Byzantium. Constantinople. New Rome. Istanbul. It has been the pinnacle of trade, travel, politics and war having been the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and then of the Ottoman Empire. Today’s Istanbul is a bustling metropolis where the traditional and the modern beautifully exist side by side.
With this 3-day Istanbul itinerary, you’ll not just witness historical landmarks but also enjoy the vibrant nightlife, shop in bazaars, eat at trendy cafes and restaurants, walk on cobbled streets, see the city sights from the ferry/cruise, and get scrubbed in a hamam spa. Istanbul has tons of charm and I’m sure you’ll not get enough of Istanbul in these 3 days and be dying to return like I am.
How many days to spend in Istanbul?
After having visited over 150 cities all around the world, I can safely say Istanbul is one of our top three cities because it has an easygoing vibe, beauty all around, and there is so much to see, do and enjoy here. You can easily spend a week here or even two, if you’re a history buff.
However, given that there is a lot to see in Turkey, Istanbul will be a part of your larger Turkey itinerary so you will probably not have a lot of time to dedicate to any one city. 3 days is the right amount of time to spend on a short trip so you can hit the main spots and get a good flavour of the city. A lot of people also spend only a day or so here and obviously that is a huge mistake.
Where to Stay in Istanbul
For your first time in Istanbul, it is best to base yourself in one of the following areas:
1.Sultanahmet/Fatih: This is the old city centre, close to all the famous mosques and major sights. Staying here, you’ll feel like you’re in an old European city. This is where we stayed.
Hotel options:
Great View: Mest Hotel Istanbul has a superb view of a mosque from the balcony!
Luxury: AJWA Sultanahmet: Decorated in Ottoman-style, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time.
Mid-Range: Romance Hotel & Henna Hotel: fab hotels that are extremely well-rated by travellers.
Budget: We stayed at Riverland Suites. If you’re not going to be spending a lot of time indoors, this is a great place to stay, as it is relatively inexpensive and has a super helpful host.
2.Beyoglu/Karakoy/Taksim: If you like partying, good food and modern vibes, then this is a great place to stay. Just ensure your stay is within walking distance (less than 500 m) of a tram station.
Hostel: Hostel Le Banc (Beyoglu): A fantastic hostel option for all of you solo travellers
How to get to Istanbul and the city centre?
To reach Istanbul, you will probably take a flight and land at one of the two airports in the city: Istanbul Airport which is the main international airport or Sabiha Gökçen International Airport where only a few international flights land. Both airports are about 40 km from the city centre.
Istanbul Airport to Taksim/Sultanahmet by HAVIST Bus: There is an airport bus to these locations ever so often from IST Airport. You you need to look for the sign that says Sultanahmet/Eminonu (typically HVIST 12-platform 12) to board the bus to Sultanahmet Square and or Taksim (typically platform 16) to get to Taksim Sqaure.
Metro: Getting there by metro is slight more complicated as line changes are needed but you’ll skip all the traffic. The Metro service runs from 6 am until midnight. You take the M11 line to Kağıthane (purple line) to Gayrettepe. If you’re going to Taksim you’ve to switch to the M2 line to Taksim. And if you’re goung to Sultanahmet then you’ve to switch to to M2 line to Kabatas to board the tram to Sultanahmet.
Cab: Or you can simply have the cab app Bitaksi downloaded and order a cab to your hotel. It’ll be more expensive but more convenient and definitely won’t break the bank. This was exactly what we did.
How to Get Around Istanbul
Istanbul is very well connected by public transport. You can take the tram, ferry, metro, bus or cab to get to all of Istanbul’s tourist spots.
- To know how to get from point A to point B just enter it on Google Maps and choose the public transport option. It is very helpful.
- Get an Istanbulkart from the first public transport point you see. This card let’s you access public transport like tram, metro and ferries. The card dispensing machine looks like an ATM machine and is present at all tram, bus, and ferry stations. The top left button converts the text to English! If you can’t figure out the machine, ask the locals for help. One card can be used by multiple people. If you’re taking the metro from the airport than you can get this at the airport itself just before you take the metro.
