Must-sees of Istanbul: The complete guide
A city that is on two continents, with large markets, mosques that have been Christian temples in times past, a city of great empires of times past and a rich and varied gastronomy. In short, this is one of our favourite cities. That’s why we want to bring you our must-sees of Istambul.
Complete your trip with this related posts
Extend your trip in Turkey with our 6-Day Turkey Itinerary.
Organise your visit to the must-see places in 4 days in Istanbul.
With that being said, here you have the list of must-sees of Istambul.
One of the great must-sees of Istanbul and one of its most iconic places. And no wonder, because the history behind this building is amazing and super special.
When it was built in 537 AD, this building was a Christian church commissioned by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and remained so for the next 1000 years as the world’s largest cathedral for orthodox Christians, until the Ottoman conquest transformed it into a mosque in 1453. The building underwent some changes and modifications to adapt it and minarets were added and Christian elements were removed.
After several centuries as a mosque, in 1935, Turkish leader Atatürk turned the building into a museum, given its extensive history, but very recently, the country’s last leader, Erdogan, turned it back into a mosque in 2020.
As you can see, it is a building that cannot leave anyone indifferent, as it has been the subject of many controversies and wars between religions, so it is absolutely essential to visit. We found it a super impressive building, especially inside, it has that mystical air that we only feel in special places.
Nowadays, being a mosque, it is free to enter and open for visits and prayers 24 hours a day. You can also book a combined tour of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern.
Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque is one of the most spectacular and beautiful buildings to be seen in Istanbul. It was built in the 17th century and is famous for its interior tiles (hence the name). A great peculiarity that caught our attention is that it has 6 minarets around it. It is considered a great religious and cultural centre of the city, so it is one of the most important places in the city.
It can be found in Sultan Ahmet Square, just in front of Hagia Sophia.
Admission is free and you can enter every day from 9am to 7pm. We were very unlucky because it was under restoration works, so we could not see it in its splendour, but nowadays it is open to all public since the works are finished, so we will have to come back to see it :P.
Basilica Cistern
As you will see in the section where we explain the Blue Mosque, we were not very lucky during our stay in Istanbul as it was under construction. Well, the Basilica Cistern also happened to be closed to the public while we were there. Nevertheless, it is one of must-sees of Istanbul and should be on the list.
This is the largest of the 60 cisterns scattered throughout the city, which date back to Byzantine times. The visit is made by walking over the water on wooden walkways and between columns, which gives it a brutal atmosphere. One of the things that people who have been able to see it have told us is that it has a distinctly mysterious air and has been used in films and books for that reason.
We leave you an article that we find interesting to find out more about the mysteries of the Basilica Cistern. It is also quite important in Dan Brown’s famous novel, Inferno.
The entrance hours are from 9am to 10pm and the price is 18€ until 6.30pm and 30€ from 6.30pm to 10pm.
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace is one of the greatest remaining examples of the enormous power of the Ottoman Empire and its sultans. This palace complex was built in the 15th century and served as the residence of the sultans for almost 400 years. In addition to being the residence of the sultans, it was an important place of administration and politics for the main rulers of the Ottoman Empire. This is why it is one of must-sees of Istanbul today, both for its beauty and its historical importance.
A special mention must go to our favourite part of the place, the harem. This was the private section where the sultan’s wives, concubines and their families lived. It is an impressive place to see, beautiful and very curious.
We spent 2-3 hours visiting everything, so you have to dedicate a lot of time because it is big, it has many different rooms and places that are very interesting to see. Our big tip is to go very early as it is a big tourist attraction in the city and it gets very crowded. If you go early (this is a general tourist tip, but in Istanbul especially it helped us a lot) you will avoid the queues at the entrance and the huge crowds inside the complex.
Opening hours are from 9am to 6pm and the price is 45€ (Topkapi, Harem and Hagia Irene, a small mosque you can visit next to the palace). You can check all the details on the Topkapi Palace website. Another good option is to hire a guided tour, which will help you understand much better what you are seeing and its history.
Grand Bazaar
One of the greatest must-sees of Istanbul and main tourist attractions is the Grand Bazaar. It is one of the oldest and largest markets in the world, built during the 15th century by Sultan Mehmed II. It has around 4,000 shops of all kinds in a labyrinth of 60 streets, so our great recommendation is to wander around inside and look at the different shops and products that the merchants offer.
You can find carpets, jewellery, clothes, so it’s a good place to buy souvenirs and mementos. We wandered around for about two hours, looking at products and bargaining for fun to see if we could take something home. It’s a fun experience and we think you should take it easy, as you will notice the insistence and kindness of many shopkeepers trying to get you to buy.
The Grand Bazaar is open from 8:30am to 7pm except on Sundays, when it is closed.
Spice Bazaar
Another of the must-sees of Istanbul is a bazaar that is less famous than the Grand Bazaar, but which has a charm that we thought was super cool. It is none other than the Spice Bazaar.
This place is visually much more attractive than the Grand Bazaar, since, as the name suggests, it sells all kinds of spices and various foods. This is why strolling through its streets is so pleasant, photogenic and fun. Obviously it is much smaller than the Grand Bazaar, it is easy to cross and visit it in its entirety, but being located right in the area near the Grand Bazaar and the centre of Istanbul, we think it is highly recommended to visit it and take a stroll through it.
