Istanbul Travel Guide: 15 Best Things to Do

Straddling Europe and Asia, Istanbul was the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires for more than 1,500 years – and it's still one of the world's most exciting cities. Domes and minarets rise over the Bosphorus, ferries criss-cross between continents and every neighbourhood has its own character. Here's what not to miss.

The historic peninsula

1. Hagia Sophia

Built as a cathedral in the 6th century, later a mosque, then a museum and now a mosque again, Hagia Sophia is one of the world's great buildings. Read our Hagia Sophia visitor guide before you go.

From the upper galleries, the dome seems to hover above a sea of carpet, and 1,500-year-old mosaics glint gold in the half-light. The crowd falls quiet almost without noticing. Arrive at opening time and avoid prayer times, especially Friday midday.

2. The Blue Mosque

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is named for the blue İznik tiles inside its vast dome. It's a working mosque, free to visit outside prayer times.

Shoes in a plastic bag, scarf over your hair, and you step onto soft red carpet under a cascade of domes. Thousands of blue İznik tiles shimmer in the light from more than 200 windows, and low-hanging chandeliers glow just above your head. Expect a queue at the visitor entrance and closures at prayer times.

3. Topkapı Palace

The Ottoman sultans ruled from this sprawling palace for nearly 400 years. Don't miss the Harem, the treasury and the views over the Bosphorus from the fourth courtyard.

Courtyard after courtyard opens up, shaded by plane trees, with the sultans' kiosks looking out over the Bosphorus. In the Harem, every room is tiled in blue and white, and in the Treasury people crowd around the Spoonmaker's Diamond and the jewelled Topkapı Dagger. It's huge – allow at least half a day and buy your ticket online.

4. The Basilica Cistern

This vast 6th-century underground water reservoir, with its forest of columns and two Medusa-head bases, is atmospheric and cool on a hot day.

You walk down the steps from the hot, noisy street into cool, damp darkness. Hundreds of columns rise out of the water, lit in shifting colours, while drops fall from the vaulted ceiling and fish move in the shallow pool. At the far end, two Medusa heads lie sideways and upside down beneath the columns.

5. The Grand Bazaar

One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, ceramics, jewellery and leather. Bargain with a smile.

Under painted vaults, 4,000 shops spill colour into the lanes: lamps of coloured glass, carpets, ceramics, gold and leather. Sellers call out in half a dozen languages and tea boys weave through the crowd with trays of tulip-shaped glasses. Haggle with a smile – the first price is never the last – and come early in the morning for a calmer visit.

6. The Süleymaniye Mosque

Designed by the great architect Mimar Sinan, this mosque crowns one of the city's seven hills, with peaceful gardens and wonderful views over the Golden Horn.

Calmer and less crowded than the Blue Mosque, it feels serene: a vast, light-filled prayer hall, soft carpet underfoot and a garden terrace with one of the best views of the Golden Horn and the city's domes. Stay for sunset.

7. The Spice Bazaar

The Egyptian Bazaar near Eminönü is full of spices, Turkish delight, dried fruit and teas. Next door, the Rüstem Pasha Mosque has some of the finest tiles in Istanbul.

The smell hits you at the entrance: cumin, saffron, dried mint, rose tea and the sweetness of Turkish delight. Pyramids of red, orange and yellow spices line the stalls, and sellers hand out samples of lokum and dried fruit. Prices are higher than in the streets around it, where locals shop.

Across the water

8. Take a Bosphorus ferry

The best value cruise in the world: public ferries zig-zag between Europe and Asia, past palaces, fortresses and wooden waterfront mansions. Take a full-length Bosphorus tour or simply hop across to Üsküdar or Kadıköy.

Grab a seat on the open deck with a glass of tea and a simit while the ferry pulls away from Eminönü, seagulls swooping alongside. Palaces, wooden mansions and mosques slide past on both continents, and the wind on the water is a relief on a hot day. Public ferries cost a fraction of private cruises.

9. Climb Galata Tower

The medieval stone tower above Karaköy offers panoramic views over the old city and the Golden Horn. Go early or late to avoid the long queues.

The lift takes you up, then a narrow balcony wraps around the top, crowded but unforgettable: the whole city spread around you, minarets on the skyline, ships on the Bosphorus. The queues are long in the afternoon – go at opening time or buy tickets in advance.

10. Walk İstiklal Street

The famous pedestrian avenue runs from Taksim Square down towards Galata, with a vintage red tram, shops, churches and side streets full of bars and restaurants.

The old red tram clangs through the crowds, the smell of roasted chestnuts and corn drifts from the street carts, and music spills from shops and side streets. It's busy and lively day and night – keep your phone and wallet safe in the crowds.

11. Visit Dolmabahçe Palace

The 19th-century palace on the Bosphorus shore mixes Ottoman and European styles, with crystal chandeliers and a grand ceremonial hall. Visits are by guided tour.

Inside, every room seems more lavish than the last: crystal staircases, gold-leaf ceilings and the vast Ceremonial Hall under a chandelier of four and a half tonnes. Visits follow a set route, and photography inside is limited.

12. Explore Kadıköy on the Asian side

Take the ferry to Kadıköy for its lively food market, cafés and street art – and the feeling of a more local Istanbul.

Step off the ferry and the atmosphere is more local and relaxed: market stalls piled with fish, olives, cheese and pickles, meyhanes spilling onto the streets and young Istanbulites in cafés and bars. Come hungry.

13. Escape to the Princes' Islands

Car-free islands in the Sea of Marmara, with wooden mansions, pine woods and seafood restaurants – a perfect day trip by ferry.

Car-free and green, with wooden Ottoman mansions, pine forests and bicycles, the islands feel a world away from the city. Hire a bike or walk up to the hilltop monastery on Büyükada for views over the Sea of Marmara. Weekends get very crowded.

Food and experiences

14. Eat your way through the city

Start with a Turkish breakfast spread, try a fish sandwich by the Galata Bridge, simit from a street cart, baklava in Karaköy and a kebab for dinner. A food tour is a great way to find the best places.

Balık ekmek grilled on boats in Eminönü, crispy lahmacun, juicy döner, simit for breakfast and baklava dripping with syrup – Istanbul's streets are an all-day feast. Follow the locals to the busiest stalls.

15. Relax in a hammam

A traditional Turkish bath is the perfect end to a day of walking. Historic hammams such as Çemberlitaş and the restored Hürrem Sultan Hamamı are beautiful settings.

You lie on the warm marble slab under a dome pierced with star-shaped skylights, the steam rising around you. Then the attendant scrubs you with a rough mitt and covers you in clouds of soap foam. You'll come out tingling, relaxed and cleaner than you've ever felt.

Practical tips

• Get an İstanbulkart for all public transport, including ferries.
• Visit the big sights early and avoid Friday midday prayers at mosques.
• Wear comfortable shoes – Istanbul is hilly.
• Pace yourself: with three days, grouping sights by neighbourhood saves a lot of time – see this three-day Istanbul plan by neighbourhood.

Continue your trip with our guide to the most beautiful places in Turkey.