Istanbul, Turkey has a wild history that has seen many empires rule the area blending religions, languages, and people groups. It’s been the capital of 3 empires: Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman. You may also recognize the name Constantinople which was a former name of the city. If you are looking for a good book to read before you come, I’d recommend Istanbul: City of Majesty at the Crossroads of the World by Thomas F. Madden. It gave a great overview with details but didn’t bog down like some history books do.
Istanbul is a large and sprawling city. It can be hard to know where to start but luckily a lot of the tourist attractions are close together. The city is separated by 7 large hills and lots of bridges over water. Although public transportation is available and easy to use, I’d recommend you stay near the action to be within walking distance. We’ve been to a lot of large cities and I’ve never seen road congestion this bad so although taxis are an option, walking is your best bet here.
Leaving the airport
The Istanbul International Airport is very well connected. You can take the metro (6am-midnight), buses, taxis (there is a cap on taxi fees depending on the region you are going to which makes this an affordable option if you come late at night and miss the metro like we did), and private transfers you can arrange.
Use Google Maps to help you find directions to your hotel. All the options are pretty easy to navigate with directions and signs in the airport. The one thing we couldn’t figure out was Uber. It seems to be banned from entering the airport for pickup, which we’ve seen in so many other cities. They can drop off at the airport but cannot pick up so plan alternative ways to get to your accommodations.
Taxis – there are a few things to know about taxis in Turkey. First make sure they turn the meter on. If not, get out. The price should be monitored. The color of the taxi indicates the price. Yellow taxis are regular price, blue/turquoise taxis are 15% higher priced as they are a little bit nicer, and black taxis are 100% higher price as they are luxury.
Fatih – Old Town Istanbul
The iconic attractions in Istanbul (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, etc) are all really close together, like less than a 3 minute walk from each other. You can do this area in one or two days depending on how much time you want to spend diving into the history. We recommend staying in the area so you can walk around during the day and at night. Driving, parking and even taxiing in this area is almost impossible due to the crowded small streets so walking or public transportation are your best bet.
Below is a list separated by paid and free things to do in the old town. Then I’ll talk about each and which we think you should and shouldn’t visit. Please note that Turkey’s currency, the lira, is changing rapidly. These were the prices when we went in 2024 but they could have changed already.
Paid
- Topkapi Palace Museum, Harem and Hagia Irene combo (1,500 lira) – Topkapi is the grounds and palace buildings that housed the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years. There are beautiful gardens, you can visit each of the rooms, see artifacts and immerse yourself in royal life.
- Basilica Cistern (880 lira) – Huge underground Roman water source held up with 336 marble columns covering 9,800 sq. meters.
- Hagia Sophia (800 lira) – A former church turned cathedral turned museum turned mosque, this building was built around 400 AD making its history super interesting and varied through the centuries.
Free
- Blue Mosque (and all other mosques) – The Blue Mosque built in the 1600’s has outstanding details and is intricately adorned with colorful tiles.
- Hippodrome of Constantinople – the rectangular square where chariot and horse races occurred. Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpent Column remain as pillars to the bygone era.
- Sultan Ahmet Park and Sultanahmet Square – the parks near and between Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia are so well taken care of and beautiful to walk around as you go between the famous landmarks.
- Gülhane Park – somewhat hidden compared to the others, this park used to be part of the Topkapi Palace but was turned into a public park. It’s a beautiful way to stroll to the park at the edge of the Bosporus Strait for great views of the waterways.
- Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar – if you are looking to take home some Turkish goods (rugs, candies, jewelry, cotton, or souvenirs) this is the place to go shopping.
This may be controversial but based on our experience, if you had to choose which paid attraction to go with, we would recommend in order first Topkapi, then Basilica Cistern, and finally Hagia Sophia. And here’s why.
Even though Topkapi was the most expensive ($45), it was so beautiful. The grounds and buildings are so well taken care of. You can see a variety of artifacts from the Ottoman rulers including clothing, jewelry, relics, kitchenware, fancy weapons, calligraphy, etc. You get to walk through all the buildings and learn the history. Also you can walk the gardens like they did. It was a stunning place to visit with fabulous views of the Bosphorus. Pro tip: at Topkapi Palace you cannot enter the Relics area without covered knees, shoulders and hair but they provided covers to borrow right at the entrance to the relics section. No need to wear long pants during the summer heat! Pro pro tip: the audio guide is provided for free with your purchase of the combo ticket. No need to download the app ahead of time. I’d recommend coming right at 9am for opening as it gets busy quick. We also spent 3-4 hours there so budget your time.
The Basilica Cistern is hit or miss depending on what you enjoy. For $27, it seems a little steep for just walking around the inside. The story behind it and the significance of the cistern that was a water well for so many people is incredible. They have done a really nice job lighting it for tourists but to be honest, it might not be worth the cost unless you are very excited to see it.
Right now, I would skip the Hagia Sophia, unless it’s a bucket list item for you. Currently the price is high ($25) for the newly limited access implemented January 2024. I’ve heard many disappointing stories of not being able to see as much as used to be on display when it was a museum. Also if you’d like to see a mosque, check out the Blue Mosque or really any other mosque for free.