- Hail a taxi or take a bus only when you can’t take a tram, ferry, or metro, as these get stuck in traffic quite a bit!
- Ensure you keep Bitaksi (iOS | Android) and Uber apps downloaded on your phone to compare taxi fares and hire a taxi.
- If you hail a taxi on the road, ensure you only go by metre and check the route the whole way on maps. Taxi drivers are known to take the longer route to jack up the fares.
3-Day Istanbul Itinerary
Day 1: Historical Istanbul: Hagia Sofia, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hamam
Start with the historical side of Istanbul because this area gives you a true feel of the olden days. It used to be the walled city of Constantinople, now referred to as the Sultanahmet/Fatih area.
Hagia Sophia
Either walk from your hotel or take a tram to Sultanahmet Tram Station, then walk about 350 metres to the Hagia Sophia. You’ll see carts of Simit (hard pretzel-type bread with sesame seeds) and roasted chestnuts (they’re delicious) on the road. Gorge on some on the way.
The Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya, is the most iconic building in all of Istanbul, built in 360 AD. It was constructed as a Cathedral in the Byzantine Empire and was the largest cathedral in the world for over 1000 years. When the Ottomans conquered Istanbul, minarets were added and it was converted to a mosque. Then it was a museum after Turkey became a republic and is now again a mosque. You can now see elements of both a cathedral and a mosque here, which is quite fascinating.
Entrance fee: Paid (it used to be free but now forieign tourists need to pay)
Time Needed: 1.5–2 hours (this will depend on the length of the queue, which usually tends to be very long)
The time you should start your day: 9 AM (when Hagia Sophia opens)
Tip: If you don’t care about seeing the Hagia Sofia during the day, you can visit in the evening after dark. You’ll be able to skip the whole queue. However, the mosque interiors do look more beautiful during the day. Also, check prayer timings here and try to avoid them unless you do wish to pray inside.
Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern is just a 3-min walk from the exit of Hagia Sophia.
Built in 532 AD during Byzantine times to store water for the city in times of war and siege, it is the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. It is also called Yerebatan Sarnıcı or Yerebatan Saray.
The interiors are lit up in different colours and the effect created is very eerie. You’ll see sculptures, several pillars, Medusa’s head on the pillars, and an audio-visual. We loved the experience!
Entrance fee: Paid
Time Needed: 1 hour
Lunch
Walk 500 m to Seven Hills Restaurant.
You can have lunch at the Seven Hills Restaurant. It is close to the sites for today and the view from the rooftop of Seven Hills is amazing. You can see the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, and the sea from the rooftop. You can also feed the seagulls if you like. You don’t necessarily need to eat here to enjoy the view, as they have a separate section to shoot photos, feed seagulls, etc.
Note: This restaurant is actually famous for breakfast. If your hotel doesn’t serve breakfast come here in the morning before heading to Hagia Sophia.
Other restaurant options: Gulhane Sark Sofrası, Olive Anatolian Restaurant, Gulhane Sark Sofrası
Topkapi Place
Walk 600 metres to Topkapi Palace.
The palace served as the main residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans for four centuries starting 1460s. You’ll see vibrant, picturesque and opulent pavilions, a jewel-filled Treasury, a sprawling Harem and get beautiful views of Istanbul. The palace gives a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the Ottomans.
Entrance fee: Paid (even though the Harem costs extra, highly recommend get the combined ticket to the palace and harem)
Time Needed: 2-3 hours (the Topkapi palace shuts by 4 PM. So, get inside by 2 PM latest)
Tip: In order to get the audio guide, you will need to submit your passport or any other government ID so do carry one.
Get the Topkapi Palace and Harem Ticket on GetYourGuide
Hippodrome of Constantinople
The Hippodrome of Constantinople is also known as Sultanahmet Square today. Walk through this beautiful area towards the Blue Mosque.
