Istanbul is one of those mythical cities that every traveler dreams of visiting in their lifetime. At the confluence of the West and the East, what was the Byzantium of the Greeks, the Constantinople of the Romans, then the capital of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire is a fascinating cosmopolitan megalopolis. It is also the only city in the world that can boast of being on two continents, with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia, on either side of the Bosphorus. To visit Istanbul is to venture on a fascinating journey! Between the vestiges of its glorious past and the wild urbanism that devours it, it is a city in full mutation. Be ready to discover an anthill in permanent activity. A stay in Istanbul is not a relaxing parenthesis.
How many days to visit Istanbul?
A stay in Istanbul will never be too long. It is a huge city which alone deserves the trip to Turkey. The ideal is to be able to devote at least four days to it. This is what it takes to visit the sites mentioned in this article: about three days for the European part, which concentrates most of the historical sites, and one day for the Asian part. If you only have a day or two, favor old Istanbul with Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. You can book an excursion with a guide➡visit istanbul in one day.
What to do in Istanbul: all my must-sees
1/ Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is the jewel of Istanbul, its most emblematic monument. This basilica of Christianity, transformed into a mosque, then a museum, then a mosque again, is a real marvel to discover. Its complicated history perfectly encapsulates Turkey's struggles between West and East, Christianity and Islam, religion and secularism. It is also an architectural prodigy, with its impressive dome 32m in diameter which rises to 56m in height.
- For ten centuries, from 537 until the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, it was the largest religious monument in Christianity, before being transformed into a mosque by Sultan Mehmet II. In 1934, the secular leader Mustapha Kemal Atatürk turned it into a museum. Then in 2020, President Erdogan again ordered its conversion into a mosque. Some traces of the Christian past of Hagia Sophia are still visible today: in the vestibule, a mosaic from the end of the 10th century represents the Virgin seated holding the Child Jesus in her arms. Just after, it is the entrance of the mosque where you have to leave your shoes. There are other Christian mosaics in the nave, on the first floor, but when I visited they were not accessible for work.
- Practical info: now that Hagia Sophia has become a mosque again, its entrance is free. It is open 24 hours a day, except during prayer times. Correct dress required for both sexes and women must cover their heads (you can buy a scarf at the entrance in case you forget). If you wish to visit with a guide, you canbook a guided tour(English-speaking guide).
2/ Topkapi Palace
- Topkapi Palace was the residence of the sultans of the Ottoman Empire and the seat of power from the 15th to the 19th century. It is a gigantic complex of 70 hectares, located at the eastern end of the old city, on a promontory which dominates the Golden Horn, the Sea of Maramara and the Bosphorus. At the height of its existence, under Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century, it housed 4,000 people daily.
Topkapi Palace includes many buildings, pavilions, gardens, kiosks, outbuildings…. It's a real city within the city. It takes at least half a day to visit it. The ideal being a whole day if you want to see the palace, the harem, the treasury section as well as the museums of Antiquity and the Ancient East. For each section you have to buy a separate ticket. As for me, I visited the palace (entrance ticket 200 TL) and the harem (100 TL). I didn't have time for more, especially since the treasure room is very popular, with a long queue to be expected.
To enjoy the visit, don't forget to take the audio guide, included with the entrance ticket (you need an identity document to leave as a deposit). In the 19th century, Topkapi was abandoned for the more modern Dolmabahçe Palace, but only six sultans succeeded each other in the latter, before the end of the Ottoman Empire in 1922.
