Istanbul itinerary: 1 to 7 days
Plans for one to seven days in Istanbul, day by day: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar first, then Süleymaniye, the Chora mosaics, Galata Tower and Dolmabahçe Palace, and the Bosphorus castles and lighthouses as you add days. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 3 days
Istanbul in 1 day
Day 1
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with the Harem, the Treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's 6th-century domed church, later a mosque and then a museum, and a mosque again since 2020.
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground cistern of 336 columns, with two Medusa heads reused as column bases.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, with six minarets and blue İznik tiles inside, facing Hagia Sophia.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, gold and leather.
Istanbul in 2 days
Day 1
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's 6th-century domed church, later a mosque and then a museum, and a mosque again since 2020.
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground cistern of 336 columns, with two Medusa heads reused as column bases.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, gold and leather.
New Mosque
A 17th-century imperial mosque at the Eminönü end of the Galata Bridge, beside the Spice Bazaar.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's masterpiece for Süleyman the Magnificent, on a hill above the Golden Horn, with the tombs of both men.
Golden Horn
The inlet that splits European Istanbul, crossed by the Galata Bridge with its fishermen and fish restaurants.
Day 2
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, with six minarets and blue İznik tiles inside, facing Hagia Sophia.
Istanbul Archaeology Museums
Three museums beside Topkapı with the Alexander Sarcophagus and finds from across the former Ottoman lands.
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with the Harem, the Treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
Maiden's Tower
A tower on a tiny islet off Üsküdar, reached by boat, long a lighthouse and now a museum.
Istanbul Sapphire
A skyscraper in the Levent business district, among the tallest in Turkey, with a shopping mall at its base.
Istanbul in 3 days
Day 1
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's 6th-century domed church, later a mosque and then a museum, and a mosque again since 2020.
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground cistern of 336 columns, with two Medusa heads reused as column bases.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, with six minarets and blue İznik tiles inside, facing Hagia Sophia.
Little Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine church, now a mosque, built a few years before Hagia Sophia on a similar domed plan.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, gold and leather.
New Mosque
A 17th-century imperial mosque at the Eminönü end of the Galata Bridge, beside the Spice Bazaar.
Day 2
Maiden's Tower
A tower on a tiny islet off Üsküdar, reached by boat, long a lighthouse and now a museum.
Valens Aqueduct
A late 4th-century Roman aqueduct whose double arches still span Atatürk Boulevard.
Golden Horn
The inlet that splits European Istanbul, crossed by the Galata Bridge with its fishermen and fish restaurants.
Chora Church
A Byzantine church with some of the finest 14th-century mosaics and frescoes anywhere, reopened as the Kariye Mosque in 2024.
Palace of the Porphyrogenitus
A late Byzantine palace on the land walls, restored as a museum of the Ottoman tiles once made there.
Eyüp Sultan Mosque
One of Istanbul's holiest mosques, at the head of the Golden Horn, beside the tomb of the Prophet's companion Abu Ayyub al-Ansari.
Day 3
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with the Harem, the Treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque
A small Sinan mosque raised above the market streets near the Spice Bazaar, covered inside with İznik tiles.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's masterpiece for Süleyman the Magnificent, on a hill above the Golden Horn, with the tombs of both men.
Galata Tower
A medieval Genoese stone tower above Karaköy with a viewing balcony over the Golden Horn and the old city.
Istanbul in 4 days
Day 1
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's 6th-century domed church, later a mosque and then a museum, and a mosque again since 2020.
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground cistern of 336 columns, with two Medusa heads reused as column bases.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, with six minarets and blue İznik tiles inside, facing Hagia Sophia.
Little Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine church, now a mosque, built a few years before Hagia Sophia on a similar domed plan.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, gold and leather.
New Mosque
A 17th-century imperial mosque at the Eminönü end of the Galata Bridge, beside the Spice Bazaar.
Day 2
Maiden's Tower
A tower on a tiny islet off Üsküdar, reached by boat, long a lighthouse and now a museum.
Valens Aqueduct
A late 4th-century Roman aqueduct whose double arches still span Atatürk Boulevard.
Chora Church
A Byzantine church with some of the finest 14th-century mosaics and frescoes anywhere, reopened as the Kariye Mosque in 2024.
Palace of the Porphyrogenitus
A late Byzantine palace on the land walls, restored as a museum of the Ottoman tiles once made there.
Rahmi M. Koç Museum
A private museum of transport and industry on the Golden Horn, with ships, cars, trains and a submarine.
