Things to do in Istanbul - 25 tips for sights and experiences

What to do in Istanbul, Turkey? Istanbul is a vibrant and exciting city, full of history, culture and good food. Here are our top tips for things to see and do in Istanbul.

Istanbul in Turkey

Istanbul has a fascinating history. The city was once called Constantinople, and the Vikings called it Miklagård. Today, it's an interesting city to visit, whether you want to see historical sights, go shopping or just enjoy the lively crowds and good food.

We have visited Istanbul twice, both times on press trips with knowledgeable guides. Here we share our best tips for experiences and sights in Istanbul.

Istanbul is located in Turkey, on the Bosphorus and Lake Marmara, on the border between Europe and Asia.

What to do in Istanbul?

So what can you see and do in Istanbul? Well, everything! We've put together a list of our top tips here.

1. strolling along Istiklal Avenue

Istiklal Avenue (İstiklal Caddesi) is a 1.4 kilometre long pedestrian street, and one of Istanbul's most famous streets. Along this street are lots of shops selling things like clothes, shoes, accessories and perfume.

You will also find 'Turkish delights' and small street stalls selling bread, corn and chestnuts. A tip is to occasionally look up to the top of the buildings to discover the beautiful buildings on the street. Don't forget to check out the charming trams.

2. Discover cosy alleys in the evening

Istanbul is an exciting city to discover at any time of day. In the evenings you can find plenty of charming and cosy alleys, with restaurants, cafés and bars.

3. take a look Taksim Square and the Taksim Mosque

Taksim Square is a famous square in the centre of Istanbul, where you can find the Republic Monument. The 11 metre high monument portrays the founders of the Turkish Republic, namely Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, İsmet İnönü and Fevzi Çakmak.

Right next to the square is the Taksim Mosque, which was completed in 2021 and holds 3,000 people.

4. Peek into the church of St Anthony of Padua

The Church of St Anthony of Padua is the largest Catholic church in Istanbul and is located on Istiklal Avenue. The original church was built in 1725, but was later demolished and replaced by the current building on the same site. The church that stands here today was built between 1906 and 1912 in the Venetian Gothic Revival style.

5. Shopping in the Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is often considered one of the world's first shopping centres. This historic indoor centre dates back to the 15th century and offers a maze of shopping streets. The Grand Bazaar contains over 60 aisles with more than 4000 shops, where you can find jewellery, real gold, ceramics, bags, shawls, hand-woven carpets, lamps, trinkets and various handicrafts.

6. Shopping in small charming "passages"

If you like shopping, you can also find several charming 'passages' filled with traditional products. We peeked into the "Avrupa Pasaji" (Passage d'Europe).

7. Shop in the spice bazaar

If you like spices and sweets, don't miss the Spice Bazaar (Misir Carsisi), one of the largest bazaars in the city. Here you will find an abundance of spices, but also dried fruits, sweets and some handicrafts. We bought saffron here, in shop number 51, from the nice and helpful guys we came to call "Spice Boys".

8. See the view from the Galata Tower

The Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) is a tower originally built as a watchtower. Built in 1438, the tower was the tallest building in Constantinople.

Today you can visit the tower as a tourist. Inside the tower there are a few exhibitions, and you can also go down the corridors under the tower. Above all, you have a fantastic view from the top.

9. Visit Hagia Sofia

One thing you won't want to miss doing in Istanbul is visiting Hagia Sophia. This shrine is a powerful and impressive historical building, dating back almost 1500 years.

When the building was constructed, it was an Orthodox church. Later, Hagia Sofia became a mosque, and then a museum. Today it is again an active mosque, but tourists are still welcome and it is very interesting to visit. Please note that you must dress respectfully in mosques and that women must cover their hair.

10. Experience the Hagia Sophia History Museum

If you want to learn more about Hagia Sofia, a good idea is to visit the Hagia Sophia Museum. This is an audiovisual experience that takes you from room to room, while images and sounds tell the dramatic story. Really fascinating and delicious! There is also a more traditional part of the museum, where you can see various artefacts. A suggestion is to visit this museum first, before entering the shrine, for an even greater experience.

11. Discover the Ephesus Experience Museum

There is another new experiential museum in Istanbul called the Ephesus Experience Museum. This museum tells the story of the ancient city of Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The museum offers an immersive experience with modern visualisation technology. We haven't had a chance to visit this yet, but it looks really cool.

12. Admire the Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque is a large mosque built between 1606 and 1616 by the Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I. It is known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. The mosque is actually called the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), nicknamed after the ceramic tiles with blue details.

