Turkey

Things to do in Istanbul

The only city on two continents, capital to Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires in turn, and still organised around the water that made it. The headline monuments stand within a kilometre of each other on the old peninsula at Sultanahmet, with the Grand Bazaar behind them and the Bosphorus ferries below. Allow three days: one for the peninsula, one for the bazaars and mosques above the Golden Horn, one on the water.

11 places on record

Things to do

11

  1. Blue Mosque

    Cathedral

    Constructed between 1609, 1616, this Ottoman mosque features six minarets and an interior decorated with over 20,000 blue Iznik tiles. It sits directly across from Hagia Sophia in the Sultanahmet district.

  2. Galata Tower

    Viewpoint

    A 14th-century Genoese tower standing 67 meters tall, offering panoramic views of Istanbul's three sides of water and the city skyline. The observation deck is accessible by elevator or stairs.

  3. Hagia Sophia

    Monument

    Built in 537 CE under Byzantine Emperor Justinian, this massive domed structure served as a cathedral, mosque, and museum before becoming a mosque again in 2020. It remains one of the world's most architecturally significant buildings.

  4. Istanbul Archaeological Museums

    Museum

    A complex of three museums containing artifacts spanning from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman period, including the Alexander Sarcophagus and Nebuchadnezzar's Gate. Located at the edge of Topkapi Palace grounds.

  5. Basilica Cistern

    Monument

    A 6th-century underground water reservoir built during the reign of Emperor Justinian, featuring 336 marble columns supporting the vaulted ceiling. It supplied water to the Byzantine imperial district.

  6. Büyükada

    Island

    The largest of the Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara, accessible by ferry from Eminönü, featuring Victorian-era mansions and car-free streets. It has been a summer retreat since Byzantine times.

  7. Dolmabahçe Palace

    Landmark

    An ornate 19th-century Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus with 285 rooms, featuring European neoclassical and Baroque architecture. It served as the residence of later Ottoman sultans and Turkish presidents.

  8. Grand Bazaar

    Market

    Operating since the 15th century, this sprawling covered market contains over 4,000 shops selling carpets, spices, jewelry, and textiles. It is one of the largest and oldest covered bazaars in the world.

  9. Pera Museum

    Museum

    Located in Beyoğlu, this museum houses Anatolian weights and measures, Ottoman art, and contemporary Turkish and international works. The building is housed in a restored early 20th-century apartment building.

  10. Suleymaniye Mosque

    Cathedral

    Commissioned by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and completed in 1557, this monumental mosque was designed by architect Mimar Sinan. Its cascading domes and four minarets dominate the Istanbul skyline.

  11. Topkapi Palace

    Landmark

    The residence and administrative center of Ottoman sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries, now a museum containing the palace treasury, manuscripts, and the famous spoon collection. It overlooks the Golden Horn and Bosphorus.

Basemap Meridian · data © OpenStreetMap

Dispatches

1
Istanbul

The Church That Became a Mosque, Twice

Fifteen centuries under one dome that seems to float: a cathedral, then a mosque, then a museum, and a working mosque again. Hagia Sophia keeps the gold cross and the gold calligraphy in the same room. Come at opening, and it is almost yours.
All of Turkey
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