Istanbul Turkiye Hagia Sophia and Bosphorus Ferries

Why visit Istanbul

Few cities can match Istanbul's concentration of world-class sights.

But Istanbul is not a museum city. It is a working metropolis of millions, with a café culture, lively nightlife, contemporary art and constant movement on the water.

The food alone justifies a trip. Turkish cuisine draws on the kitchens of the Ottoman palace and the regions of Anatolia, and Istanbul serves it all, from street simit and grilled fish sandwiches to long evenings of meze and slow-cooked dishes.

Sultanahmet and the great monuments

Hagia Sophia

Completed in 537 under the emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was for nearly a thousand years the largest church in Christendom. It became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453, a museum in 1934 and again a mosque in 2020.

Foreign visitors now enter through a separate, ticketed route that leads to the upper gallery, while the ground floor is reserved for worshippers. Allow one to one and a half hours.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Blue Mosque

Facing Hagia Sophia across a park, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque was built in the early seventeenth century.

Practical tip: shoulders and knees must be covered, shoes are removed at the door, and women should bring a scarf. Avoid visiting around Friday midday prayers.

Topkapi Palace

For nearly four centuries, Topkapi Palace was the seat of the Ottoman sultans.

Practical tip: the palace is closed on Tuesdays. Combine it with Hagia Irene, the Byzantine church in its outer courtyard, and the Istanbul Archaeology Museums just downhill, which hold the celebrated Alexander Sarcophagus.

Basilica Cistern

Under the streets of Sultanahmet lies the Basilica Cistern, a sixth-century underground reservoir supported by hundreds of marble columns, many reused from older buildings. Two columns rest on carved heads of Medusa, one placed sideways and one upside down.

Bazaars and the hills of the old city

Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar, or Kapalicarsi, grew from a fifteenth-century trading hall into a covered maze of dozens of streets and thousands of shops.

Spice Bazaar and Rustem Pasha Mosque

Down by the water in Eminonu, the Spice Bazaar, also called the Egyptian Bazaar, is an L-shaped seventeenth-century market selling spices, dried fruit, nuts, Turkish delight and teas. The surrounding streets are full of shops selling coffee, cheese and kitchenware.

Suleymaniye Mosque

Crowning the third hill of the old city, the Suleymaniye Mosque was designed by the great architect Mimar Sinan for Suleiman the Magnificent and completed in the 1550s.

Practical tip: walk up from the Spice Bazaar through the old market streets, and stay for sunset views from the terrace.

Balat and Fener

Along the Golden Horn, the old neighborhoods of Balat and Fener are known for colorful houses, steep cobbled streets and a long history of Greek, Jewish and Armenian communities.

Galata, Beyoglu and the Bosphorus

Galata Tower and Karakoy

Across the Galata Bridge, the stone Galata Tower was built by the Genoese in the fourteenth century and now houses a small museum with a panoramic viewing balcony.

Istiklal Avenue and Taksim

Istiklal Avenue is a long pedestrian street running from Tunel to Taksim Square, lined with nineteenth-century buildings, churches, bookshops and passages such as the Cicek Pasaji. A historic red tram runs along it.

Dolmabahce Palace

On the Bosphorus shore at Besiktas, Dolmabahce Palace was built in the mid-nineteenth century as the new imperial residence, mixing European styles with Ottoman tradition.

A Bosphorus ferry and Kadikoy

No visit is complete without time on the water. Public ferries link Eminonu, Karakoy and Besiktas with Kadikoy and Uskudar on the Asian side, and longer Bosphorus cruises run north past waterfront mansions and fortresses toward the Black Sea.

Practical tip: a regular commuter ferry with a cup of tea from the onboard vendor is one of the best value experiences in the city. Pay with an Istanbulkart.

Food and local flavors

Start the day with a Turkish breakfast, or kahvalti: cheeses, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, honey and clotted cream called kaymak, eggs with sucuk sausage or menemen, a dish of scrambled eggs with tomato and peppers, and endless glasses of tea.

For sweets, try baklava, especially pistachio versions from Gaziantep traditions, Turkish delight, kunefe and milk puddings.

Where to stay

Sultanahmet puts you next to the major monuments and suits first-time visitors on a short trip, though it is quiet at night.

Galata and Karakoy combine historic streets, cafes and nightlife with easy tram and ferry links, making them a good all-round choice.

Beyoglu and Cihangir are lively, artsy and central, suiting travelers who like restaurants and evenings out.

Besiktas and Nisantasi offer upscale shopping, Bosphorus proximity and a more local feel.

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn are ideal.

Summer is hot and humid, with the largest crowds at major sights, though evenings on the Bosphorus are wonderful.

During Ramadan, which moves each year, restaurants stay open and evenings come alive around iftar, the meal breaking the fast.

Getting there and getting around

Istanbul Airport, on the European side north of the city, is the main hub, linked to the center by the M11 metro line, Havaist airport buses and taxis.

Public transport is good and inexpensive. Buy an Istanbulkart, a rechargeable card used on the metro, trams, buses, funiculars and ferries.

Traffic is heavy, so avoid taxis at rush hour. Use licensed taxis with a meter, or a ride-hailing app.

A suggested itinerary

First day

Start early at Hagia Sophia, then visit the Blue Mosque outside prayer times and the Basilica Cistern.

Second day

Spend the morning at Topkapi Palace and the Harem.

Third day

Cross the Galata Bridge to Karakoy and climb the Galata Tower, then stroll Istiklal Avenue to Taksim.

Fourth day

Explore Balat and Fener in the morning, then catch a ferry to Kadikoy for the food market and an evening in Moda.

Practical tips

• Remember the closing days: Topkapi Palace on Tuesdays, Dolmabahce Palace on Mondays, and the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar on Sundays.
• Carry a scarf and wear clothes covering shoulders and knees for mosque visits.
• Get an Istanbulkart on arrival and top it up at machines in stations.
• Book online tickets in advance for Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Basilica Cistern to save time in lines.
• Be wary of overly friendly strangers inviting you to bars or carpet shops.
• Carry Turkish lira for small purchases, although cards are widely accepted.