[ISTANBUL, TÜRKIYE] — I was in Istanbul many years ago and never got around to sharing tips. But Istanbul is more than 2,500 years old, so it never gets old, all the top sites live forever! I was there over the American Thanksgiving holiday in winter, so my stay was only for a few days — and it rained half the time — but it was a lively as can be… there are 15 million people that live there after all. Istanbul has really been on everyone’s radar lately, so here are the best things to do in Istanbul. And what to do in Istanbul over a winter weekend. Some of the top sites in Istanbul.

A Very Quick History of What Makes Istanbul So Amazing

For thousands of years, Istanbul was the most important city on earth. First founded as Byzantium by the Greeks in 700 BC, then the Roman emperor Constantine conquered it a thousand years later in 330 AD and made it his imperial capital and named it Constantinople and capital of the Holy Roman Empire. The Holy Roman Empire lasted a thousand years after Rome fell until the city itself fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. That’s a LOT of history in a single paragraph! Walking around this great city, you feel it all.

The first suggestion I have is to arrange for a half- or full-day guide on your very first day. Istanbul is a complex and crowded city, with thousands of years of ever-changing civilizations layered on top of each other, often intertwined. To really appreciate it all, a good guide can give you the lay of the land, explain the history, then you can go get lost by yourself. Otherwise you’re just going to walk around Old Stuff and go ‘that’s cool.”

To really appreciate all the history of Istanbul, a good guide can give you the lay of the land, explain the history. Otherwise you’re just going to walk around Old Stuff and go “oh that’s cool.”

What I really geek out about, like always, is the geography of Istanbul’s location. Like clenched teeth between the continents of Europe and Asia, this is where the two continents meet, separated by the glorious Bosphorus Straight.

The Bosphorus is one of the busiest shipping channels in the world, a zigzagging flow of water that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and then the Mediterranean, connecting Russia and the Balkan States to the rest of the world. The Bosphorus is the beating heart of Istanbul.

Go See Sultanahmet Square at Night

It’s one thing to see Sultanahmet Square in the day, one of the biggest plazas in Istanbul. But to really appreciate Sultanahmet Square, come at night, when all the mosques and monuments are lit up in all their splendor. In the day it’s nice, but really just a big open airy park. At night, it comes alive.

Here is what makes Istanbul so cool. This amazing obelisk, first erected in 1450s BC in the Temple of Karnak way up the Nile in Egypt — that’s 3,400 years ago! But in 347AD, this obelisk was floated down the Nile in 347 AD by Theodosius I , down to Alexandria and across the Mediterranean and hauled all the way here. (Its sister obelisk was sent to the Circus Maximus in Rome.) And now it remains in the center of this square, which used to be the hippodrome of Istanbul, like the Circus Maximus in Rome. Now its a reflecting pool and circus-shaped park.

In the bright daylight, this just looks like a big building. But at night, you appreciate every nook and cranny of these beautiful buildings. Every tower, a magical marvel of its own.

To show how timeless Istanbul is, see that snack cart? I took this photos in 2006. I’ve been watching recent posts of Instagram friends from this year, just this week (2024) and that same cart is still right there, every night, decades later. Looking perfect.

Get Blown Away by Hagia Sophia

Built on top of an old pagan temple, then burned down and rebuilt a couple of times, with the current building dating back to 537 CE, the Hagia Sophia is a giant mosque started out as a church, then a mosque, then a museum and now it is back to being a mosque. It was the biggest building in the world for a thousand years.

Hagia Sophia was the biggest building in the world for a thousand years.

It is just stunning inside. Giant. With domes and apses and naves and giant chandeliers with glass lamps, just a dozen feet off the ground. Breathtaking.

In my archaeology class in Rome, when we would rave about The Pantheon, our famous professor would say “Wait until you see Hagia Sophia.” He was right.

Hagia Sophia was a church for a thousand years until the Turkish Conquest in 1453, when it was converted into a mosque until 1935.

Half the fun is just watching new people come through the doors for the first time and instantly stop in their tracks and look UP.

Go Underground at the Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern was one of the things I was most excited to see. This is one of several hundred ancient cisterns under Istanbul, this one was a main water source for the great palace of Constantinople. It took 7000 slaves to construct, the columns imported (stolen) from other Roman, Greek and Egyptian temples and buildings across the Empire, you can see the Corinthian capitals, some Ionic and some Doric.

