Things to Do in Istanbul
See Hagia Sophia and Topkapı, cross the Bosphorus by ferry, eat in Kadıköy and walk the old neighbourhoods.
- TÜRSAB #7651travel agency member
- Since 2011guiding Istanbul
- 5.0145 Google reviews
- 4.8560 TripAdvisor reviews
- 57 guideslicensed, across Türkiye
- 15.7 million
people lived in Istanbul at the end of 2025, by Türkiye’s official count.
- 2 continents
The Bosphorus runs between Europe and Asia, and ferries cross it all day.
- 4 UNESCO areas
Sultanahmet, Süleymaniye, Zeyrek and the Land Walls, on the World Heritage List since 1985.
- 1.36 million
foreign visitors came through Istanbul in January 2026 alone, in the middle of winter.
More in our Istanbul facts, and in the story of the city’s many names.
The Old City Landmarks
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern all stand in Sultanahmet, close enough to walk between in a morning. Hagia Sophia is a working mosque; since January 2024 visitors use their own ticketed entrance to the upper gallery.
Down the hill wait the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar, with the Galata Tower across the Golden Horn. Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman builders worked on these same hills, and Istanbul’s museums keep what they made.
Cross to the Asian Side
69of 828 people who wrote to us asked to cross
Of the 828 people who wrote to plan a private day with us between May 2023 and July 2026, 69 asked to cross to the Asian side. That is close to the 74 who named the Grand Bazaar.
A public ferry from Eminönü or Karaköy takes you to Kadıköy, its market and the sea walk in Moda. Üsküdar and the wooden houses of Kuzguncuk sit a short ride up the shore.
Istanbul by Neighbourhood
Where you sleep changes the trip. So does where you spend a slow afternoon.
The Old Peninsula
Sultanahmet and Eminönü: the monuments, the markets and the ferry piers.
Up the Golden Horn
Balat, Fener and Eyüp: painted houses, old churches and synagogues.
Beyoğlu and Galata
Beyoğlu, Karaköy and Cihangir: Istiklal Avenue, galleries and cafés.
The Bosphorus Villages
Ortaköy, Bebek and Arnavutköy: waterside mosques and wooden mansions.
The Asian Side
Kadıköy, Moda, Üsküdar and Kuzguncuk, one ferry ride across.
The Princes’ Islands
Car-free islands in the Sea of Marmara, pine woods and old wooden villas.
More Things to Do in Istanbul
For a second day, a slow afternoon or a trip built around one interest.
Places to Slow Down
Tea gardens, parks and quiet corners for an afternoon off.
Read the Guide
Bookshops
Five bookshops worth an hour, old and new.
Read the Guide
Chess
Cafés with boards, clubs and blitz tournaments.
Read the Guide
Pools
Ten pools for a hot summer day.
Read the Guide
Running
The best places in the city to go for a run.
Read the Guide
Ziplining
An afternoon above the trees on the Asian side.
Read the Guide
Whirling Dervishes
The sema ceremony in Sirkeci, several evenings a week.
Read the Guide
Rhythm of the Dance
Türkiye’s dance heritage on one stage in Sirkeci.
Read the Guide
The City’s Cats and Dogs
Why Istanbul’s street animals live so well.
Read the GuideStill deciding? Read five reasons to visit Istanbul, our top five things to do, a city of endless becoming, four days with Istanbul’s cats, Istanbul as the most visited city of 2023, Istanbul on Flickr and our favourite Istanbul blogs. Or follow a theme: historic trees or the migrating birds of the Bosphorus.
Plan Your Trip
Seasons and Events
- March:Nowruz, the spring new year
- April:the Tulip Festival in the city’s parks
- June to July:the Istanbul Jazz Festival
- Summer evenings:museums open late
- August:the swim from Asia to Europe
- All year:İKSV festivals, the coffee festival and a football match
Day and Half-Day Tours
Private, with a licensed guide, and changeable on the day.