View of Istanbul and the Golde Horn from Topkapi Palace
Practical information: you can consult theTopkapi Palace websiteto check opening days and times. The palace is closed on Mondays. I advise you to buy the Istanbul Museum Pass, which notably includes the palace and the harem (read further in my practical notebook)
3/ The blue mosque
- The Blue Mosque, or Sultan Ahmet Camii in Turkish, is Istanbul's most famous mosque. It was erected between 1609 and 1616 by Sultan Ahmet I, who wanted to equal or even surpass Hagia Sophia in grandeur and beauty. The two sites are directly opposite each other. It is called blue mosque for the ceramics predominantly of this color on the interior walls. It is undoubtedly one of the essential places to visit in Istanbul, but on the other hand, you should know that it is currently under construction. For my part, I couldn't see much and I was quite disappointed to have queued just to see part of the dome between two scaffoldings. Find out on site to find out where the work is and if the visit is worth it. As with all mosques, the visit is free and possible outside prayer times. Proper attire is required and women must cover their heads with a scarf.
4/ The Mosque of Suleiman the Magnificent
- Commissioned by the most powerful of the Ottoman sultans, Suleiman the Magnificent, and built from 1550 to 1557, the Süleymaniye Mosque is an architectural masterpiece by Mimar Sinan, the most famous Ottoman architect. Built on a hill in old Istanbul, you can see it from afar and it is also from there that you have one of the best views of the Golden Horn and the Beyoglu district, with the Galata Tower.
View of Beyoglu and the Galata Tower from the Süleymaniye Mosque
The prayer hall is impressive in its proportions with superb light pouring in from 138 windows. The main dome culminates at 47m in height. At the back of the mosque, a large stone pavilion houses the sarcophagus of Suleiman the Magnificent and some of his descendants.
5/ The obelisk and the hippodrome
Unfortunately, there isn't much left of the hippodrome, but given that it's located right next to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, it's a shame not to stop by. In Byzantine times, this long esplanade was the epicenter of festivities and entertainment such as chariot races, and could accommodate up to 100,000 spectators. The hippodrome was gradually abandoned from the 13th century. Today remains on the central axis the obelisk of Theodosius, brought from Karnak in Egypt in the 4th century. Dating back over three thousand years, it is Istanbul's oldest surviving monument. The marble pedestal recounts episodes from the reign of Emperor Theodosius.
- 6/ The Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar
- Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is the largest covered market in the Orient: a veritable Ali Baba's cave! Thousands of shops are distributed in a maze of shopping malls, streets and passages. You will find carpets, spices, jewelry, trinkets of all kinds, clothes… To be honest, it looks a bit like the shops selling almost all the same goods. Before buying, compare prices in several shops and don't be afraid to haggle! Even if you're not a fan of shopping, which I am, it's worth going there to see the atmosphere and the architecture. A little smaller, you also have the Egyptian bazaar, also called the spice market, in front of the Galata bridge. You will find the same kind of products in either market.
7/ The archeology museum
- Housed in a beautiful columned neoclassical palace, the Istanbul Archeology Museum houses artefacts ranging from Greco-Roman antiquity to the Byzantine Middle Ages. It was built at the end of the 19th century to house the collections resulting from the excavations of the necropolis of Sidon, today on the territory of Lebanon. 35 sarcophagi from this necropolis are exhibited there, the most famous of which is attributed to Alexander the Great. When I visited (in October 2021), the first floor of the museum was closed for restoration. This is where we find remains of the main historical sites of Constantinople.
8/ Galata Tower
- With this eighth site, we are leaving old Istanbul to discover the district of Beyoglu, on the other side of the Golden Horn. It is also called the European quarter, because it is where Europeans resided during the Ottoman Empire. To cross from one bank to the other, take the Galata Bridge on foot, which is one of the busiest places in Istanbul. Along the railings, hundreds of fishermen tease the gudgeon. At their feet, basins where mackerel, sardines or anchovies squirm. Many stalls sell fish sandwiches, take the opportunity to treat yourself to an inexpensive snack.
