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| What this page covers | The 20 places I take friends and family to in Istanbul (İstanbul), from Sultanahmet to the Asian side, plus 3 trips beyond the city |
| Free highlights | Blue Mosque, Süleymaniye, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Balat, İstiklal Avenue, Ortaköy, Kadıköy |
| Paid entry (foreign visitors) | Hagia Sophia £20.99 (about ₺1,406); Topkapı ₺2,750 (£41.03); Basilica Cistern ₺2,250 (£33.57); Galata Tower £25.18 (about ₺1,688) |
| Closures to know | Topkapı on Tuesdays; Grand Bazaar on Sundays; Blue Mosque during the midday and afternoon prayers, and on Friday mornings |
| Getting around | Tram T1, metro and ferry: ₺46.20 (£0.69) a journey with an İstanbulkart |
| Time needed | 3 days for the first 10 places, 5 days for all 20; wear comfortable shoes, the city is cobbled and steep |
| Pass | Istanbul Tourist Pass, 2 days: £167.05 on GetYourGuide (30 October 2026); only worth it with 6 or more paid sights included |
| From the UK | About 4 hours by air from London; no visa for UK passport holders for stays of up to 90 days in any 180 (FCDO) |
What are the best things to do in Istanbul? Start in Sultanahmet: the Blue Mosque (free, 08:30 to 17:00 in winter), Hagia Sophia (£20.99), the Basilica Cistern (£33.57) and Topkapı Palace (£41.03, closed on Tuesdays). Then add the Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower (£25.18), a Bosphorus cruise and the ferry to Kadıköy.
I’m a Frenchman who has split his life between Nice and Istanbul since 2018, and this is the list I hand to friends and family when they land. To sleep close to the places you pick, see my favourite hotels in Istanbul, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Each place links to my full guide, with prices, opening hours and a walking route.
Travelling to Istanbul from the UK
Direct flights take about 4 hours from the London airports and a little more from Manchester (check the exact duration with your airline). Turkish Airlines flies into Istanbul Airport (IST); Pegasus mostly uses Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), on the Asian side, which adds a transfer to Sultanahmet.
- From the airport: the Havaist airport bus from IST to Sultanahmet costs ₺470 (£7.01) (Havaist, announcement of 29 April 2026).
- Time: Turkey stays on UTC+3 all year, so it is 3 hours ahead of London in winter and 2 hours ahead during British Summer Time.
- Entry: UK passport holders need no visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and the passport must be valid for at least 150 days after arrival (FCDO guidance of 27 October 2026; check it again before you fly).
- Plugs: Turkey uses types C and F at 230 V, so bring a UK adapter for your type G chargers.
- Money: contactless Visa and Mastercard work almost everywhere, but keep some lira for the ferry kiosk, tea gardens and the bazaars.
- Phone: Turkey is outside the EU, so check your UK network’s roaming charges before you fly; an eSIM is simpler (see below).
- If something goes wrong: the British Consulate-General is in Beyoğlu, and the FCDO’s Turkey travel advice is the page to read before you book.
Local tip: the May bank holidays (3 and 31 May 2027) and the late-May half-term put many British families in the Grand Bazaar at the same time. In 2027 Kurban Bayramı runs from 16 to 19 May, so the bazaars are shut and the ferries packed before the half-term week, then calm again by the 31st.
The 20 best places in Istanbul at a glance
The table follows the order of the page. Prices are for an adult foreign visitor and were checked between 29 October and 4 November 2026.
