Istanbul Travel Guide

You could come to Istanbul five times and still find something new. The historic peninsula by itself packs Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar and the Basilica Cistern into an easy walking area, and that is without crossing the Galata Bridge or boarding a ferry to Asia. About 16 million people live here, so the aim is not to cover everything. It is to plan your days so you spend them looking at sights, not waiting in lines or sitting in traffic.

Why go to Istanbul

Istanbul served as an imperial capital for about 1,600 years: Roman and Byzantine under the name Constantinople, then Ottoman. The buildings tell that story. There is a 6th-century church that became a mosque, a Byzantine cistern where Medusa heads were reused to support columns, and a palace that housed the sultans for nearly four hundred years. Yet this is also a busy modern city, with commuter ferries, fishmongers beneath the Galata Bridge, and districts such as Kadikoy and Karakoy where residents go out to eat and drink. Through the centre flows the Bosphorus, the strait dividing Europe from Asia.

How long to stay

• One day: stick to the old city. Visit Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, walk the Hippodrome, go down into the Basilica Cistern, then finish in the Grand Bazaar. Our Istanbul classic private guided tour fits all of this into a single, unhurried day.
• Two days: add Topkapi Palace and a cruise on the Bosphorus, with an evening in Galata or Karakoy.
• Three to four days: add Dolmabahce Palace, the Spice Market, the Asian side, the Princes' Islands or a food tour. Most first-time visitors find this length about right.

Best months

The most comfortable months are April, May, September and October, with daytime highs of about 15 to 25°C, long days and mild evenings by the water. In mid-April the tulip festival fills Emirgan and Gulhane parks. July and August are hot and sticky, frequently over 30°C, and the old city is at its busiest, so begin sightseeing early. From December to February the weather is cool and wet, with the odd snowfall, but hotel prices fall and the lines at Topkapi and the Cistern nearly vanish.

Arriving and getting around

The city has two international airports: Istanbul Airport (IST) in Europe and Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) in Asia. Reaching Sultanahmet takes roughly 45 to 75 minutes from IST, and often more from SAW, depending on traffic. Within the city, tram T1 links the old city to Karakoy and Kabatas, and public ferries are the cheapest way to see the Bosphorus. Get an Istanbulkart for the trams, metro and ferries. Taxis are easy to find, but make sure the meter is on and stay off the bridges at rush hour.

Top experiences

• Stand beneath the dome of Hagia Sophia. It is a working mosque once more, and foreign visitors reach the upper gallery on a paid ticket.
• Stroll the Hippodrome and then head underground into the Basilica Cistern.
• Visit the Harem and the treasury at Topkapi Palace, which shuts on Tuesdays.
• Sail along the Bosphorus past waterfront mansions and Rumeli fortress. The calm option is a 2-hour private Bosphorus yacht cruise; the public ferry is the cheap one.
• Wander the Grand Bazaar (shut on Sundays) and walk downhill to the Spice Market.
• Catch the ferry to Kadikoy for its fish and produce market in Asia.
• See the sun go down from around Galata or a Karakoy rooftop.

Where to stay

Sultanahmet keeps you beside the major sights and is calm after dark. Karakoy and Galata offer more bars and restaurants and handy tram and ferry connections. Beyoglu and Taksim work for travellers after nightlife and shopping along Istiklal Avenue. Besiktas and Nisantasi have a more local, upscale feel, with Bosphorus hotels close by. Search our Istanbul hotels by neighbourhood.

Food

Begin with a Turkish breakfast of cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggs and simit. For lunch, find a lokanta, a canteen-style restaurant that serves home cooking by the plate. Have balik ekmek (a fish sandwich) at Eminonu, midye dolma (stuffed mussels) from street sellers after dark, and a meyhane dinner of meze and raki. Finish with baklava and kunefe. Our private Istanbul food tour leads you to places visitors seldom discover by themselves.

Practical tips

• Mosques close to sightseers for around an hour and a half at each prayer time, Friday noon above all. Women need a headscarf, and shoulders and knees should be covered.
• Keep some cash in lira for small shops, ferries and tips; elsewhere cards are accepted almost everywhere.
• Bring comfortable shoes. The old city is hilly and cobbled.
• Museum prices and hours change frequently, so check official websites shortly before you travel.

Browse all our Istanbul tours, or pair the city with Cappadocia or Ephesus on one of our Turkey tour packages.