Back in the days of Constantinople, this area was the sporting and social centre of Constantinople. The kings did all they could to decorate this space and hence artwork was created or brought from across the Roman empire. Today, you’ll see the remnants of some of this art throughout your walk: Serpent Column, Obelisk of Thutmose III, and the Walled Obelisk.
Entrance Fee: None
Time needed: 30 mins
Blue Mosque
The blue mosque has 6 minarets and beautiful blue interiors. The scaffolding which was there previously has been removed and now you can see the striking central dome from the inside too!
The mosque is closed to tourists during prayer times so do check this link and avoid going during such times as you may not be allowed to enter.
Entrance Fee: None
Time needed: 15 minutes
Cagaloglu Hammam (Turkish Bath)
I’m sure it’s been a tiring day for you so it’s time to pamper yourself with a Hamam Spa. Walk for 10 minutes (600 m) to Cagaloglu Hamam – a 300-year-old Hamam that is also pretty popular with celebrities.
So what is a Hammam? A hammam is a Turkish bath where you are given a sauna, a scrub, and a massage after being doused with foam. You’re served some tea and juice after you’re done. You’ll be squeaky clean and super relaxed after a Hamam. All of this is done in a communal setting, with separate sections for men and women.
Book your hamam experience:
If you’re staying on the Beyoglu side of the city, you can also opt for Kilic Ali Pasa Hamam. However, do note that they have different timings for men and women.
Note
Women: In a Hamam, women do not wear a bra/bikini top (you’re given a disposable thong in Cagaloglu) and are required to cover up with the provided towel till the bathing process and afterwards. You can carry a bikini if you’d like but you’ll be the odd one out. I carried one but didn’t end up wearing it and never once felt weird.
Men: You should carry a change of underwear.
Tip: Book the hamam experience at Cagaloglu Hamam beforehand. Your reservation will be guaranteed but you’ll only have to pay at the premises.
Dinner
Have dinner at Old Ottoman Cafe and Restaurant. It is just a 1 min walk from Cagaloglu Hamam and is very famous for its Turkish food. Another good option is the Secret Garden Restaurant.
After dinner, you can walk 500 m to Hafiz Mustafa for some delicious Baklava, Baklava desserts, and puddings.
Tip: While choosing places to eat in the area of Fatih, ensure they have a good rating on Google/TripAdvisor. Why? Since this is the main tourist area, you’ll find restaurants with overpriced mediocre food. Plus, some restaurant hosts will offer you free appetizers and desserts. Don’t go for it no matter how much they insist. The food will, in all probability, suck!
Day 2: European Istanbul: Ortakoy Mosque, Dolmabahce Palace, Galata Tower, Istiklal Street
Ortakoy Mosque
Take a tram to Kabataş Tramvay Istasyonu and then a bus/cab to Ortakoy Mosque.
Ortakoy mosque is built right beside the water, with a bridge in the background. You don’t necessarily need to go inside the mosque but the area is so beautiful you’ll want to spend some time here to take it all in, click a few photos, and grab some street food.
Tip: Avoid going here on Sunday. On Sunday, a market is set up beside the mosque and the crowd is insane. It was a nice experience but you won’t be able to enjoy the beauty of the mosque.
Dolmabahce Palace
Take a cab or bus to Dolmabahce Palace.
The Dolmabahce Palace is the first European-style palace built by Ottoman Sultans between 1843 and 1846 because the Topkapi palace lacked contemporary style and comfort. This was the residence of the last 6 Ottoman Sultans. It is very elaborately decorated on the inside and you can tell it cost a lot- 35 tonnes of gold, the equivalent of $1.9 billion in today’s (2021) values. It was later used by, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, as a presidential residence and it is also where he died.
The palace is way more ornate than Topkapi Palace. Your mouth will be left hanging open in the Ceremonial Hall when you see the 4.5-ton chandelier. The Harem of this palace was rather ordinary in comparison to the main building and can be skipped if you’re short on time.
Note: Photography of any sort isn’t allowed inside the palace.
Time needed: 1.5-2 hours
Book your ticket here
Galata Tower
Walk 350 metres and take a tram from Kabataş Tramvay Istasyonu to Karaköy İstasyonu and walk about 650 metres to reach Galata Tower.
