Istanbul Travel Guide
This magical meeting place of East and West is incredible. It’s one of the most awe-inspiring cities we’ve been to thus far. Home to breathtaking architecture, delicious food, and some of the warmest, most genuinely hospitable people I’ve ever met on my travels, it’s a city I would love to visit again and again. If you’re looking to visit Istanbul for the first time, then I hope this comprehensive travel guide can help you plan your trip. So welcome to your ultimate Istanbul Travel Guide!
Where to stay:
Sultanahmet
The Sultanahmet area is where most of the major tourist sites are located. If you’re visiting Istanbul to appreciate its historic sites, then there’s no better place to stay than Sultanahmet. Most hotels in this area are 10-15 minute far from all the historical attractions like Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern – but I can’t vouch for it other than that.
Beyoğlu
If you want a more contemporary side to Istanbul while still having easy access to the Sultanahmet area, then Beyoğlu around Taksim Square may be the better choice. It’s home to the popular shopping street of Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue) as well as a number of trendy bars and clubs. It’s just a funicular and tram ride away to Sultanahmet making it ideal for first-time visitors as well.
What to do:
Topkapi Palace: Topkapı is the subject of more colourful stories than most of the world’s museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines and scheming eunuchs lived and worked here between the 15th and 19th centuries when it was the court of the Ottoman empire. A visit to the palace’s opulent pavilions, jewel-filled Treasury and sprawling Harem gives a fascinating glimpse into their lives.
Aya Sofya: Built by order of the Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, its soaring dome, huge nave and glittering gold mosaics contribute to its reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful buildings, and its fascinating history as church, mosque and museum make it the city’s most revealing time capsule. Looted by marauding Crusaders in the 13th century, stormed by Ottoman invaders during the Conquest in 1453 and visited by millions of tourists since becoming a museum, it is Turkey’s greatest treasure.
Shop like a Sultan at the Grand and Egyptian Spice Bazaars: The Grand and Egyptian Spice Bazaars are Istanbul’s most popular bazaars. One of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world with over 3,000 shops, you can buy all sorts of things at the Grand Bazaar like leather goods, jewelry, carpets, clothing, furniture, ceramics, and souvenirs. Allow at least three hours for your visit; some travellers spend three days!
Take a Cruise on the Bosphorus with Şehir Hatları: Going on a scenic all-day cruise of the Bosphorus is one of Istanbul’s greatest pleasures according to many. They’re right. Şehir Hatları is Istanbul’s official ferry company and offers three Bosphorus Cruises — Full, Short, and Moonlight (Evening). The Short Cruise takes you on a two-hour loop while the Full and Moonlight Cruises last for six hours and take you all the way to Anadolu Kavağı, which is the last dock before the Black Sea. It’s a charming seaside town where you can have a delicious seafood lunch or dinner by the water.
Where to eat:
Çiya Sofrası: Located in bustling Kadıköy Market on the Asian side of Istanbul, Çiya Sofrası has been hailed by more than one source as possibly the best restaurant in all of Istanbul. Collecting recipes from all over Turkey, they frequently offer unusual regional dishes that you won’t find anywhere else.
Kizilkayalar Another restaurant featured on No Reservations, Kizilkayalar is home to these strange but appealing “wet” (islak) burgers. They get their radioactive orange coloring from being dunked in a garlicky tomato sauce then being left to steam in a hamam-style glass box. A staple among late night boozers in Taksim Square, they’re moist, chewy, garlicky, and dangerously addictive.