13. Climb down into the Yerebatan Cisterns

The Yerebatan Cisterns, also known as the Basilica Cistern or the Sunken Palace, is a very well-preserved water reservoir in Istanbul. The reservoir was built under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the 5th century to provide water for the city of Constantinople (Istanbul), probably replacing an older reservoir. Today you can visit the cistern as a tourist, and the fascinating experience is enhanced by art and colourful lights. Coming here is something you won't want to miss doing in Istanbul!

14. Peek into the Nuruosmaniye Mosque

The Nuruosmaniye Mosque (Nuruosmaniye Camii) is an 18th century Ottoman mosque located in the district of Fatih.

15. Fascinated by Topkapi Palace

One of the things we didn't have time to do in Istanbul, but would like to do on another visit, was to see the palaces. The Topkapi Palace (Topkapı Sarayı) was the residence and administrative centre of the Ottoman sultans from 1465 to 1853. Today the palace is open to tourists.

16. Experience the Dolmabahçe Palace

The Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı) replaced the Topkapi Palace and served as the administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1923. The huge building has a 600-metre-long facade and is equipped with 285 bedrooms, 43 halls, 68 bathrooms and 6 Turkish baths. Today the palace serves as a museum.

17. See the beautiful Beylerbeyipalace

Another palace in Istanbul is the beautiful Beylerbeyi Palace. Built between 1861 and 1865, this palace is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, just north of the Bosphorus Bridge.

During Ottoman times, this palace was used as a summer residence for the sultan and his family, as well as a guesthouse for visiting foreign dignitaries. Tourists are welcome to stroll through the gardens and see the magnificent rooms, but photography is not allowed inside.

18. Hang out at Galataport

Galataport is a large waterfront complex on the European side of Istanbul that offers shopping and a wide range of restaurants and cafés.

19. Viewing art at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art

If you like art, don't miss the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art. This new museum is housed in a really cool building, which is equipped with rooftop bird pools, among other things.

The exhibitions on display vary and we liked some of the art very much, while we liked others less, as it should be in an art museum. For example, when we were here you could enter a room that was constantly changing colour and pattern, guided by current weather reports...

20. Take a boat trip on the Bosphorus

One exciting thing to do in Istanbul is to take a boat trip on the Bosphorus. Lots of boats ply the waters and you can do a boat trip to the Asian side, or you can do different types of cruises, or boat trips to different islands.

21. Discover the Asian side of Istanbul

Part of Istanbul is in Europe and part is in Asia. A 20-minute journey by ferry, or by crossing a bridge, will take you from one part of the world to another. The Asian part of Istanbul offers an intense street life with shopping, restaurants and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

22. Take a boat trip to Maiden's Tower

The Maiden's Tower is a tower located on a small island in the Bosphorus. The name Maiden Tower comes from a legend about a sultan who was told by a fortune teller that his daughter would die from a snake bite.

To protect his daughter, he let her live in this tower, and food was served via boat deliveries. When grapes arrived in baskets, the daughter reached for a bunch and was bitten by a snake that hid under the grapes and died. Today, boat trips to the island are organised for tourists.

23. test the hamam

Going to a hammam is an old Turkish tradition. The procedure can vary, but usually includes a steam sauna and washing, in the form of scrubbing and peeling. In most cases, you can also book some kind of massage.

There are many different places to try the hammam, and we did so at Çatma Mescit. Here we were very well looked after by the staff - the women in a separate area and the men in another.

24. tasting Turkish food

Turkish food can be absolutely fantastic. We have eaten at several different restaurants in Istanbul, and in all of them we have had very good food. Perhaps our favourite thing is that it is common to start a meal with many small dishes, such as olives, scrambled eggs, sardines and the like. So good!

25. Join a Food Tour

If you're a foodie, a food tour in Istanbul is a really exciting way to experience street food. During this tour, you can experience everything from fish and kebabs to Turkish coffee and sweets with a guide.

More things to do in Istanbul for culture and history lovers

Want even more tips on things to do in Istanbul? Here are some more suggestions for culture and history lovers.

• Chora Church/Kariye Mosque is a medieval Greek Orthodox church building, once a museum, but now closed to visitors.
• Galata bridge is a historic bridge that crosses the Golden Horn and connects Istanbul's old city centre with the northern neighbourhoods. 
• Istanbul Archaeological Museums is a group of archaeological museums located in the Eminönü neighbourhood.
• Pera Palace Hotel is famous because Agatha Christie used to stay in room 411. It is also home to the country's first lift, installed in 1892.
• Suleymaniyi Mosque is the largest mosque in the city, built in 1550-1557 on the orders of Sultan Süleyman I. (Süleymaniye, Prof. Sıddık Sami Onar Cd.)1.