| No. | Place | Area | Price | Time on site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mosque | Sultanahmet | Free | 45 min |
| 2 | Hagia Sophia | Sultanahmet | £20.99 | 1 h |
| 3 | Topkapı Palace | Sultanahmet | £41.03 | 3 h |
| 4 | Basilica Cistern | Sultanahmet | £33.57 | 45 min |
| 5 | Archaeology Museums | Sultanahmet | £12.59 | 1h30 |
| 6 | Süleymaniye Mosque | Fatih | Free | 45 min |
| 7 | Grand Bazaar | Beyazıt | Free | 2 h |
| 8 | Spice Bazaar | Eminönü | Free | 1 h |
| 9 | Galata Tower | Beyoğlu | £25.18 | 1 h |
| 10 | İstiklal Avenue and Taksim | Beyoğlu | Free | 2 h |
| 11 | Balat and Fener | Fatih | Free | 3 h |
| 12 | Bosphorus cruise | Eminönü | £9.55 (public ferry) | 6 h return |
| 13 | Bosphorus dinner cruise | Kabataş | About £29.84 | 3 h |
| 14 | Maiden’s Tower | Üsküdar | £22.67 + £1.64 boat | 1h30 |
| 15 | Ortaköy and the Bosphorus Bridge | Beşiktaş | Free | 1h30 |
| 16 | Kadıköy and Moda | Asian side | £0.97 ferry | Half a day |
| 17 | Princes’ Islands | Sea of Marmara | Ferry on İstanbulkart | Full day |
| 18 | Pierre Loti Hill | Eyüp | Cable car on İstanbulkart | 2 h |
| 19 | Hammam | Çemberlitaş and elsewhere | From £47.75 | 1h30 |
| 20 | Istanbul food | Everywhere | Simple meal about £8.95 | Every day |
1. Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Camii)
Everyone I bring to Istanbul starts here, and it is the only major monument in Sultanahmet that costs nothing. Sultan Ahmed I had it built between 1609 and 1617, and the blue İznik tiles inside gave it its English name. My verdict: go at 08:30 when it opens, or after 15:00, never at midday. The full routine is in my guide to visiting the Blue Mosque.
At the visitors’ entrance you are handed a plastic bag for your shoes, and a booth lends skirts and headscarves. Once inside, look up: some 260 windows light the dome, and the colour of the tiles shifts through the morning.
Practical information: free entry. Visitors are admitted 08:30 to 17:00 from 1 October to 31 March and until 19:00 from April to September, last entry 30 minutes before closing. It closes to visitors during the midday and afternoon prayers, and on Fridays visiting starts at 14:30. Cover shoulders and knees, and women also cover their hair.
2. Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya)
Consecrated in 537 under Justinian, a mosque from 1453, a museum from 1934 and a mosque again since 2020. Since 15 January 2024, foreign visitors no longer use the main door: a paid route takes them straight up to the upper gallery, while the ground floor stays for prayer. My opening hours and route are in my guide to visiting Hagia Sophia.
From the gallery you see the Byzantine mosaics up close, including the Deësis, that the ground floor hides, and the huge calligraphy roundels feel within reach. I took the photo below at sunset from the gardens between the two monuments.
Practical information: £20.99 (about ₺1,406), price confirmed on 4 November 2026. Winter hours 09:00 to 19:30, ticket office until 19:00. No visits on Fridays from about 12:00 to 14:30. The Museum Pass is not valid. Allow 1 hour.
3. Topkapı Palace (Topkapı Sarayı)
The sultans’ residence for nearly four centuries, arranged as four courtyards that grow more private as you go in. My advice: do the Harem first, before the tour groups, and finish in the fourth courtyard on the benches facing the Bosphorus. My room-by-room route is in my guide to Topkapı Palace.
The Treasury draws the crowd for the Topkapı Dagger and the Spoonmaker’s Diamond. I prefer the Divan Hall: look for the small grilled window above the viziers’ seats, from which the sultan listened to the debates unseen.
Practical information: combined ticket for foreign visitors (palace, Harem and Hagia Eirene) ₺2,750 (£41.03); closed on Tuesdays; ticket offices 09:00 to 17:00; free up to age 6. Allow 3 hours. For a guide in English: compare the guided tours of Topkapı on GetYourGuide.
4. Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnıcı)
A forest of 336 Byzantine columns under the square, built in the 6th century to supply the imperial palace. At the far end on the left, two Medusa heads serve as column bases, one on its side and one upside down. My tips for dodging the queue are in my guide to the Basilica Cistern.
It is cool all year, water drips from the vaults and the metal walkways ring under your steps. Arrive at opening time: by 11:00 in summer the queue spills onto the pavement.
Practical information: daytime 09:00 to 18:30, ₺2,250 (£33.57) for a foreign visitor, price paid at the ticket office on 4 November 2026; no official price list has been published since management passed to the General Directorate of Foundations (VGM) in June 2026. Evening session 19:30 to 22:00, price to check on site. The Museum Pass is not valid.
5. Istanbul Archaeology Museums
Three buildings in the first courtyard of Topkapı that most visitors walk straight past. Yet this is where the so-called Alexander Sarcophagus stands, carved with hunting and battle scenes, and one of the oldest known peace treaties, the Treaty of Kadesh, on a small clay tablet.
Practical information: £12.59 (about ₺844), £13.43 announced from 1 April 2027; the Museum Pass is valid. Check the day’s hours on muze.gov.tr before you go. Allow 1h30. My tip: go in straight after Topkapı, it sits inside the same grounds, 3 minutes’ walk away.
6. Süleymaniye Mosque
My verdict: more beautiful and calmer than the Blue Mosque, with almost no queue. Mimar Sinan built it for Suleiman the Magnificent between 1550 and 1557, on the third hill of the city. Behind it, the garden terrace looks over the Golden Horn and Galata. Everything is in my guide to the Süleymaniye Mosque.
Do not leave without walking through the small cemetery: the tombs of Suleiman and his wife Hürrem can be visited free of charge, and Sinan’s own tomb is at the north corner of the complex.
Practical information: free entry, tombs included. Daytime visits, roughly 09:00 to 18:00 outside prayer times (no official timetable is published); on Fridays visitors are admitted from about 14:30.
7. Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı)
One of the oldest covered markets in the world: 2,486 shops, 62 streets and two bedestens, according to the bazaar’s own figures. Think Borough Market under a vaulted roof, only much bigger. I enter by the Nuruosmaniye gate and get lost on purpose, heading for the hans, the artisans’ courtyards off the main lanes. My addresses and haggling method are in my guide to the Grand Bazaar.
To haggle, I offer 40 to 50% of the first price and we usually settle between 50 and 70%. For carpets and gold, I always compare three shops before I take out my card.
Practical information: free entry, Monday to Saturday 08:30 to 19:00. Closed on Sundays, on 1 January and during religious holidays (Ramazan Bayramı 9 to 11 March 2027, Kurban Bayramı 16 to 19 May 2027).
8. Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)
The L-shaped bazaar beside Eminönü’s New Mosque, opened in the 17th century. You can taste Turkish delight, dried fruit and teas before you buy. At the west exit, on Tahmis Street, the smell of roasting coffee leads to the queue at Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, in business since 1871. My map of the bazaar is in my guide to the Spice Bazaar.
My tip: the streets around the bazaar, towards Hasırcılar, sell the same spices and dried fruit, often for less than inside. Upstairs by the main entrance, the Pandeli restaurant and its turquoise tiles are worth a lunch.
Practical information: free entry, daily 08:00 to 19:30, closed during religious holidays. Tram T1, Eminönü stop.
🎫 Is the Istanbul Tourist Pass worth it for these sights?