Half a Day
A Full Day
One Subject, Properly
Hagia Sophia and the Blue MosqueOld City
Topkapı PalaceOld City
The Grand BazaarOld City
The Other SultanahmetOld City
Historic HighlightsOld City
Christian SitesHistory
Roman IstanbulHistory
Byzantion Before RomeHistory
Late-Medieval ConstantinopleHistory
The City WallsHistory
Sinan's FootstepsHistory
Suleiman's IstanbulHistory
Armenian HeritageHistory
Russian IstanbulHistory
Abrahamic FaithsHistory
Geopolitics of TürkiyeIdeas
In Search of Lost LanguagesIdeas
The Asian Side, All DayNeighbourhoods
Street Art on the Asian SideNeighbourhoods
Karaköy on FootNeighbourhoods
Six Faces of IstanbulNeighbourhoods
Bohemian RhapsodyNeighbourhoods
Off the Beaten PathNeighbourhoods
The Cat TourNeighbourhoods
A Food DayFood
Istanbul After DarkEvening
Rooftop CocktailsEvening
The Other NightEvening
A Private Bosphorus CruiseOn the water
Istanbul From the AirIn the air
A Football MatchMatch day
Between FlightsLayover
From the Cruise PortShore day
The Long Way From the AirportArrival dayIstanbul Over Several Days
Private itineraries, each one changed to suit you.
Two Days
Short, and still enough for the Old City and the water.
See the Itinerary3The Ideal 3 Days
Connection, culture and room to move, for a first visit that goes deeper.
See the Itinerary4The Soulful 4 Days
Grand mosques, old markets, castle ruins and quiet islands.
See the Itinerary5Five Days
The city taken slowly, through texture, sound and people.
See the ItineraryKeep Istanbul as your base and go further: Ottoman Bursa, Gallipoli, the white terraces of Pamukkale, Ephesus or Cappadocia. With more time in the city, take the deep five-day tour, or look through Türkiye’s destinations.
Our Türkiye Tours
Day trips from Istanbul and longer journeys across Türkiye, from one day to fifteen.
Ottoman BursaDay trip
Ephesus in a DayDay trip
Biblical EphesusDay trip
Pamukkale From IstanbulDay trip
Gallipoli and Troy2 days
Cappadocia From Istanbul2 days
Taraklı and the Ottoman Towns2 days
Pamukkale, Ephesus and Cappadocia4 days
Istanbul and Ankara, Dawn of Empires5 days
The Three Ottoman Capitals5 days
Istanbul, Pamukkale and Ephesus6 days
Nicaea, Troy and Pergamon6 days
Türkiye's Essentials6 days
Türkiye's Most Essential Sights7 days
Gallipoli to Cappadocia7 days
In the Footsteps of St Paul7 days
Istanbul, Nicaea, Troy and Pergamon7 days
Istanbul to Cappadocia via Konya8 days
Western Türkiye From Istanbul8 days
Istanbul to the Aegean8 daysThe Crescendo of Türkiye8 days
The Classics9 days
An Enchanting Odyssey9 days
The Grand Ten Days10 days
Best of Türkiye10 days
Türkiye's Enchanting Gems10 days
Best of Türkiye, Longer11 days
The Türkiye Odyssey11 days
The Ultimate Eleven Days11 days
Western Türkiye11 days
The Grand Twelve Days12 days
Istanbul to the Mediterranean12 days
Türkiye's Historical Depth12 days
The Essence of Türkiye13 days
The Trailblazer15 daysQuestions Before You Go
What Are the Top Things to Do in Istanbul?
Start in Sultanahmet with Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern, then the Grand Bazaar. Take a boat on the Bosphorus, cross by ferry to Kadıköy on the Asian side, and give a morning to an old neighbourhood such as Balat. Our Istanbul landmarks page lists the sights family by family.
Is Hagia Sophia a Mosque or a Museum?
Hagia Sophia is a mosque. It was opened again for prayer in 2020, and since 15 January 2024 visitors who come to see it enter through a separate, ticketed visitor entrance while worshippers keep their own. Our Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque tour plans the visit around prayer times.
Is the Asian Side of Istanbul Worth a Visit?
Yes. Of the 828 people who wrote to The Other Tour to plan a private day between May 2023 and July 2026, 69 asked to include it. Kadıköy, Moda, Üsküdar and Kuzguncuk are on the Asian shore, and the public ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy takes about 20 minutes. Start with our Asian side guide.
Can We See Istanbul on Our Own and Book a Guide for One Day?
Yes. The main Old City sights stand close together in Sultanahmet, and the Istanbul Museum Pass lets you skip the ticket queues at the museums it covers. Many guests plan most days themselves and book a licensed guide for the Old City or for a day that needs local knowledge. Read seeing Istanbul on your own, then meet our private Istanbul tour guides.
Plan Your Istanbul Days With Us
Tell us who is coming and what you love. A guided day, a few hours, or a week planned with you: we reply with a plan you can change. See how we plan or browse our Istanbul tours.
Licensed guides, TÜRSAB member #7651
Guiding Istanbul since 2011
145 Google reviews rated 5.0560 TripAdvisor reviews rated 4.8
57 guides across Türkiye
