Hagia Sophia
ModerateByzantine cathedral, then mosque · 6th-century dome
The 6th-century dome that defined Byzantium; dress modestly and avoid prayer times.
SultanahmetMosqueMust-see
Istanbul, Turkey
Ideal: 4–7 daysBest: Apr–Jun, Sep–NovPrice: Moderate
In 60 seconds
Istanbul in 60 seconds
Istanbul straddles Europe and Asia on the Bosphorus: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace on the old peninsula, the steep streets of Beyoğlu across the Golden Horn, and Kadıköy's markets on the Asian shore. The ferries between them are the best way to travel. See the old peninsula early, and dress for its mosques — shoulders and knees covered, a scarf for women. Take a public ferry up the Bosphorus from Eminönü rather than a tour boat, and eat your way through Kadıköy's market streets. An Istanbulkart works on the trams, the metro and the ferries alike. It is huge and intense; give it at least three or four days.
Best for
- History
- Food
- Architecture
- Markets
Known for
- Hagia Sophia
- The Bosphorus
- Bazaars
Skip if
You dislike crowds, hills and traffic — Istanbul has all three in quantity.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Istanbul fits them. Choose interests
See
Must experience
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
Topkapı Palace
ExpensiveImperial Ottoman palace · Courtyards, Harem & treasury
Courtyards, the harem and the treasury on the tip of the historic peninsula overlooking the Bosphorus.
SultanahmetHalf dayPalace
Basilica Cistern
ModerateUnderground Byzantine reservoir · 336 marble columns & Medusa heads
A subterranean forest of illuminated marble columns rising from shallow water with inverted Medusa bases.
SultanahmetAtmosphericUnderground
Eat
Where to eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Local
Where to eat the food this city is actually known for.
Çiya Sofrası
InexpensiveForgotten Anatolian dishes
Dishes from across Anatolia, many rarely seen elsewhere, in Kadıköy's market streets.
KadıköyAnatolianFerry trip
Hacı Abdullah
ModerateOttoman cooking · Since 1888
Palace-style stews and preserves in jars lining the walls, just off İstiklal.
BeyoğluHistoricOttoman
Pandeli
ExpensiveTiled dining room over the Spice Bazaar
A historic restaurant in blue-tiled rooms above the bazaar gate, known for lamb on smoky aubergine purée.
EminönüHistoricTiles
Casual
No booking, no ceremony, reliably good.
Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi
InexpensiveMeatballs since 1920
Grilled köfte, bean salad and little else, from a family business by the Hippodrome.
SultanahmetKöfteQuick
Karaköy Güllüoğlu
InexpensiveBaklava
The city's best-known baklava shop, by the Karaköy ferry. Eat it with a glass of tea.
KaraköyBaklavaSweet
Vefa Bozacısı
InexpensiveBoza since 1876
A tiled shop serving boza, the thick fermented millet drink, with cinnamon and roasted chickpeas.
VefaHistoricWinter
Special occasion
Worth planning the evening around.
Mikla
Very expensiveNew Anatolian cooking with a view
Mehmet Gürs's rooftop restaurant on Beyoğlu, with Anatolian ingredients and a Bosphorus view.
BeyoğluTasting menuView
Neolokal
Very expensiveTurkish heritage dishes, rethought
Maksut Aşkar's restaurant in the SALT Galata building, reworking traditional recipes.
KaraköyBook aheadTasting menu
Turk Fatih Tutak
Very expensiveTwo-star Turkish tasting menu
Fatih Tutak's tasting menu of Turkish flavours, in Şişli.
ŞişliBook aheadTasting menu
Coffee & fika
Mornings, and the slow hour between things.
Mandabatmaz
InexpensiveTurkish coffee
A tiny place off İstiklal for thick, foamy Turkish coffee on low stools.
BeyoğluTinyTurkish coffee
Hafız Mustafa 1864
InexpensiveConfectioner and café
Turkish delight, baklava and coffee from a confectioner founded in 1864, near Sirkeci.
SirkeciHistoricSweets
Kronotrop
InexpensiveSpecialty roaster
One of the roasters behind Istanbul's specialty coffee scene, with a café in Cihangir.
CihangirFilterRoastery
Beyond the obvious
Hidden gems
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's masterpiece
The architect Sinan's great mosque on a hill above the Golden Horn, calmer than the Blue Mosque.
FatihFreeView
Rüstem Pasha Mosque
Covered in İznik tiles
A small mosque above the market streets, every wall covered in blue İznik tiles.
EminönüFreeTiles
Pera Museum
InexpensiveOrientalist painting in Beyoğlu
A private museum best known for Osman Hamdi Bey's The Tortoise Trainer.
BeyoğluArtQuiet
After dark
Bars & nightlife
Krependeki İmroz
ModerateMeyhane on Nevizade
A long-running meyhane for meze, fish and rakı on the busy tavern street of Nevizade.
BeyoğluMeyhaneRakı
360 Istanbul
ExpensiveRooftop bar and restaurant
A rooftop above İstiklal with a 360-degree view over the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.
BeyoğluRooftopView
Pera Palace Orient Bar
ExpensiveHistoric hotel bar
The bar of the 1892 hotel built for Orient Express passengers, where Agatha Christie stayed.
BeyoğluCocktailsHistoric
Orientation
Neighbourhoods
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Sultanahmet
The historic peninsula
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı and the Grand Bazaar within walking distance.
Beyoğlu
İstiklal, Galata and nightlife
The 19th-century European quarter: the Galata Tower, İstiklal Avenue, bars and galleries.
Kadıköy
The Asian side's market district
A ferry ride away: food markets, cafés and a young, local crowd.
Stay
Where to stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Sultanahmet
ExpensiveBeside the great sights
Walk to the major monuments; quiet at night.
QuietSights
Karaköy and Galata
ExpensiveBetween old and new
Design hotels near the ferries, the tram and Beyoğlu's restaurants.
FerriesRestaurants
Beyoğlu
ExpensiveFor nightlife
Lively and central, with grand old hotels; it can be noisy.
LivelyNightlife
Practical
Know before you go
- Getting in
- The M11 metro and Havaist buses link Istanbul Airport with the city; Sabiha Gökçen is on the Asian side.
- Getting around
- Buy an İstanbulkart for trams, metro, funiculars and ferries.
- Money
- Turkish lira. Cards are widely accepted; keep some cash for small shops and tips.
- Mosques
- Visitors are welcome outside prayer times; cover shoulders and knees, and women cover their hair.
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
History in 5 minutes
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
- 330
Constantine makes Byzantium the new capital of the Roman Empire, Constantinople.
- 1453
Mehmed II conquers Constantinople, which becomes the Ottoman capital.
- 1923
The Republic of Turkey is founded with Ankara as its capital; Istanbul remains its largest city.
Further out
Nearby escapes
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
Princes' Islands
Car-free islands in the Sea of Marmara
Wooden mansions, pine woods and bike rides, by ferry from Kabataş or Bostancı.
By ferryFull dayIslands
The Bosphorus Ferry
Public cruise between two continents
Public ferries run up the strait past palaces, fortresses and wooden waterfront mansions to Anadolu Kavağı.
By ferryHalf dayWater
Bursa
The first Ottoman capital
Early Ottoman mosques and tombs, silk markets and İskender kebab, by ferry and bus.
By fast ferry and busFull dayHistory