3 Days in Istanbul
Day 1
1. Topkapi Palace
We recommend starting your day exploring the impressive Topkapi Palace, which was the center of the Ottoman Empire and residence of the Sultan and his family from 1478 to 1856.
The palace opened as a museum in 1924, a year after the sultanate was abolished and the Republic of Turkey was founded.
Here, in addition to enjoying its architecture and mosaics, you can see exhibits of the empire's treasures, armor and weapons, the palace kitchens, among many other interesting sections.
You can also visit the Harem, an area where the sultan's family and he himself resided.
We suggest you arrive as soon as the palace opens, that way you can enjoy it to the fullest without so many people or the tours that arrive between 10 am and 12 pm.
To visit the Palace you need at least 2 hours and another hour for the Harem, if you have the opportunity, visit it, it is one of the sections that you will like the most for its beautiful decorations and impressive mosaics.
The Palace is open from 9 am to 6 pm, closed every Tuesday.This is one of the main monuments of Istanbul.
2. Hagia Sophia
Once you leave Topkapi Palace, continue to Hagia Sophia which is located just a few steps from the main entrance of the palace.
This is one of the main monuments of Istanbul.
Hagia Sophia was built between the years 532 and 537, during the Byzantine Empire. Almost a thousand years after its construction, the ancient city of Constantinople was conquered by the Ottomans, changing its name to Istanbul and turning Hagia Sophia into the imperial mosque of the Ottomans.
In 1934, it was declared with the status of a museum which was revoked in July 2020, returning to have the status of a mosque.
As of January 15th, 2024, new rules for visitors have been implemented:
Here are the new rules for all visitors as of January 15th, 2024 ⬇️
-ENTRANCE FEE: €25 for all visitors including foreign residents with a valid Turkish residence permit and Turkish citizens. Entrance is FREE for kids under 8 years old.⚠️Museum Pass Türkiye and Museum Pass Istanbul are not valid⚠️
-The entrance to the gallery area is now only through the gate located in front of Topkapi Palace’s main gate and the fountain.
-Hagia Sophia is still a mosque, therefore, even to visit the gallery all visitors must follow every mosque’s dress code, women must cover the hair and dress modestly. You can also buy a headscarf for 30 TL and a body cover for 75 TL at the ticket office.
-The gallery is not wheelchair accessible, therefore, for these visitors only the first floor (praying area) can be accessed.
-Tourists can only access the gallery on the second floor, now the prayer area (first floor) won’t be open to tourists is only for worshippers.
-Muslim tourists who desire to pray at Hagia Sophia can access the prayer area free of charge ONLY at praying times. The gate is located in front of Sultanahmet Square (old gate), however, if you also want to visit the gallery on the second floor, then you have to pay €25.
-Information about the Hagia Sophia is available in 23 languages through a headset system that may be accessed through a QR code application from mobile phones. In this way, tourists can learn about the monument quietly, without disturbing the worshippers.
The visit to Hagia Sophia takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque)
When you finish touring Hagia Sophia, go see the Sultanamhet Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque for its thousands of tiles in different shades of blue that adorn its wonderful interior.
This marvelous place was built between 1609-1616, during the sultanate of Sultan Ahmet I.
Just take into consideration that since the beginning of 2018 to present date, restoration work has been carried out, for this reason, a large part of its interior might be covered. But if you happen to be lucky and that such works have already finished for your visit, do not forget to see it inside.
The visit to the blue mosque takes between 30 minutes to 1 hour.
FREE ENTRANCE.
4. Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern located next to Hagia Sophia on the other side of the tram line, is another of the sites that should be visited in the city.
Built during the Byzantine empire between the years 527-565 for water reservoirs, it is famous for its impressive marble columns and the heads of Medusa.
The visit to the Basilica Cistern takes between 25-35 minutes.
Other cistern recommendations are the Serefiye or Binbirdirek cisterns located a few meters from Sultanahmet square.
OTHER CISTERN OPTIONS *SEREFIYE*
5. Hippodrome of Constantinople
Next to the Blue Mosque we can admire the area where the famous Hippodrome of Constantinople was once located, which was the center of fun and entertainment in the ancient capital city of the Byzantine Empire. Today we can still see some of the monuments that were part of this structure such as the obelisks of Theodosius and Constantine and the serpent column.
This site is public, therefore there is no fee to visit it.
If you want to see one of the last standing structures of the hippodrome and that few people know about it, we recommend you walk a couple of minutes away from the blue mosque where you will find the “Sphendone”, an oval structure which supported the last end of the hippodrome, and which at the time helped keep it leveled.
The visit to the Sphendone and the small cistern takes between 35-40 minutes.
6. Istanbul Archeological Museums
This complex is a set of three museums: The Archaeological Museum, The Museum of Ancient Oriental Works, and The Tiled Kiosk Museum. You can visit all of them for the same price. The most visited is the Archeological Museum where we can admire beautiful artifacts from different times and civilizations in the region.
Here is the official link of the site to see the updated entrance prices.
The visit takes between 1-2 hours depending on whether you want to visit only a part or the entire complex.
GOOGLE MAPS LOCATIONS FOR DAY 1:
Day 2
1.Grand Bazaar
Now the day will start in one of the largest and oldest covered bazaars in the world. This bazaar has almost 4 thousand stores along 61 streets, it opened to the public in 1456.