More things to do in Istanbul for nature lovers

Do you prefer to be in nature? Or maybe you enjoy a park or a boat trip? Here are some more tips for things to do in Istanbul that might suit you.

• Çamlıca Hill offers a panoramic view of the southern part of the Bosphorus and the mouth of the Golden Horn.
• Emirgan Park is a historic city park located in the Emirgan neighbourhood. (Reşitpaşa, Emirgan Sk.)
• Gulhane park is a historic city park in the Eminönü district (Cankurtaran, Kennedy Cd.).
• Prince Islands are nine islands in Lake Marmara named after the princes who were exiled here during the Byzantine era.

More things to do in Istanbul for those who like shopping and food

Do you like shopping and food? Then you'll find some more tips on things to see and do in Istanbul here.

• Eminenu is a harbour area buzzing with activity. Here you will find, among other things, the spice bazaar.
• Fruit and food stalls including large peaches, plums and walnuts.
• Street food - try simit (Turkish bagel) and grilled chestnuts and corn.
• Turkish coffee and tea belongs to trying.

More to do in Istanbul with children or teenagers

Travelling with children or teenagers? Then you'll find even more tips for things to do in Istanbul here.

• Miniature Turk is a miniature park on the north-eastern shore of the Golden Horn (Örnektepe, İmrahor Cd. No:7).
• Rahmi M. Koç Museum is a private museum on transport, industry and communication (Piri Paşa, Hasköy Cd. No:5).
• Turkish delicacies there are plenty, such as Turkish delights, baklava, roasted chestnuts and more.

Where to stay in Istanbul?

There are of course many different hotels to choose from in Istanbul. We have stayed in two different hotels, both of which are very nice and well located. The first time we stayed at The Marmara Pera, which is both nice and in a great location. The breakfast is good and there are great views and a lovely pool on the roof.

On our second visit we stayed at Galata Istanbul Hotel MGallery. This hotel is also very nice, has nice rooms, good breakfast and excellent location.

Things to do in Istanbul - on film

Here you can watch two inspiring short films from our first trip to Istanbul.

More to do in the neighbourhood

There is a lot to see and experience in Turkey, and we can recommend a visit to the fantastic Cappadocia, which you can reach by plane, bus or car from Istanbul.

Even more things to see and do in Istanbul?

Have you visited Istanbul? If so, what are your best tips on what to see and do in Istanbul?

Facts about Istanbul

• Country: Turkey
• Population: Around 16 million (2020)
• Location: The city lies on the Bosphorus and Lake Marmara, on the border between Europe and Asia.
• The name: In Latin the city is called Constantinopolis and in older Swedish Miklagård and Constantinople. One explanation for today's name is that it is derived from the Greek "eis ten pólin" (in the city). Another explanation is that the name is a Turkish corruption of Constantinopolis.

Good to know

• Language: Turkish
• Time difference: 2 h
• Currency: Turkish lira (TL)
• Price level: Low (According to the Forex holiday index of 2022, Turkey is at index 23, compared to Sweden at 100).
• Read more: You can find more information at GoIstanbulTurkiye.

Travelling to Istanbul

• Flight: Many airlines fly to Istanbul, such as Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and SAS.
• Car: From Rostock, Germany, it is a 24-hour drive to Istanbul.

History in Istanbul

• Younger Stone Age: Remains of settlements and graves have been found from this 6400-5800 BC.
• Ancient Byzantium: In 667 BC the city of Byzantion (Byzantium) was founded by Greek settlers from Megara. The city was punished in 196 AD by Emperor Septimus Severus and subsequently languished, but it was then transformed into a powerful and magnificent city by Constantine the Great.
• Byzantine era: After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Constantinople remained the capital of the Byzantine (Eastern) Empire. The city enjoyed its heyday under Emperor Justinian I. In the 6th century, it was subject to attacks by many different peoples and, over time, hosts (northerners) were accepted into the bodyguard. In the 13th century, the city was damaged during the 'Latin Crusade'.
• Ottoman times: In the 14th century the Ottomans conquered much of the Byzantine Empire and in 1453 Constantinople fell to the Ottoman invasion.
• Turkey: In 1918-1923, Constantinople was occupied by the Entente powers, but the Peace of Lausanne (1923) recognised the city as Turkish. When the sultanate was abolished in 1922, Sultan Mehmet VI fled, and the following year Ankara became the capital of Turkey. The city was officially named Istanbul in 1926.