In 2006, it wasn’t that busy — I only heard a few American accents during my whole trip — but I’ve seen posts from Instagram friends who say it has gotten very very crowded and touristy. So book ahead or look for other less popular cisterns.

But as a Greco-Roman freak, I was in heaven. I could set my couch on a plinth right there and watch a movie.

Walk the Grounds of Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is always on the top visitor sites, but I thought it was just okay, even though it’s from the 1460s and served as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire. It was the main residence of its sultans until they built new palaces along the Bosphorus. But it has amazing tiles and marbles brought in from around the world.

Be in Awe of the Süleymaniye Mosque

Süleymaniye Mosque is amazing in that it was built in the 1550s and in remarkable condition today. It’s a giant mosque and the first mosque I visited. In 2006, this was my first muslim city, I didn’t know if I could go in, not stand or step in certain places, wear certain things, should I take pictures or not? It was all new to me.

But all came to ease once I stepped inside and was blown away. Plan to go in the morning, when the rising sun floods the space with warm sunlight.

The Ancient Muslim Cemetery at Süleymaniye

I was surprised how beautiful this Muslim cemetery was. Elegant headstones, each with their own personality, packed side-by-side. Definitely worth ducking around the corner from the mosque to see this serene place.

Hang out in Galata at Night

Take the famous, low-slung Galata Bridge across the harbor to the lively Galata neighborhood, which was the previous name of the well-loved Karaköy neighborhood of today. It’s known as the hippest part of the city.

You can go up in the tower to view over the city, but a friend recently said it’s just not worth the time and expense, you can see the same views, if not better, from other highpoints in the city.

The Karaköy neighborhood is considered one of the coolest neighborhoods in istanbul. But it started raining like crazy the night I’d planned there, so I had to cut my trip short and head back to the hotel. But it has some of the best cafes, boutique shops and oozes with character. This is where I’m heading first on my next trip. There’s three thousand years of history in this neighborhood, from the early Greeks, to Romans to Genoese to Venetians to Armenians to Jewish traders

Check Out the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market

Few things can prepare you for the sensory overload of The Grand Bazaar and Spice Markets, which have been the center of commerce and trade between east and west for centuries. It’s almost overwhelming with people, scents, sounds and lights. But you gotta go in. Surf the wave.

You can find anything and everything under the sun in the Grand Bazaar.

Get Out on the Bosphorus on a Ferry

It’s one thing to walk the streets or climb the hills of Istanbul, but to really get the best views you gotta get out on the water and soak it all in. Plan to go at sunrise or sunset when the light is the best, with hundreds of ferries of every shape, size and condition, plying between various points of the Golden Horn and across the Bosphorus.

The Bosphorus straight is just the coolest thing, where the continents of Asia and Europe come together in a narrow gap. You can just feel why this city was so important for thousands of years.

There are some ferries that simply cross the straight, but take one of the ferries that ply their way up the straight, under the bridges and past all the different neighborhoods and palaces that line the shores.

Read Up on all the Roman Ruins

There is so much history here, so many thousands of years of interloping reigns and conquests. If you don’t hire a guide, read up before you go to really appreciate everything. Otherwise you’re just innocuously walking past “some old stuff” and miss the whole point of what makes this city so incredible.

Here’s a super interesting series from The Fall of Civilizations about how Byzantium and later, Constantinople, were so important in history. And how the Roman Empire in Constantinople (Istanbul) lasted a thousand years longer after Rome fell.

I didn’t get a change to see the ancient walls — I didn’t have the best guide — but next time I’m going to spend a ton of time exploring the old Theodosian Walls great fortifications that were added to, torn down, rebuilt, added with layer upon layer of fortifications that prevented successive invasions by everyone under the sun, until finally falling to the Ottoman Empire in 1453.

(Read all about these photos and the walls from this great Wikipedia post)

Step Back to Constantinople Times at Kariye Mosque

I wasn’t expecting or knowing much when my guide walked us into this nondescript building. The Kariye Mosque. But I was surprised how much I liked it.

Inside is this jewel box warren of rooms and domes, the original building dating back to 400CE (!), then continued to evolve and added onto as a Byzantine church, then later a mosque after the Ottoman Conquest. So many rich colors in such a small space.

Take The Tünel

It’s quirky and just a little bit fun way to get back or scoot around. The Tünel is a rubber wheeled funicular with only two stops that makes the trip up the hill in Karaköy. It’s not amazing, just fun. And saves you some steps.