The pass covers Hagia Sophia and the Cistern as guided visits, Topkapı with an audio guide, the Maiden’s Tower and a dinner cruise, but not the Blue Mosque (free) or public transport. Here are the pass prices I found this week; my full test is in my review of the Istanbul Tourist Pass.
| Duration | Official site (4 November 2026) | GetYourGuide (30 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | £125.08 | £133.48 |
| 2 days | £158.66 | £167.05 |
| 3 days | £183.84 | £183.84 |
| 4 days | £200.63 | £209.03 |
| 5 days | £217.42 | £217.42 |
| See the price | See the price |
My calculation for 2 days, with the five paid sights of this page included in the pass, at the TCMB rates of 4 November 2026:
| Attraction (adult foreign visitor) | Price without the pass |
|---|---|
| Hagia Sophia, upper gallery | £20.99 (₺1,406) |
| Topkapı Palace, combined ticket with the Harem | £41.03 (₺2,750) |
| Basilica Cistern | £33.57 (₺2,250) |
| Maiden’s Tower, entry and boat | £24.31 (₺1,629) |
| Bosphorus dinner cruise, standard option | £29.84 (₺2,000) |
| Total with separate tickets | £149.74 (₺10,035) |
| 2-day pass, GetYourGuide price | £167.05 (₺11,196) |
| Difference | The pass costs £17.31 more |
| Add Dolmabahçe Palace (₺2,000) | Total £179.59: the pass saves you £12.53 |
My verdict: for the five paid sights of this top 20, buy your tickets at the door and keep £17.31. The 2-day pass only pays off once you add a sixth included sight, such as Dolmabahçe Palace, and if you want to skip the queue from June to August, when the Cistern line runs past an hour.
9. Galata Tower and the Galata district
The Genoese tower of 1348 stands over the north bank of the Golden Horn. A lift takes you almost to the top, then a few steps lead to the circular balcony, so narrow that everyone shuffles round in single file. The view takes in Sultanahmet, the Bosphorus and the Asian shore. My queue-free times are in my guide to the Galata Tower.
Around it, the sloping lanes of Galata and Karaköy are full of cafés and designer shops, a little like Shoreditch with a sea view. My detour: the Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum, the former home of the whirling dervishes, 5 minutes away on foot.
Practical information: £25.18 (about ₺1,688), £29.38 announced from 1 April 2027. Open 08:30 to 23:00, last entry 22:00; day ticket office and Museum Pass until 18:14, evening session from 18:30. The Müzekart is reserved for Turkish citizens.
10. İstiklal Avenue and Taksim Square (Beyoğlu)
About 1.4 km of pedestrian street between Taksim Square and Tünel, with the little red heritage tram rattling along it. At the end, the Tünel funicular, opened in 1875, runs down to Karaköy. What I show friends on the square is in my guide to Taksim Square.
Duck into the passages: the Çiçek Pasajı with its meyhanes, then the Balık Pazarı fish market just behind. In the evening the lanes of Nevizade fill with terrace tables, and that is where I eat when I am in Beyoğlu.
A scam I have seen several times on the avenue: a shoe-shiner drops his brush in front of you; you pick it up, he insists on cleaning your shoes ‘as a thank-you’, then demands a huge fee. My answer: I pick up nothing and keep walking.
11. Balat and Fener
Two old neighbourhoods on the Golden Horn, one Greek, one Sephardic Jewish. Painted Ottoman houses, multicoloured staircases, washing hung between the facades and cafés set up in former grocery shops: this is the district I like to wander without a watch.
My three stops: the Bulgarian St Stephen church, made entirely of cast iron, prefabricated in Vienna and assembled on the shore in 1898; the big red-brick Greek high school that dominates Fener; and, a 15-minute uphill walk away, Kariye (Chora Church), a mosque again since 2024, with its Byzantine mosaics.
Practical information: the neighbourhoods are free. Kariye: £16.79 (about ₺1,125) for foreign visitors, 09:00 to 18:00 with a break at prayer times, no visitors on Fridays. Reach Balat by bus along the Golden Horn from Eminönü, or by Haliç line ferry to the Balat pier.
12. Bosphorus cruise
My verdict: the public Şehir Hatları ferry beats the private cruises on price and length. Compare it with the Thames boats and you will see why I prefer it. The ‘long Bosphorus tour’ goes up to Anadolu Kavağı, almost at the Black Sea, passing under the three bridges, Dolmabahçe, the Rumeli Hisarı fortress and the wooden yalı mansions. Timetables and other options are in my guide to the Bosphorus.