It’s also a great place to buy a gift, as you’ll find spices at a good price that you can take back with you as a souvenir of the city.
The opening hours are from 8am to 7.30pm every day.
Rüstem Pasa Mosque, must-sees of Istambul
Probably the mosque that surprised us the most and became one of our favourites. It is called Rüstem Pasa Mosque and it is located behind the Spice Bazaar, quite hidden and with an entrance in one of the nearby alleys (we leave you the entrance in the map below).
What is special about this Mosque? Built in the 16th century by the city’s most famous architect, Sinan, it is known as the Little Blue Mosque because of its spectacular tiled interior. It is a super beautiful interior that we think is VERY worth a visit. As we were unable to visit the Blue Mosque, we wanted to see the famous decorative tiles and we got our wish with this marvellous place.
Like most mosques, it is open 24 hours a day for worshippers to pray.
Suleiman Mosque
This Suleiman Mosque has to be on our list of must-sees of Istanbul as it was also one of our favourites and, in this case, because of its exterior and location rather than the interior.
Also built by Sinan in the 16th century, this mosque is located on top of the hill in the historic part of the city and is visible from many parts of the city. That’s why, from the outside, you have a viewpoint overlooking the whole city and the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. It is an amazing place.
Architecturally, it is a real gem and one of the most spectacular mosques in terms of its complex and exterior construction, which gives you an insight into the power of the Ottoman Empire.
The interior is somewhat simpler, but the large prayer area is impressive, as it is a very important mosque in the city.
Galata Bridge
An absolutely iconic landmark in the city is its most famous bridge, the Galata Bridge.
It was first built in the 10th century, although it has obviously been remodelled many times until its current version. In its last version, it was an engineering breakthrough and one of its architects was Gustave Eiffel (yes, the same as the tower :P).
The most striking thing about this bridge is that you will see a multitude of fishermen trying to catch fish from the top of the bridge and then sell that product to the restaurants that are just below the bridge, where you can try freshly caught fish.
For us who have crossed it several times, the best thing to do is to cross it at sunset or in the morning and appreciate the views of the Golden Horn and Bosphorus, it’s beautiful.
Galata Tower
Another of the must sees of Istanbul is the Galata Tower, built in the 14th century by the Republic of Genoa and standing 67 metres high.
It has had various uses throughout history. Like any tower, in the past it was used for observation and surveillance, but also as a lighthouse, prison and fire station. Today, it is a museum and the best viewpoint in the city.
Our tip for visiting is to get up early. We went as soon as they opened, so that we could visit the part of the lookout without many people and be able to relax, and it was a good idea. In the end, in places as touristy and with limited space as this one, it is better to try to avoid the people, so it is a great option to enter early and avoid going up with all the people up there.
Visiting hours are from 8:30am to 10pm and the entrance fee to the museum and viewpoint is €19. You can buy tickets online at the Istanbul Museums website or in person at the ticket office at the bottom of the tower.
Galata y Karakoy neighborhood
They are located right next to each other, so we combine them in one visit. They are two of the best neighbourhoods to stroll around, have a drink, go shopping or do leisure activities in the city.
As for Galata, it’s the neighbourhood you’ll see when you visit the Galata Tower. As we have already mentioned, it is a great place for leisure activities and also for admiring urban art, as you will find lots of graffiti and colourful murals. One of them, probably the most famous, is the famous stairs with the mural (you can see it on the map). It’s also a great place to go out at night.
As for Karakoy, more of the same. This is the area just across the Galata Bridge from Emionu. Its main attraction is the cafés, of which there are many and each one is cooler than the next. We’ll let you wander around and find your favourite, you’ll have a hard time 😉
We recommend you dedicate a day to your visit to this part of the river, combining Galata Bridge, Galata Tower, the two neighbourhoods and a few other things that we’ll talk about below.
Dolmabahçe Palace
On the banks of the Bosphorus is another of the must-sees of Istanbul, the Dolmabahçe Palace. This place is located in a super interesting strategic position in the city as it is right in front of the river. It was built in the 19th century to be the residence of the sultan of the time and the administrative headquarters of the country.
This place is an architectural highlight. Inside the palace we would highlight its garden and the spectacular Reception Hall, which is super big and has one of the most spectacular chandeliers in the world.
As a detail, it is a very touristy place, so again, we recommend you to get up early to avoid long queues to buy tickets. The tickets are a bit expensive, so if you are not very interested in this kind of visits, we recommend you to save it as you will be disappointed to pay that price for this visit. If you like it like us, you can buy them only in person and the price is about 40 euros with access to everything. For more information here.
Orkatöy Mosque
One of the jewels of the city. It is also located on the banks of the Bosphorus River and overlooks the Maiden Tower, which gives it a very special charm and puts it on the list of Istanbul must-sees.
It is a small mosque located in the Orkatöy neighbourhood and was built in the 19th century by Sultan Abdülmecid. It is a mosque with different architectural touches, as it incorporates more western touches.