Eat All The Food

You can wander around and eat to your heart’s content, but I’ve had several friends take the Musement/National Geographic food tour in Istanbul and rave about it. Take that, then go explore on your own.

The food everywhere is just amazing, from street food to nice restaurants. I could eat this food every day.

Here’s a list of the top restaurants in Istanbul from National Geographic. And here’s another culinary guide of Istanbul from NatGeo.

Go for a Long Steam and Turkish Massage at a Hammam

I’d never been to a hammam before. But this city is famous for it, dating back to the Roman bathing rituals and a part of daily life. There are dozens of public hammams across the city, your hotel might even have one. But I was so delighted by the Hagia Sophia Hurrem Sultan Bathhouse, right in front of the Hagia Sophia.

I Saw the New Pope Francis on His First Foreign Trip!

I randomly found out that the new Pope Francis was in Istanbul the same day I was there. He had just been elected to pontiff and this was his very first international trip and public showing (It was 2006).

I was randomly walking by and here comes a motorcade. Oh, it’s the Pope! Lots of Secret Service protection, but I was just steps away.

This was when he blew everyone away by shunning all papal extravagance and was shuttled around in a little rental car. Not even the Popemobile. Loved it.

I was standing on a hillock and I must have been the only pale-skinned guy around. I swear, we locked eyes and he waved. But popes do that.🤣. This was my third Pope-adjacent event.

Where to Stay in Istanbul

I’m not a luxury hotel chain guy, mostly, but my travel agent recommended the Four Seasons Istanbul, mostly because it was the most affordable Four Seasons in the world. Turned out, it was perfect. The location in the  Sultanahmet district couldn’t be better, right in the center of things. Which paid off during the frequent rain storms that weekend.

Highly recommend it. As luck would have it, a big long rain washed out my walking-around plans for that day, so I took shelter back and had a fine dinner back at the hotel. Since it was Thanksgiving, they even had a special Turkish version of a Thanksgiving dinner for the guests. Turkey. Dressing. Mashed potatoes and gravy. Even a cranberry sauce. It was a delight.

There are two Four Seasons in Istanbul, one on the Bosphorus, one in Sultanahmet district, so take your pick. Here is Condé Nast Traveller’s Guide on the best hotels in Istanbul.

Splurge on Turkish Airlines Business Class

At the time I went to Istanbul, Turkish Airlines had just blown up — in a good way, not an airplane way. They were the first real long-haul luxury airline, before Emirates really took off. (So many obvious puns, sorry).

Remember those early days? They ran ads everywhere, with NBA players and famous futbol players in nearly every magazine and newspaper. (I could never understand why NBA players were on a Turkish airline ad).

My travel agent booked me in Business Class, which wasn’t much more than a full fare coach. The service and food was incredible. Still is, I hear. Spoiled me for life.

They’ve have had a recent new promotional push, as has the Turkish travel bureau, flying in Influencers from every corner of the world. Mostly because they have a gigantic new international airport to compete with Dubai. Like Dubai, because of its location, it’s a great stop for an around-the-world flight. There are deals to do free layovers for Istanbul before continuing on.

One of Turkish Airlines main selling points in upper classes is the “Flying Chef”. A chef that takes your order in full chef toques, then cooks it for you. It’s a little gimmick, but it’s fun. The food and all the little treats were the best I’ve experienced on a plane. They still bring you a little flickering LED candle that sits on your armrest through the long flight, like a little campfire. Love it.

— Last Visited November 2006; Post Created November 2024 —

More Information on Best Things to do in Istanbul

I’ve had several friends rave about the guided tours from the National Geographic Tours by Musement, they have every type of tour you’d want. Here’s a fantastic guide from the UK Condé Nast Traveller on the best things to do in Istanbul.

Here is the NYTimes 36 Hours in Istanbul guide. And the US Condé Nast Traveler’s Three Days in Istanbul. I prefer the UK version of Condé Nast Traveller, simply because everywhere in Europe is so much closer. They always have better European content. Like their numerous articles on the best things to do, eat, stay in Istanbul. And here is TimeOut’s Guide to Istanbul.

Recommendations from my Instagram Friends

Here are some IG posts from friends I follow. Especially great recommendations from the always dependable Eric Stoen of TravelBabbo, who I met at a travel conference a long time ago and he always gives the straight scoop. And a food rec from the delightful NYTimes Cooking host, Melissa Clark.