When you reach Anadolu Kavağı, climb for 30 minutes to Yoros Castle: the view over the entrance to the Black Sea is worth the effort, and the fish restaurants on the harbour serve stuffed mussels on the way back.
Practical information: long return cruise ₺640 (£9.55) for a foreign visitor, leaving Eminönü at 10:35 in winter and returning at 16:40. Short 2-hour cruise: ₺340 (£5.07), departing 14:40. For a private boat or a guide: compare the Bosphorus cruises.
13. Bosphorus dinner cruise
Three hours on the illuminated Bosphorus, with dinner, folk dancing and a DJ. It is touristy and unashamed about it; friends of mine who come as a couple love it, while those who want quiet prefer a sunset ferry. I compare boats and packages in my guide to the Bosphorus dinner cruise.
Practical information: standard package around ₺2,000 (£29.84); evening departures, most from Kabataş, with hotel pick-up on some packages. Included in the Istanbul Tourist Pass, booked through the app.
14. Maiden’s Tower (Kız Kulesi)
The tower on its islet off Üsküdar. English guides sometimes call it Leander’s Tower, after the Hero and Leander legend, which actually belongs to the Dardanelles; Turks call it the Maiden’s Tower, after the princess a sultan supposedly shut inside to protect her from a snake. Restored, it now houses a museum. Everything is in my guide to the Maiden’s Tower.
Practical information: entry £22.67 (about ₺1,519), boat ₺110 (£1.64) from Karaköy or Salacak. My tip: even if you do not go in, drink a çay on the Salacak steps at the end of the day, facing the tower and Sultanahmet.
15. Ortaköy and the Bosphorus Bridge
The neo-baroque Büyük Mecidiye Mosque, right at the water’s edge under the first Bosphorus bridge, opened in 1973: it is Istanbul’s postcard. The district belongs to Beşiktaş, which I describe in my guide to the Beşiktaş district.
The local ritual: a kumpir, a huge baked potato with toppings of your choice, eaten on the quayside benches facing the bridge. At weekends a small craft market sets up in the lanes behind the mosque.
16. Kadıköy and Moda (the Asian side)
My verdict: the Eminönü to Kadıköy ferry is the best mini-cruise in Istanbul for the price of one journey. Twenty minutes of crossing, gulls following the boat for a piece of simit, and then the Asian shore, younger and more relaxed. My route through the district is in my guide to Kadıköy.
Kadıköy market, its fish stalls and cheese shops, then the Moda seafront at sunset with the silhouette of the old city opposite: that is my Sunday programme.
Practical information: ferry from Kadıköy to Eminönü, Karaköy or Beşiktaş ₺65.21 (£0.97) with the full-fare İstanbulkart.
17. Princes’ Islands (Büyükada)
An archipelago in the Sea of Marmara where private cars are banned; since 2020 the horse carriages have given way to electric vehicles and bicycles. On Büyükada, the largest island, I walk up to Aya Yorgi monastery, at the top of Yücetepe hill, for the view over the whole Marmara.
Practical information: about 1h30 by Şehir Hatları ferry from Kabataş or Eminönü, paid with the İstanbulkart. Leave before 10:00 at weekends; the return boats are full after 17:00. For an organised day with lunch: trips to the Princes’ Islands.
18. Pierre Loti Hill (Eyüp)
The Eyüp cable car climbs in a few minutes to the café named after the French writer who loved the city. From the terrace the Golden Horn stretches out to Galata: it is my favourite view in the late afternoon, with a çay.
Walk back down through the cemetery, between cypresses and Ottoman gravestones topped with carved turbans, to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque, one of the most visited pilgrimage places in Turkey: dress properly and keep your voice down.
Practical information: cable car paid with the İstanbulkart. Reach it by bus along the Golden Horn, or by Haliç line ferry to Eyüp.
