Тури в Стамбулі для відвідувачів виставок: півдня, вечори, вихідні

If you are in Istanbul for a trade fair, the realistic sightseeing windows are a half-day before or after the fair, a free evening, and the weekend at either end. Three to four hours with a guide is enough for Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome, and an evening on the Bosphorus fits after a 6 pm closing. For a short slot, our half-day morning tour of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the bazaar starts from $67 per person.

This page is written for exhibitors and trade visitors who have a stand, meetings and a fixed fair timetable, and want to see the city without missing any of it. It covers where the big fair venues are, how long it takes to get from each to the old city, and which tours fit which gap.

Where Istanbul's fairs take place

Most international trade fairs in Istanbul are held at four venues. The venue decides how much time you lose in traffic, so check it before you plan anything else.

• Istanbul Expo Center (İFM), Yeşilköy. The largest venue for international fairs, on the European side near the old Atatürk Airport. It has its own station on the M1A metro line, "World Trade Center – Istanbul Expo Center".
• Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center, Büyükçekmece. Far out on the western edge of the city, next to the E-5 highway. It is the last stop on the Metrobus line.
• Istanbul Congress Center (ICC) and Lütfi Kırdar, Harbiye. In the city centre, a walk from Taksim Square. Used for congresses and smaller exhibitions.
• Haliç Congress Center, Sütlüce. On the Golden Horn, a short drive from Balat, Fener and the old city.

If your fair is in Harbiye or on the Golden Horn, sightseeing is easy: you are already close to the main sights. If it is at Tüyap or İFM, plan around the commute.

The tourism fair: EMITT 2027

The best-known tourism trade fair in the city is EMITT, the East Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition. The 2027 edition is scheduled for 4 to 6 February 2027 at the Istanbul Expo Center. The organiser lists these opening hours:

Two points about these dates. February is one of the wetter months in Istanbul, and the sun sets around 6 pm, so evening plans work better on the water or indoors than on foot. And Sunday is the day the Grand Bazaar is closed, so if the bazaar matters to you, put it into the Thursday morning before the fair opens at 11:00.

Getting from the fairgrounds to the old city

Distances in Istanbul are less important than traffic. Weekday rush hours are long, and the E-5 and the coastal road are slow from late afternoon. Rail usually beats a car at these times.

For İFM, the official fair information also lists Marmaray to Yeşilyurt with a short taxi ride, and the Metrobus to Ataköy-Şirinevler with a change to the airport metro. Our guide on Istanbul tours with hotel pickup explains how a car and driver can collect you from the fair gate instead of the hotel.

What fits into a half-day

A half-day is about four hours. Spend it on one district only. Crossing the city twice in one afternoon is the most common mistake fair visitors make.

Morning before a late-opening day. Start at 8:30 in Sultanahmet. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome are next to each other, and an early start avoids the worst of the queues. Foreign visitors pay €25 to enter the gallery of Hagia Sophia. Our half-day morning tour covers this route.

Afternoon after an early finish. Topkapı Palace with the Harem and the Treasury takes three to four hours with a guide. It is closed on Tuesdays. The Topkapı Palace afternoon tour is built for exactly this slot.

Two quick hours. The Basilica Cistern and a walk round Sultanahmet Square take about two hours, are mostly under cover and suit a wet February day.

If you want to compare the full-day versions of these routes, see our Istanbul one-day tour page.

Evenings after the fair closes

Most fairs close at 6 pm or 7 pm. That leaves a full evening, and Istanbul is good at evenings.

• Bosphorus dinner cruise. Dinner, a stage show and the floodlit shoreline. Our dinner cruise with folk and belly dance show includes hotel transfers.
• Whirling dervish ceremony. One quiet hour, easy to fit before a late dinner. See the sema ceremony with reserved seating.
• Private yacht for a team. If you are hosting clients, two hours on a private boat is a simple way to do it. Our 2-hour private Bosphorus yacht cruise is priced per group.
• Dinner in Karaköy or Kadıköy. Restaurants stay open late. Kadıköy, on the Asian side, is a short ferry ride from Karaköy or Eminönü.

For more ideas, see our Istanbul night tour guide.

The weekend before or after

If you add one day to your trip, use it for the main sights. A guided full day in the old city covers Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar, though not all of them in depth. Our Istanbul Old City private tour runs six to eight hours.

With two days, split them: the old city on day one, and the Bosphorus with Dolmabahçe Palace on day two. Dolmabahçe is closed on Mondays. Our Istanbul 2-day itinerary sets out the order.

Colleagues who want to see something outside the city can take a day trip at the weekend. The most popular from Istanbul are Bursa and Uludağ and the Princes' Islands. Our Istanbul day trips page compares them.

Tips for exhibitors and business visitors

• Book evening tours for the second or third night. The first evening often goes on stand building, a late dinner with your team, or jet lag.
• Keep it close to the hotel. If you stay in Yeşilköy or Ataköy for İFM, or in Beylikdüzü for Tüyap, the old city is a trip. A car with driver that collects you at the fair gate saves you the change of trains.
• Check the day of the week. Topkapı closes on Tuesdays, Dolmabahçe on Mondays, the Grand Bazaar on Sundays.
• Mosques pause for prayers. Visits to the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia stop at prayer times, and the Friday midday prayer is the longest pause.
• Dress for the mosques. Shoulders and knees covered, a scarf for women. A suit is fine. See what to wear in Istanbul.
• Visas. Rules depend on your passport, and some nationalities need an e-Visa even for a short business trip. Check our Turkey visa requirements update before you fly.

Group tours for fair delegations

Companies often want one shared outing for a team or for guests. The simplest options are a private guide with a van for a city day, or a private yacht in the evening. A van takes up to six guests on our 8-hour private driver tour, which works for small teams who want to move between the fair, the hotel and the sights. Larger delegations usually split across several vehicles with one guide each. For prices of the different formats, see our Istanbul tour prices overview.

Tours that cover this

• Istanbul Half-Day Morning Tour: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque and Bazaar: from $67 per person. Fits a morning before a late-opening fair day.
• Topkapı Palace Afternoon Tour with Harem and Treasury: from $88 per person. For an early finish or a free afternoon.
• Bosphorus Dinner Cruise: Folk and Belly Dance Show, Transfers: from $90 per person, about 6 hours with transfers.
• Istanbul Private Driver Tour: Mercedes Vito for 8 Hours, 1-6 Guests: from $299 per group. For a weekend day or a team outing.

You can see all short options on our half-day tours page, or browse Istanbul as a destination.

Frequently Asked Questions