One of the most curious things you’ll see is the area around the mosque, where you’ll see numerous people eating a typical stuffed potato (there are a thousand stalls to buy one), sitting on the banks of the river and overlooking the mosque. It’s a super cool plan to go at lunchtime and enjoy the view of the mosque with a full belly.
Kiz Kulesi
The Maiden’s Tower or Kiz Kulesi is one of the most mysterious and mystical places in the city. It is a tower located on an island in the middle of the Bosphorus and is visible from many parts of the city, but we recommend that you go to the Asian part of the city and move towards the Üsküdar neighbourhood along the shore until you reach the viewpoint just in front of it.
Its exact historical origin is not known, but some studies place its first version in the 7th century BC. The current version, however, dates from the 18th century. Like the Galata Tower, throughout history it has served as a lighthouse, prison and toll station, and is now a lookout point and restaurant only accessible by ferry.
If you’re interested in stories and legends, this place has a legend around it, called the legend of Leandro 🙂
Asian Area, must-sees of Istambul
We are not the best people to talk about this area as unfortunately we were not able to visit it properly due to heavy rain just as we crossed, but we believe that if you want to see everything about the city it is a place that you must see.
Istanbul, as you may know, is situated between two continents, Europe and Asia. The Asian side is easily accessible by metro from Emionu and by ferry from Karakoy. Both will take you to one of the most atmospheric areas of the area, the Üsküdar district. In this area, some of the places that we had planned to visit but could not see (except for the Maiden Tower) are:
– Stroll along the shore of the Bosphorus to see the Maiden Tower.
– Mihrimah Sultan Mosque.
– Stroll along Uskudar Street and see its markets and life.
Another neighbourhood we wanted to see in the area is Kadikoy. This is the place we were aiming for:
– Kadikoy Market
– Historic Fashion Quarter
– Strolling through its cafes and charming places.
The recommendations we were given there were basically aimed at walking around the neighbourhoods and getting lost in the streets and seeing how the Turks live, as in this area you’ll see a much more local and less touristy atmosphere, so it’s also super interesting to observe.
If you go, we’ll ask you to contact us and let us know if it’s worth it or not so we can report it here 🙂
Balat neighborhood
The most beautiful neighbourhood in the city. This area is famous for its cool colourful houses that are super instagrammable :P.
It is a multicultural area, as there is a large Jewish community living in the area, so it will contrast with what you see in other neighbourhoods of the city. You can find the oldest synagogue in the city, the Ahrida Synagogue.
The best way to visit the neighbourhood is to get lost. One recommendation is to go to Vodina Street and wander around the houses, charming cafes and super cool places.
You’ll also find plenty of places to have a drink and buy cool souvenirs.
Eyüp Sultan Mosque
The Eyüp Sultan Mosque has to be one of your must-sees in Istanbul, as it is a super important pilgrimage site for Islam. And so it is, as Eyup Sultan, the leader of Muhammad, is buried there.
The construction dates back to the 18th century, but it has been a sacred region for a long time. Being such an important place, many festivities and mass prayers are held in and around it, which shows its importance.
We don’t think it’s the most visually spectacular place as there are much more spectacular mosques in the city, but it gives off something different from the rest. We guess it’s the devotion of the people who go to pray and to see this special place, so we highly recommend going to see this place.
Pierre Loti hill
As we have already mentioned, Istanbul is the city of 7 hills. One of them is Pierre Loti Hill, located next to the Eyüp Sultan Mosque. This hill is named after a French writer who was in love with the city and frequented the café at the top.
Our recommendation is to take the cable car from the base to the top and walk down to see the Pierre Loti cemetery, which is well worth a visit. At the top of the hill, you will see a spectacular view of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus and you can visit the café to take a break with one of the best views of Istanbul, which makes this place one of the must-see places in Istanbul.
Boat Trip on the Bosphorus
One of the activities that we consider to be on the must-sees of Istanbul is a boat trip on the Bosphorus. We find the city so spectacular at night that we think if you have the time and budget, it’s an activity you’ll love. If you are lucky and can see the sunset, it is one of the best experiences in the city.
We opted for an option where we got drinks, food and were pretty much on our own at the outside back of the hotel, where we walked along the banks to the outskirts of the city and then came back to watch the sunset over the Golden Horn. We recommend this one that we did, quality-price is really good.
Visit Capadoccia
It is a shame to be in Istanbul and not see one of the most beautiful regions we have ever seen. And yes, we are talking about Cappadocia. Flights from Istanbul are 1 hour, so it’s quite easy to get there from the city.
This place is more than just balloons and cave hotels, as it is a super beautiful and mysterious region with quite a few places to see. If you have time, 3 days is ideal. We were able to stay two and it can be done well, you have all the detail in our post of 6-days in Turkey.
Map of the must-sees of Istambul
As you will have seen if you have read any of our other posts about the experience we had in Turkey, you will know that it is one of the countries that has left the biggest impression on us and Istanbul is largely to blame. In this post we have tried to show you what are our must-see places in Istanbul and we think it is a very complete guide to see everything you have to see.
As always, don’t hesitate to ask us via social media or comments if you have any questions, we’ll be happy to help!
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