19. Hammam
An hour on the hot stone, the kese scrub, then the foam wash: you come out with someone else’s skin. The Çemberlitaş hammam, designed by Sinan and opened in 1584, keeps its two original halls, one for men and one for women. My comparison of hammams is in my guide to the best hammams in Istanbul.
Practical information: at Çemberlitaş, entry only ₺3,200 (£47.75), scrub and foam ₺4,050 (£60.43), open 06:00 to midnight (hammam website, 4 November 2026). Luxury hammams such as Hürrem Sultan or Kılıç Ali Paşa cost much more.
20. Food: eating like an Istanbulite
My typical day: a simit and a çay for breakfast, menemen (scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers), lunch in a lokanta where you choose from the glass counter, then meze and fish in the evening in a meyhane. Prices are in my detailed budget for Istanbul.
- Simit: about ₺30 (£0.45) for the sesame bread ring; a çay costs ₺20 to ₺30 in a local café and ₺90 to ₺100 on a tourist terrace.
- Lokanta: expect roughly ₺350 to ₺600 for a main dish, rice and a drink.
- Balık ekmek: the grilled fish sandwich served from the boats at Eminönü, at the foot of Galata Bridge.
- Desserts: pistachio baklava, warm künefe with melted cheese, and baked rice pudding (fırın sütlaç).
My advice: avoid the terraces on Sultanahmet Square, expensive and average; walk two streets inland, or dine in Kadıköy or Nevizade.
Bonus: 3 trips from Istanbul
With 8 to 10 days, leave the city. These three sites are reached by plane from Istanbul, with at least one night on the spot.
Cappadocia
Hot-air balloons at sunrise above the fairy chimneys, and the rock churches of the Göreme Open Air Museum (£16.79, £18.47 in 2027). Flights take about 1h15 to 1h35 to Nevşehir. My guide: visiting Cappadocia. For an organised trip: tours of Cappadocia.
Ephesus
The largest ancient city on the Aegean coast, with the facade of the Library of Celsus. Entry £33.58 (£37.78 from 1 April 2027), terraced houses extra. Access through Izmir. My guide: visiting Ephesus.
Pamukkale
White travertine terraces with the ancient city of Hierapolis above. Entry £25.18 (£29.38 from 1 April 2027), antique pool ₺600 (£8.95) extra. Access through Denizli. My guide: visiting Pamukkale.
Where to stay in Istanbul to visit these sights
For places 1 to 8, sleep in Sultanahmet or Sirkeci; for Galata, İstiklal and nightlife, in Karaköy. My full ranking is in my guide to the best neighbourhoods to stay in.
| Area and budget | Hotel | Why I recommend it |
|---|---|---|
| Sultanahmet, budget | Agora Guesthouse | Panoramic terrace, 10 minutes on foot from the Blue Mosque. |
| Sultanahmet, mid-range | White House Hotel Istanbul | Breakfast on the terrace facing Hagia Sophia. |
| Sultanahmet, mid-range | Hotel Amira Istanbul | Boutique hotel with a small spa, 8 minutes on foot from the Grand Bazaar. |
| Sirkeci | Sirkeci Mansion | Topkapı 10 minutes away, tram T1 and the Eminönü ferries at the door. |
| Karaköy | 10 Karakoy Istanbul | Direct tram T1 to Sultanahmet, Galata on foot, cruise departures nearby. |
| Sultanahmet, high end | Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet | A former neoclassical prison, steps from the monuments. |
🚇 How do you get between these sights?
Tram T1 alone links Sultanahmet, Eminönü, Karaköy and Kabataş, so it serves places 1 to 9 of this page; the ferry does the rest, to Kadıköy, Üsküdar and the islands. Pay with the İstanbulkart, the rechargeable transport card, which works much like London’s Oyster card and is explained in my guide to getting an İstanbulkart.
- Full-fare journey (metro, tram, bus, funicular, Marmaray): ₺46.20 (£0.69) since 20 July 2026.
