Attraction
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's sixth-century domed basilica, now the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, with a separate visitor route through its upper galleries above the prayer hall.
Istanbul spans two continents across the Bosphorus, and many things to do in Istanbul involve moving between its European and Asian sides by ferry. Sultanahmet, the historic core, holds Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern. Nearby are the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. Across the Golden Horn, Beyoğlu, Galata and Karaköy have İstiklal Avenue, the Galata Tower, galleries, cafés and bars. Balat and Fener have colourful old houses, while Kadıköy and Moda on the Asian side are popular with locals for food and evenings out.
Turkish food is a major part of a visit, from breakfast spreads and simit to kebabs, meze, fish sandwiches by the water and baklava. Meyhanes, traditional taverns serving meze and rakı, are found across Beyoğlu and Kadıköy. Many neighbourhoods also have lokantas serving home-style dishes. Three to four days is enough to see the main historic sights, the bazaars and a Bosphorus ferry trip. With five days or more, you can explore the Asian side and the Princes' Islands.
Attraction
Justinian's sixth-century domed basilica, now the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, with a separate visitor route through its upper galleries above the prayer hall.
Attraction
The sprawling Ottoman palace on Seraglio Point, with courtyards, the Harem, imperial treasury displays and Bosphorus views, plus the Byzantine church of Hagia Irene.
Attraction
Sultan Ahmed I's six-minaret imperial mosque, completed in 1617 and named for the blue İznik tiles that line its vast prayer hall.
Attraction
A sixth-century underground reservoir near Hagia Sophia, with 336 marble columns, two Medusa-head column bases and atmospheric lighting after its 2022 restoration.
Attraction
Mimar Sinan's monumental mosque for Suleiman the Magnificent, completed in 1557 on the Third Hill, with the tombs of the sultan and Hürrem Sultan.
Attraction
The 14th-century Genoese stone tower above Karaköy, now a museum with a 360-degree observation deck over the Golden Horn, Bosphorus and old city.
Café
A tiny Turkish coffee spot in a passage off İstiklal Avenue, known for thick, strong coffee served to customers perched on stools in the alley.
Café
The Sirkeci branch of the confectioner dating back to 1864, serving baklava, kadayıf, puddings and Turkish delight with tea and Turkish coffee.
Café
Istanbul's oldest boza shop, opened in Vefa in 1876 by Hacı Sadık Bey, serving boza, the thick fermented grain drink, topped with chickpeas.
Hotel
A five-star Kempinski hotel built around a restored 19th-century Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus shore, with an infinity pool and 317 rooms.
Hotel
A luxury hotel in a converted early 20th-century neoclassical prison, steps from Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in the heart of Sultanahmet.
Hotel
The grand hotel built in the 1890s for Orient Express passengers, with its Agatha Christie Room, Orient Bar and domed Kubbeli Lounge afternoon tea.
Hotel
A modern Beyoğlu hotel in Tepebaşı topped by the Michelin-starred Mikla restaurant, with a panoramic terrace and the Pera 77 jazz and world-music venue.
Hotel
A boutique hotel in an 1882 Galata building on Serdar-ı Ekrem Sokak, with the Le Fumoir rooftop restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus and Golden Horn.
Hotel
A 34-room boutique hotel in the quiet lanes of Küçük Ayasofya, Sultanahmet, with a seasonal rooftop bar overlooking the Sea of Marmara.
Bar
A long-running bar, restaurant and late-night club on the top floor of the historic Mısır Apartment on İstiklal Avenue, with panoramic city views.
Bar
An intimate jazz club a few steps from the Galata Tower, open since 2002 and hosting Turkish and international musicians on most nights of the week.
Bar
Istanbul's landmark live music venue, founded in 1999 and based since 2015 in the former Bomonti beer factory, hosting jazz, rock, electronic and world music.
Bar
The intimate concert hall in the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts building in Şişhane, staging around twenty concerts and performances a month in season.
Bar
A rooftop restaurant and lounge bar on the sixth floor of the Goethe-Institut building off İstiklal, open since 2002 with views over the historic peninsula.
Restaurant
Chef Fatih Tutak's Bomonti tasting-menu restaurant, holding two Michelin stars and a Green Star, reworking Turkish culinary traditions with modern technique.
Restaurant
Mehmet Gürs's rooftop restaurant atop The Marmara Pera, serving a Michelin-starred New Anatolian menu with panoramic views over the old city and Bosphorus.
Restaurant
Maksut Aşkar's Michelin-starred restaurant inside SALT Galata, reviving forgotten Turkish recipes and ingredients with modern techniques and clear sourcing.
Restaurant
A historic restaurant founded in 1901 above the Spice Bazaar entrance, known for its blue-tiled rooms and classic Istanbul dishes, now a Michelin Bib Gourmand.
Restaurant
A long-running family seafood restaurant in a 1927 wooden house in Cankurtaran, a short walk from the Blue Mosque, serving meze and seasonal fish.
Restaurant
A big, busy kebab restaurant in Eminönü beside the Spice Bazaar, popular for kebabs and grilled meats, with views over the Golden Horn.
Thing to do
One of the world's oldest covered markets, begun in the 1450s, with 61 vaulted streets of carpet, jewellery, ceramics and textile shops.
Thing to do
The 17th-century L-shaped market beside the New Mosque in Eminönü, with around 85 shops selling spices, dried fruit, Turkish delight, tea and nuts.
Thing to do
A nightly sema ceremony of the whirling dervishes staged in a restored 15th-century double hamam in Sirkeci, with Turkish dance shows on selected evenings.
Thing to do
A working Turkish bath designed by Mimar Sinan in 1584 for Nurbanu Sultan, with separate men's and women's sections near the Grand Bazaar.
Thing to do
Two historic Golden Horn neighbourhoods of colourful houses, synagogues and churches, including the iron-built Bulgarian St Stephen Church and Ahrida Synagogue.
Tour operator
The neighbourhood food-tour company that began in Istanbul in 2009 as Istanbul Eats, known for its day-long Two Markets, Two Continents walk.
Tour operator
An Istanbul food-tour company operating since 2013, whose Taste of Two Continents tour links the Spice Bazaar area with Kadıköy market by ferry.
Tour operator
The Istanbul arm of Intrepid's Urban Adventures, running guided half-day and full-day walks through Sultanahmet, the Hippodrome and the bazaars.
Tour operator
A Sultanahmet cookery school and restaurant running hands-on Turkish cooking classes and a weekly market shopping tour that ends with cooking and dinner.
Tour operator
An Istanbul-run food tour company operating since 2006, offering culinary tours that use food as a way into Turkish culture and everyday life.
Three to four days covers Sultanahmet, the bazaars, Beyoğlu and a Bosphorus ferry. Five days or more lets you explore the Asian side and the Princes' Islands.
Sultanahmet is closest to the main historic sights, while Beyoğlu, Galata and Karaköy offer more restaurants, bars and nightlife. Kadıköy suits those wanting a more local base on the Asian side.
The M11 metro line connects Istanbul Airport with the city's metro network, and Havaist buses run to central districts including Taksim and Sultanahmet. Sabiha Gökçen on the Asian side is served by the M4 metro and airport buses.
Istanbul is generally good value compared with most Western European cities, especially for food and public transport. Prices can change quickly, so check current costs before you travel.
Istanbul is generally safe for visitors, though pickpocketing happens in crowded areas and on public transport. Be wary of overly friendly strangers inviting you to bars, and dress modestly when visiting mosques.