Mosques
As with most mosques, you need to cover your knees and shoulders for men and knees, shoulders, and hair for women. It seems that most of the mosques in the old town area, if you don’t have covered knees or covered hair, they will give you a skirt or scarf for free to use and return. This is a nice feature so you don’t have to wear pants in the summer heat. The only mosque that we noticed you have to pay to rent the covering was Kariye Mosque. So it’s up to you. I’d say if you are really looking forward to seeing a certain mosque, bring the necessary covers in your bag. But if you don’t mind paying for the cover, wear what you want.
Bazaars
The most famous is probably the Grand Bazaar and it’s definitely worth taking a visit. If you are looking for Turkish rugs, Turkish Delights or candies, jewelry, Turkish cotton towels or robes, or really any souvenirs, this place has it all. It could take hours if you slowly walk all the stalls but eventually it will all start to look the same so ask prices, compare and shop til you find what you want. There is a section of actual antiques if that’s what you are looking for, otherwise everything seems to be newly made. It’s not always the authentic or best made products so do your comparison.
Just a few streets north is the Egyptian Bazaar which in our opinion, was more interesting than the Grand Bazaar. Since they are so close, you can walk through both on the same day. They do sell different products so take a look around.
If you don’t have time to walk to the first two or want a little nicer of a Bazaar feel, stick to Arasta Bazaar right behind the Blue Mosque. It’s smaller but seemed a little higher quality or nicer of a market to walk around.
Boat Ride on the Bosporus
A sunset cruise on the Bosporus is a really nice way to see the city from the water. Most sunset cruises in the summer are 6-9pm. They take off from the pier at Eminönü which is a 10-15 minute walk from the old town area. Cruises range from basic large boats with minimal amenities to crazy expensive ones with meals and performances or luxury yachts. Pro tip: The basic boats advertised at $25 per person price but we were able to get one for $10. We just walked down to the water at Eminönü around 5:30pm (since most cruises leave at 6pm for a 3 hour sunset cruise). The sales people were glad to give us a discount.
One thing we did notice is that 3 hours felt long. I would have been happy with just an hour or two. So depending on your schedule and how much you love boats or want to see the shores, take the trip that best suits your needs.
Walkable Neighborhoods from Old Town
There are a few adorable neighborhoods that are walkable from the old town area. We did both of these neighborhoods in one day which was 25k+ steps but it was a nice way to see other areas.
Balat Neighborhood
Balat neighborhood is just 2.5 miles north of the old downtown area. Specifically look for the Fener streets just a few streets off the water. This area is known for its brightly colored buildings that have such a charm to them. There are tons of local cafes, artists stores, and little shops. It makes for some great picture taking and fun. Grab lunch and some Turkish coffee or tea on the outdoor little street tables to feel like a local. If you’re in the area, check out the funky Kariye Mosque which is a mosque of Christian religious art as it’s on the site of a church that was first built here in the 6th century A.D. You do need to cover head, shoulders and knees and they do NOT give covers for free. You need to rent or come prepared.
Galata Tower Neighborhood
Crossing the Galata bridge is an easy walk with great views. However once you arrive on the other side, be ready for some steep hills as you walk up to the Galata Tower itself. We didn’t pay the fee to enter the tower as it seemed high for only providing views of the city. But we do recommend the neighborhood all around the tower. With tons of cute cafes, coffee and dessert shops, and high end stores, this neighborhood felt more European. It was a fun vibe. There are some run down areas on the outskirts with graffiti but no one mentioned safety as a concern.
İstiklal Street
If you are looking for some retail therapy, Istiklal Street has it all. From designer brands to Madame Tussauds Istanbul to a Catholic church, this street is such a great place to people watch and grab a meal. The street itself is pretty long and mainly a walking street with a small trolly that goes from end to end. The flags above the walking street make for a fun atmosphere worth the walk.
Antiques and Art Stores
Wind your way through the streets nearby Galata Tower and Istiklal Street including Serdar-ı Ekrem Cd. and Cukuk Cuma Cd. to see tons of local small shops, antiques stores, art stores, and cafes. It’s adorable and fun to find little gems hidden among local living.
Food
One thing we noticed right away is that food prices in this old town area were way higher than we thought. Currently in 2024, Turkey is going through an inflation period and the lira is very unstable right now. Many locals have said that taxes are on the rise on all goods. This is causing goods to go up in price drastically. The old town area was the worst. A bottle of water for example was literally 5x the price near the city center. This is to be expected that touristy places are more expensive but it’s way more than we thought. Do plan ahead carefully with food prices at restaurants near the attractions so much higher. If you are able to walk just a few streets away, the prices are just slightly lower.
Conclusion
Istanbul is a beautiful city, made up of so much history. The country has done a nice job of making all the attractions accessible and easy to get to in the city for you to enjoy. You can easily do the city in 2-3 days to hit the highlights, or you can spend extended time here to experience more local life.