- Empty card: ₺165 (£2.46), from the machines in stations.
- Contactless bank card: accepted at the gates, usually charged ₺65 (£0.97) a journey.
- Ferry: ₺65.21 (£0.97) for Kadıköy-Eminönü, ₺58.52 (£0.87) for Üsküdar-Eminönü.
- Yellow taxi: starting charge ₺71.94 plus ₺47.92 per kilometre, minimum fare ₺230 (£3.43).
To see every line, my Istanbul metro map is up to date, and my guide to getting around Istanbul compares every means of transport. Here is also the map of my 20 best places:
🚕 Taxi or Uber in Istanbul: how do you avoid scams?
For Pierre Loti, Ortaköy or the trip back from a dinner cruise, a taxi is often the easiest option. It is also where I have seen the most scams.
A Saturday at 23:30, at the taxi rank at the Taksim end of İstiklal, after a late dinner at Nevizade: the driver said the meter was ‘stuck’ and quoted ₺900 for the short run to Sultanahmet. The next one offered to ’round it up’ to ₺1,000.
👉 Click here and install Uber before you leave
The price of an Uber ride is shown in advance. Ride and driver are logged in the app, you pay by card, and there is no haggling.
Kevin’s tip: I now book the car while I finish my çay; the route is drawn on the screen before the door closes, and I know what I will pay before I get in.
📱 How do you get internet in Istanbul from the moment you land?
To link these 20 places I need data at every step: ferry times, prayer closures at the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia ticket, an Uber at the end of the night. UK networks charge for roaming in Turkey, so check your plan before you fly.
The next ferry to Kadıköy, your Topkapı QR ticket, a route on Google Maps and a message home to say you have landed: it all runs through your phone.
👉 Click here to buy your Airalo eSIM now, before you leave
Get a discount on your first purchase with this link
Kevin’s tip: I scan the QR code at the departure gate in London, so the line is live when the wheels touch down; Airalo is the cheapest provider I have found, and the eSIM sets up in 2 minutes on an eSIM-compatible phone.
🗺️ My top itinerary for seeing the essentials of Istanbul in one day
The programme I give to anyone with just one day, on any day except Tuesday (Topkapı) and Friday (mosques closed in the morning). For more days, follow my 3-day Istanbul itinerary.
- 08:30: Blue Mosque at opening time, then a walk across the Hippodrome.
- 09:30: Hagia Sophia upper gallery, 1 hour.
- 10:45: Basilica Cistern, 45 minutes.
- 12:00: lunch in a lokanta on Divanyolu Street.
- 13:00: Topkapı Palace and the Harem, until 16:00.
- 16:15: walk down through Gülhane to Eminönü and the Spice Bazaar.
- 17:30: ferry to Kadıköy, on the rear deck.
- 18:00: Kadıköy market, then dinner in Moda.
If you only have 2 hours: the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and Hagia Sophia fit within a 300-metre radius. Keep 15 minutes for a çay on the benches in the garden between the two monuments.
My take on the best things to do in Istanbul
Pros: eight of the twenty places on this page are free, and the finest moments cost no more than a ferry ticket. Few capitals pack so much history within a tram ride.
Cons: the crowds in Sultanahmet between 10:00 and 16:00, big-monument prices that rise every year, and the touts. My solution: start early and keep the neighbourhoods for the afternoon.
My favourite moment: the evening ferry between Eminönü and Kadıköy, when the Süleymaniye minarets stand out behind the boat and the gulls catch pieces of simit in mid-air.
Frequently asked questions about Istanbul’s best sights
Are 3 days in Istanbul enough?
Three days cover the first ten places on this page: Sultanahmet, the two bazaars, Galata and a Bosphorus cruise. With five days you can add Balat, Kadıköy, the Princes’ Islands and Pierre Loti Hill without rushing. A long weekend from the UK works if you stay in Sultanahmet and skip the Asian side.
Can you walk from Hagia Sophia to the Blue Mosque?