Built as a watchtower at the highest point of the Walls of Galata, this tower has served as a jail as well and was rebuilt a few times. It is now an exhibition space and museum.
Just walk around and maybe even head up the tower for fantastic views over the city of Istanbul.
Time needed: 1-2 hours
Buy tickets to Galata Tower to skip the enormous queue
We chose not to go up in the interest of time so cannot show you what it looks like from up there.
Lunch
Have lunch around Galata Tower or at your next stop, Taksim Square. You’ll find plenty of options at both.
We actually ate food at Velvet Cafe near Galata Tower and the food was excellent. They provided complimentary Helwa, which was so so good. Their great-grandfather was the African Coffee Maker of the Palace so you are guaranteed amazing Turkish coffee!
Later, have the famous San Sebastian cheesecake at Sirin Firin Bakery.
Taksim Square and Istiklal Street
Walk 900 metres to Istiklal Street.
You’ve got nothing else on today’s agenda except walking around Istiklal Street, shopping, eating and enjoying the vibe. The street is lined with restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs and shops. Walk the length of it to Taksim Square or ride the historic tram.
Note: If walking around Istiklal for so long is not your thing, you could also go on a cruise along the Bosphorus, which we have actually kept as an option for the next day. You could do a 2.5-hour yacht cruise or a night cruise and then the next day head to the Asian side via ferry. Both the above tours start on the Beyoglu side of the city.
Dinner
Head to Ficcin for dinner. A friend has highly recommended this place for its vibe and delicious food.
Day 3: European and Asian Istanbul – Balat, Sulimaniye Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Ferry Ride, Asian Side
Today is your last day in Istanbul and you’ve still got a lot to see. However, if you have only 2.5 days in Istanbul due to flight timings, I’d suggest skipping the first half of this day and only doing the cruise/ferry and the Asian side of Istanbul.
Breakfast in Balat
Start your morning by around 7-8 AM and head to Balat for breakfast. Your walk in Balat begins at Merdivenli Yokuş Evleri. Take a cab there, as this is the most convenient option. Otherwise, take a tram to Fener, then a cab or a bus to Balat bus stop and then walk 600 metres to your first stop.
Balat is lined with colourful houses and beautiful cafes. Spend your morning walking around and grab a bite at a cafe of your choice. Given below are some nice spots. Walk this 1 km route from 1-6 or vice versa. You can type exactly these names in Google Maps and follow the route.
- Merdivenli Yokuş Evleri
- Gen Antik Cafe: The area around is very cute with antique cars
- Coloured houses of Balat
- Fener Greek High School: A Beautiful orthodox greek building
- İncir ağacı kahvesi: colourful stairs
- Dimitrie Cantemir Museum Cafe
- Balatte Gelato
Sulimaniye Mosque
From Balatte Gelato, take a cab to Sulimaniye Mosque. Alternatively, you can take the tram (Fener-Eminonu) or the bus (Fener to İst.Büyükşehir Beled) but in both cases, you’ll have to walk about 1.5 km total, which isn’t worth it unless you’re on a shoestring budget.
The Süleymaniye Mosque crowns one of Istanbul’s seven hills, providing a landmark for the entire city. It is one of the grandest and most beautiful mosques in Istanbul and is often seen on Instagram as well. The mosque was commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent- the longest-ruling Sultan, and was inaugurated in 1557. For 462 years, this mosque was the largest mosque in the city, until it was surpassed by the Çamlıca Mosque in 2019.
Shopping in Grand Bazar
Walk 450 metres to the Grand Bazaar and go shopping.
Constructed in 1455, the Grand Bazar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops. You’ll find everything here – from souvenirs to counterfeit luxury brands (Turkey is the third largest producer of counterfeit goods). The Grand Bazaar is huge and the lanes confusing- don’t get lost 😛
An evening ferry ride to Moda/Bosphorus Cruise
You have a few options for this evening. Decide based on what you like more – relaxation and entertainment, or exploring the Asian Side.