With its circular dungeon-like appearance, the Galata Tower is one of Istanbul's most emblematic monuments. Built by the Genoese in the 14th century, it is 67m high. It is not very high, but we must add the fact that it is located on a hill. Its main interest is the extraordinary panorama that we have at its summit. This is where you have the best view of Istanbul, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. I went there one day with bad weather, hence my somewhat gray photos, but that doesn't detract from the beauty of the show. The big advantage is that there is hardly anyone, so no need to queue! I wanted to go back in good weather to take better photos, but each time I was discouraged by the length of the queue…
- Bosphorus and Golden Horn view from Galata Tower
9/ The Istiklâl Caddesi or Independence Avenue
Istiklâl Avenue is the equivalent of the Champs Elysées in Istanbul. This large pedestrian street stretches from Taksim Square to Tünei Square. It's the most European part of Istanbul, with a retro tram line running down the entire avenue. You will see beautiful Art Nouveau facades, passageways, contemporary art galleries, numerous shops. The avenue is lively day and night, in the sun and in the rain. Do not miss the passage of the City of Pera, a beautiful residential complex in the Second Empire style which now houses tourist restaurants (see further in my section where to eat in Istanbul).
On Istiklâl Avenue, cinema lovers can visit the Turkish Cinema Museum, a brand new museum that will open in 2021. To be honest, I didn't enjoy it much, because I know very little about Turkish cinema. On the other hand, it made me want to discover it! Since my stay in Istanbul, I have seen the very beautiful film “Winter Sleep” by director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2014. The landscapes of Cappadocia under the snow are sumptuous and the psychological analysis of the characters fascinating. However, the pace is a bit long and you have to get to the end of a 3h15 film in Turkish. Practical information onTurkish Cinema Museum website.
10/ Visit Istanbul on the Asian side
It would be a real shame to visit Istanbul without taking advantage of the opportunity to move so easily from one continent to another. The simplest and most pleasant is to take a ferry across the Bosphorus. For the price of a public transport ticket, it's almost like a mini-sightseeing cruise, with the possibility of admiring the best viewpoints over the city.
Technically, we're changing continents, but to be honest, from one shore to the other, the atmosphere and bustle are more or less the same. The main difference is that there are fewer tourists. I advise you to visit the Beylerbeyi Palace, located at the foot of the Bosphorus Bridge. It is more modest than the Dolmabahçe Palace, located on the European side, and as a result it is much less frequented by visitors. It served as a summer palace for the sultans and to accommodate distinguished guests of the Ottoman regime. Photos are forbidden inside, but it is sumptuous, with a luxury of gilding and precious furniture.
I fell in love with the Kuzguncuk district, a trendy and multicultural enclave between Usküdar and Beylerbeyi Palace. Its bohemian atmosphere and colorful houses make it a little Notting Hill. You will find many small cafes with a relaxed atmosphere and terraces for lunch.
End your tour on the Asian side with a seaside stroll to Maiden's Tower. Known as Kiz Kulesi in Turkish, it is a well-known landmark for sailors crossing the Bosphorus. This small fortified island located 200m from the coast is one of the symbols of Istanbul. It notably served as a filming location for the James Bond episode “The world is not enough”, with Pierce Brosnan and Sophie Marceau.
11/ Take a boat trip on the Bosphorus
A stay in Istanbul could not be complete without a boat trip on the Bosphorus. The ferry crossing from the European side to the Asian side gives a nice overview, but it's even better to be able to go up a little higher towards the Black Sea. The best time of the day is at sunset, to enjoy the beautiful lights, and come back at night with the illuminated bridges. 32km long, the Bosphorus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is used daily by hundreds of freighters and supertankers.➡View Bosphorus Boat Tour Deals.
I could have added four sites or activities to this article: the Pierre Loti café, where I did not go because of the bad weather (the main interest is the view of the Golden Horn), the Dolmabahçe Palace , which I did not have time to visit, the Basilica Cistern, a huge underground cistern, closed for work and awhirling dervish show, a beautiful mystical dance experience. Four good reasons to return to Istanbul!
To know:Turkey is experiencing a serious financial crisis in 2023 with high inflation and a fall in the Turkish lira on the foreign exchange market. The prices I gave in TL in this article are likely to change quickly. Just between my trip, in October 2021, and the publication of this article, in December 2023,
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