Yes. The two face each other across the Sultanahmet gardens, about 300 metres apart, so the walk takes around five minutes. Visit the Blue Mosque at 08:30 or after 15:00 to avoid the prayer closures, then queue for the Hagia Sophia gallery ticket.
What should you experience in Istanbul?
Climb to the Hagia Sophia gallery, walk into the Blue Mosque at opening time, go down into the Basilica Cistern, and take the public ferry up the Bosphorus. End the day on the evening crossing to Kadıköy, with a simit and a çay on the rear deck.
What should you beware of in Turkey?
Taxis without a meter or a price agreed in advance, the shoe-shiner who drops his brush, carpet touts, and menus without prices. Watch your pockets on tram T1 and in the bazaars, and never walk into a mosque during prayer or without covering shoulders and knees.
What are the best free things to do in Istanbul?
The Blue Mosque, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, İstiklal Avenue, the neighbourhoods of Balat and Fener, Ortaköy and Kadıköy. For the Asian side only the ferry costs anything: ₺65.21 (£0.97) with the İstanbulkart.
Is the Istanbul Tourist Pass worth it?
Not for the paid sights of this top 20 alone: they cost £149.74 with separate tickets, against £167.05 for the 2-day pass on GetYourGuide (30 October 2026). The pass pays off from six included sights, for example by adding Dolmabahçe Palace.
Is Istanbul safe for British visitors right now?
The tourist districts are busy and well policed; the usual risks are pickpockets, touts and taxis without meters. Read the FCDO’s Turkey travel advice before you book and again before you fly, and see my safety tips for Istanbul.
Do British citizens need a visa for Istanbul?
No, not for a tourist stay of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must be valid for at least 150 days after you enter Turkey. Check the FCDO’s entry requirements for Turkey before you travel, as rules can change.
Read next
My day-by-day plan for linking the first ten places.
The scams I have seen and how to avoid them.
Month-by-month weather, crowds, holidays and my favourite season.
Sources and references
- Directorate of National Palaces, Topkapı Palace (price, ticket offices, Tuesday closure), consulted 4 November 2026
- Directorate of National Palaces, Dolmabahçe Palace (price), consulted 4 November 2026
- Sultanahmet Camii, visitor guide (hours, prayers, Friday, free entry), consulted 29 October 2026
- TÜRSAB, announcement on the paid Hagia Sophia gallery (in Turkish), announcement of 12 January 2024, consulted 29 October 2026
- NTV, reopening of the Basilica Cistern under the General Directorate of Foundations (in Turkish), consulted 4 November 2026
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Archaeology Museums, Galata Tower, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Göreme, consulted 4 November 2026
- Kapalıçarşı, the Grand Bazaar in figures, consulted 4 November 2026
- Kız Kulesi, visitor information for the Maiden’s Tower, consulted 4 November 2026
- Şehir Hatları, ferry and Bosphorus cruise fares, consulted 4 November 2026
- İstanbulkart, official transport fares, consulted 1 November 2026
- Çemberlitaş Hamamı, prices, consulted 4 November 2026
- BirGün, Istanbul taxi fares (in Turkish), article of 16 September 2026, consulted 29 October 2026
- FCDO, Turkey travel advice: entry requirements, consulted 27 October 2026
- Central Bank of Turkey (TCMB), exchange rates, bulletins of 30 October and 4 November 2026
The Hagia Sophia price and the Basilica Cistern price were confirmed at the ticket office; no official price list is published by their operator as of 4 November 2026. Pass prices were taken from GetYourGuide on 30 October 2026 and from the publisher’s official site on 4 November 2026.
📢 Kevin’s transparency note: this article contains affiliate links (GetYourGuide, Booking, Uber, Airalo and the official Istanbul Tourist Pass site). The price stays the same for you; I earn a small commission that funds these free guides, and my next simit with a çay. Teşekkür ederim! Follow me on Instagram: @kevinloveistanbul.
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