Option 1: Ferry to the Asian Side. Explore Kadikoy and Moda
Head to the Eminonu Pier. You can either walk 1 km from the Grand Bazar or take a tram from Cemberlitas or Beyazit (whichever is closer to your exit) to Eminonu Tram Stop.
Then take the next departing ferry to Kadikoy on the Asian Side. The ferry ride itself is so beautiful and hardly costs anything.
You’ll arrive at the Kadikoy ferry terminal. Enter Kadife street on Google Maps and just walk towards it enjoying the vibe of Istanbul’s Asian side. There will be cute stores, lots of eateries, bars, clubs, restaurants and people just chilling. It’s a total vibe and not to be missed.
Just remember that to get back, you’ll have to board the ferry back to Eminonu so ensure you get to the terminal before the last ferry leaves (around 10:30 PM); otherwise, you’ll have to take a cab, which will be extremely expensive and will take a lot of time as well.
Option 2: Short Bosphorus Cruise and Explore Asian Side
These are of several types so I’m linking a few options below for you to choose from:
- Bosphorus Sunset Cruise on Luxury Yacht (departing from Beyoglu): Bosphorus sunset cruise is a 2.5-hour guided cruise in a luxury yacht. You’ll see many famous sites, learn about the history of Istanbul’s landmarks, and see the sunset all while having coffee and canapes. It starts at around 5:30 p.m.
- Bosphorus Cruise: Simply go to the Eminonu pier (or Kabatas, depending on the side of the city you wish to depart from and return to) and hop on an available cruise. We were there at around 5:45 PM and there was one available at a very reasonable price. This will probably turn out to be the cheapest. Otherwise, you can pre-book here (departing from Eminonu pier) or here departing from Kabatas Pier).
Option 3: Bosphorus night cruise
Bosphorus Night Dinner Cruise (departing from Kabatas on the Beyoglu side)
Bosphorus Dinner Cruise ( departing from Eminonu on the Fatih side)
For both cruises, you will be picked up from your hotel between 7-9 PM for a night of entertainment, food and brilliant views. The experience will take about 4 hours.
Book Tours in Istanbul
Sightseeing Tips for Istanbul
1. Skip-the-line tickets: The queues at most attractions in Istanbul can be really long, especially if you’re travelling in the summer. You can avoid these lines by buying skip-the-line tickets online. You’ll get guided or unguided passes for the same. Though, do note that you will have to prebook a slot for entry beforehand and be there at that specific time. The reason is that a person has to actually take you inside. You can buy these tickets via Get Your Guide.
2. Tourist Pass: Turkey has several museum passes you can buy. Before the trip, we were very confused about what to do so we didn’t get any. You can get the Turkey Museum Pass for the best value if you’re travelling all around Turkey but you can do a monetary analysis based on the sights you’ll be visiting. The Istanbul Tourist Pass is only worthwhile if you’re visiting a lot of paid sights a day, which, in all probability, you won’t. The Istanbul museum pass only covers two sights on this list and therefore is also not needed.
I highly recommend getting individual tickets and tours from a website like GetYourGuide as you’ll have more options.
3. Site closure days: Keep the site closure days in mind while planning your 3 days in Istanbul. As a rule, I’d avoid visiting Istanbul on Mondays and Tuesdays. This itinerary is best followed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. However, you can always switch up the days you visit sites based on the day they are closed.
- Closed Monday: Archaeological Museums, Ayasofya, Dolmabahçe Palace, Great Palace Mosaics Museum
- Closed Tuesday: Topkapı Palace and Harem
- Closed Wednesday: Chora Museum, Rumeli Fortress
- Closed Thursday: Dolmabahçe Palace
- Closed Sunday: Grand Bazaar
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Good point on listing closing days – I had to modify my travel itinerary at Trabzon as I did not know a specific site is closed on Mondays. A lot of people will be on a tight schedule even when they are on a vacation – so it’s nice you two mentioned on the closing days so they avoid any disappointment