Top Attractions in Istanbul: Every Landmark, Family by Family
Nine sights lead Istanbul’s must-see lists. Dozens more fall into seven families, each with its own guide.
The Nine Must-See Sights in Istanbul
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace appear on every major list of Istanbul’s top attractions. The Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Grand Bazaar, Süleymaniye Mosque and the Hippodrome make up the nine, and six of them stand within 1.5 km of one another in the Old City.
Blue Mosque
Open every day; shut around the noon and afternoon prayers, and on Fridays until 14:30
Every Landmark, by Family
Start with the guide at the top of each family, or go straight to the landmark you came for.
Mosques, Churches and Synagogues
Hagia Sophia and the imperial mosques, with the churches and synagogues of the old quarters.
Palaces
Topkapı on its hill, then the palaces the sultans built along the Bosphorus.
Byzantine Monuments and Cisterns
Constantinople’s columns, walls and reservoirs, under and around the Old City.
Museums
Archaeology and Islamic art in the Old City; modern art, painting and industry along the water.
Bazaars
The covered Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar by the water, and the Arasta behind the Blue Mosque.
Hammams
Ottoman bathhouses that still take bathers, in the Old City and across the water in Karaköy.
Towers, Fortresses, Parks and Views
The best views of Istanbul come from its towers and fortress walls, and some of its quietest hours from its old gardens.
- Galata Tower, the view back across the Golden Horn to the Old City
- Maiden’s Tower, on its islet off Üsküdar
- Çamlıca Tower, the new tower on the Asian side’s hill
- Rumeli Fortress, built for the siege of 1453
- Anatolian Fortress, its older twin across the water
- Yoros Castle, where the Bosphorus meets the Black Sea
- Gülhane Park, the old palace gardens below Topkapı
- The best parks, for a slower afternoon
- Cafer Ağa Madrasa, a quiet courtyard a few steps from Hagia Sophia
- The city’s historic trees, and where to find them
Across the Bosphorus, the Asian side has its own walks, and Bağdat Avenue is the long one.
Off the Beaten Path: Days Built Around One Idea
Our guides also write whole days around a single idea: an architect, the city walls, the languages Istanbul has almost lost. Each one reaches places the classic Old City day leaves out.
More of these on our alternative tours page, and five neighbourhoods to walk on your own in Istanbul off the beaten path.
What to Know Before You Go
Dress for the courtyard
The Blue Mosque asks visitors to cover up in the courtyard as well as inside, and lends clothes at a booth if you need them.
Prayer times
The Blue Mosque closes to visitors from 30 minutes before the noon and afternoon calls to prayer until 15 minutes after the prayer.
Fridays
On Fridays, visits to the Blue Mosque start at 14:30.
Hagia Sophia’s gallery
Since 15 January 2024, visitors enter Hagia Sophia’s upper gallery with a ticket; the prayer hall entrance is for worship.
Open late
The Basilica Cistern stays open to 22:00, and Galata Tower runs a night session every day until 23:00.
Holidays
Topkapı and Dolmabahçe both close on the first day of Ramazan Bayramı, and the Grand Bazaar on religious holidays.
Ticket prices change every year: check our 2026 entrance-fee guide and whether the Museum Pass pays for itself on your list.
Seeing Them With a Guide
You can visit every one of these landmarks on your own. A licensed guide plans the order around the prayer times and closing days, and tells you what you are looking at.
When 828 people wrote to us to plan a private day between May 2023 and July 2026, these are the landmarks they named most often in their own words:
Licensed guides, TÜRSAB member #7651Guiding Istanbul since 2011145 Google reviews rated 5.0560 TripAdvisor reviews rated 4.8Tours That Take You There
Planning more than the landmarks? Go back to our Istanbul guide, choose a neighbourhood or open the trip planner.
Questions About Istanbul’s Landmarks
What Are the Top Attractions in Istanbul?
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace appear on every major list, followed by the Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Grand Bazaar, Süleymaniye Mosque and the Hippodrome. Six of the nine stand within 1.5 km of one another in the Old City, so most first visits start there.
Which Istanbul Landmarks Close on Mondays and Tuesdays?
Dolmabahçe Palace closes on Mondays and Topkapı Palace on Tuesdays, so the two palaces are never both shut on the same day. The Grand Bazaar closes on Sundays and religious holidays. Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and Galata Tower open every day.
Is Hagia Sophia a Mosque or a Museum?
A mosque. Hagia Sophia reopened for worship with the Friday prayer of 24 July 2020, and since 15 January 2024 visitors who are not there to pray enter the upper gallery with a ticket.
Can You Walk Between Istanbul’s Main Landmarks?
Yes, in the Old City: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Hippodrome and the Grand Bazaar all stand within 1.5 km of one another in a straight line. Galata Tower is about 2 km from Hagia Sophia across the Golden Horn, and Dolmabahçe Palace about 4 km up the Bosphorus shore.
What Should You Wear to Visit a Mosque in Istanbul?
Clothes that suit a place of prayer, from the courtyard onwards. The Blue Mosque asks visitors to cover up in the courtyard as well as inside, and lends clothing at a booth if you arrive without it.
Do You Need a Guide to See Istanbul’s Landmarks?
No, every landmark can be visited on your own. A guide from The Other Tour plans the order around prayer times and closing days and explains what you are looking at; send your dates and we reply with a plan and the name of the guide who would lead it.
More From Our Landmark Guides
Plan Your Days Among the Landmarks
Send your dates, who is coming and which sights matter most. We reply within a day with a plan and the name of the guide who would lead it.