This place is quite colorful and very frequented especially among tourists, whether you want to buy or just walk through its streets, it is a place that you must visit. The visit does not take long, it all depends on whether you want to buy or not. The entrance to the bazaar is totally FREE.
The visit to the Grand Bazaar takes a maximum of 1 hour, depending on whether you want to make purchases.
2. SĂĽleymaniye Mosque
A few minutes away from the Grand Bazaar, one of the most beautiful and impressive mosques in the city is located, the Suleymaniye Mosque, built between 1550-1557, by the imperial architect Sinan, under the orders of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.
Here you can visit the mausoleums where the tombs of Sultan Suleiman himself, some of his relatives, and Hurrem Sultan, who was his legitimate wife, are located.
This mosque is truly a gem inside and out, and one of the most impressive views of the city are from the mosque gardens. Entrance fee is free.
The visit to Suleymaniye Mosque takes between 35 minutes to 1 hour.
Vefa Bozacısı
When leaving the mosque, and if you want to try something typical of the country, we suggest you visit VEFA BOZACISI, where you can find one of the most typical fermented grain drinks in Turkey called "boza".
3. Eminönü Local Markets
Take the opportunity to visit some of the many stores where locals buy their products. Here you can also find hundreds of souvenirs, clothes, sets of Turkish teacups, Turkish coffee cups, and much more at much cheaper prices than inside the Grand Bazaar or the Spice Bazaar. The shops are located a few streets down from Suleymaniye Mosque stretching all the way to the Spice Bazaar near Eminonu port.
4. Spice Bazaar
Now is time to explore another of the most traditional and ancient bazaars in the city, the Spice Bazaar built in 1660. Here we can find all kinds of spices, Turkish delights, among many other products. It is not a very big place, so at most, it will take 1 hour to visit it depending on whether you want to do shopping or not.
5. Balat & Fener
On this day, you can explore the beautiful and colorful neighborhoods of Balat and Fener, where we can find churches, synagogues, and mosques in one place.
In the past, it was one of the areas where communities of Jews, Armenians, Greeks and Muslims lived, therefore, here we will find the traces that each of these communities left. It is one of the most fascinating places in the city and it has beautiful cafes and restaurants to enjoy while exploring the area.
The visit to the Balat and Fener neighborhoods takes around 2-3 hours maximum.
6. Bosphorus Boat Tour
To end the day, nothing better than a beautiful tour of the Bosphorus. We recommend doing it in the afternoon a little before sunset as Istanbul offers an unforgettable show with its sunsets from the Bosphorus. You can rent either a private tour of the Bosphorus or take the collective ferry tours for 5-6 usd maximum per person.
They can be taken from almost any port in the city, including Eminonu, Kadikoy, and Uskudar, the companies that offer the tours are Turyol and Sehir Hatlari. You can check the updated schedules and costs here:
Both websites have an English version.
The Bosphorus tour takes between 1 hour to 1.5 hours depending on the one you choose.
GOOGLE MAPS LOCATIONS FOR DAY 2:
Day 3
1. Taksim Square, Ä°stiklal Street and Galata Tower
This area is one of the most active in the city, where you can find hundreds of shops, cafes and restaurants to enjoy the day.
Start from Taksim Square and continue to Istiklal Street, a street of approximately 6 km that is only for pedestrians, visit the largest and most important Catholic church in Istanbul, Saint Anthony of Padua.
You will continue until you reach the Galata Tower, where we recommend you climb to appreciate one of the most impressive views of the city. Enjoy a coffee or dessert in one of the many lovely cafes or restaurants in this area.
The tour in this area takes approximately 4 hours.
Click on the following link to see the current prices to enter the Galata Tower and their visiting hours:
2. Dolmabahçe Palace
This is one of the most luxurious and impressive palaces in the city, it is located on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, for this reason, the views it gives us are splendid. This palace became the center of the Ottoman Empire and the residence of the Sultan and his court from 1856 until the abolition of the Sultanate.
The visit to this palace lasts approximately 2 hours.
Click this link to check the updated entrance fees to the Dolmabahce Palace and its visiting hours.
3. Ortaköy or Üsküdar
To finish the day, you can choose between visiting Ortakoy neighborhood (on the European side) or Uskudar (on the Asian side).
Both are located on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait and offer us unique views during the sunset, also, they are 2 of the most photographed places in the city.
In Ortakoy, you can see the mosque and the first Bosphorus bridge, there are also many cafes and restaurants to enjoy the views. Here is the best place to enjoy the famous "kumpir" which is a baked potato filled with ingredients to your liking.
The visit to this neighborhood lasts approximately 1-2 hours.
If you decide to visit Uskudar instead, then you must take a ferry from the port of Besiktas which is located very close to Dolmabahce Palace, it costs approximately 9 TL per person and crosses the Bosphorus strait in less than 10 minutes. Once in the port of Uskudar, walk along the coast, where you will have beautiful views, reach the Maiden's tower, another of the most photographed monuments at sunset and at night. This way, you will have had the opportunity to also visit the Asian part of the city.
The visit to this neighborhood lasts approximately 1-2 hours.
GOOGLE MAPS LOCATIONS FOR DAY 3:
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