara and Turkey's third city of Izmir.
Political tensions are high in Turkey as the country prepares for snap parliamentary and presidential elections on June 24, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be seeking a second term as head of state and a thumping parliamentary majority.
Anadolu said that over 26,000 police were on duty in Istanbul supported by three helicopters, 85 water cannon vehicles and 67 armored vehicles.