Golden Horn
The inlet that splits European Istanbul, crossed by the Galata Bridge with its fishermen and fish restaurants.
Day 3
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with the Harem, the Treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque
A small Sinan mosque raised above the market streets near the Spice Bazaar, covered inside with İznik tiles.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's masterpiece for Süleyman the Magnificent, on a hill above the Golden Horn, with the tombs of both men.
Taksim Gezi Park
A park beside Taksim Square, centre of the 2013 protests, at the top of İstiklal Avenue.
Day 4
Dolmabahçe Palace
The 19th-century Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus, with a vast crystal chandelier; Atatürk died here in 1938.
Galata Tower
A medieval Genoese stone tower above Karaköy with a viewing balcony over the Golden Horn and the old city.
Nişantaşı
An upscale district of designer shops, cafés and late 19th-century apartment buildings north of Taksim.
Istanbul Sapphire
A skyscraper in the Levent business district, among the tallest in Turkey, with a shopping mall at its base.
Istanbul in 5 days
Day 1
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's 6th-century domed church, later a mosque and then a museum, and a mosque again since 2020.
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground cistern of 336 columns, with two Medusa heads reused as column bases.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, with six minarets and blue İznik tiles inside, facing Hagia Sophia.
Theodosius Cistern
A 5th-century Byzantine cistern near Sultanahmet, restored and opened to visitors with light installations.
Nuruosmaniye Mosque
An 18th-century mosque, the first in Ottoman Baroque style, at one of the gates of the Grand Bazaar.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, gold and leather.
Day 2
Little Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine church, now a mosque, built a few years before Hagia Sophia on a similar domed plan.
Istanbul Archaeology Museums
Three museums beside Topkapı with the Alexander Sarcophagus and finds from across the former Ottoman lands.
New Mosque
A 17th-century imperial mosque at the Eminönü end of the Galata Bridge, beside the Spice Bazaar.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque
A small Sinan mosque raised above the market streets near the Spice Bazaar, covered inside with İznik tiles.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's masterpiece for Süleyman the Magnificent, on a hill above the Golden Horn, with the tombs of both men.
Valens Aqueduct
A late 4th-century Roman aqueduct whose double arches still span Atatürk Boulevard.
Day 3
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with the Harem, the Treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
Istanbul Modern
Turkey's leading museum of modern and contemporary art, in a Renzo Piano building on the Karaköy waterfront.
Rumelihisari
The fortress Mehmed II built in 1452 at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus before taking Constantinople.
Galata Tower
A medieval Genoese stone tower above Karaköy with a viewing balcony over the Golden Horn and the old city.
Golden Horn
The inlet that splits European Istanbul, crossed by the Galata Bridge with its fishermen and fish restaurants.
Day 4
Malta Kiosk
A 19th-century Ottoman pavilion in Yıldız Park, now a café with views towards the Bosphorus.
Nişantaşı
An upscale district of designer shops, cafés and late 19th-century apartment buildings north of Taksim.
Istanbul Sapphire
A skyscraper in the Levent business district, among the tallest in Turkey, with a shopping mall at its base.
Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque
A mosque by the great architect Sinan, built in 1580 in Tophane, a short walk from Istanbul Modern.
Khedive Palace
An Art Nouveau mansion built for the last Khedive of Egypt, in a park above the Bosphorus at Çubuklu.
Day 5
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
Sinan's mosque for Süleyman's daughter Mihrimah by the Edirnekapı gate, its prayer hall lit by many windows.
Chora Church
A Byzantine church with some of the finest 14th-century mosaics and frescoes anywhere, reopened as the Kariye Mosque in 2024.
Palace of the Porphyrogenitus
A late Byzantine palace on the land walls, restored as a museum of the Ottoman tiles once made there.
Rahmi M. Koç Museum
A private museum of transport and industry on the Golden Horn, with ships, cars, trains and a submarine.
Istanbul in 6 days
Day 1
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's 6th-century domed church, later a mosque and then a museum, and a mosque again since 2020.
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground cistern of 336 columns, with two Medusa heads reused as column bases.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, with six minarets and blue İznik tiles inside, facing Hagia Sophia.
Theodosius Cistern
A 5th-century Byzantine cistern near Sultanahmet, restored and opened to visitors with light installations.
Nuruosmaniye Mosque
An 18th-century mosque, the first in Ottoman Baroque style, at one of the gates of the Grand Bazaar.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, gold and leather.
Day 2
Little Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine church, now a mosque, built a few years before Hagia Sophia on a similar domed plan.
Istanbul Archaeology Museums
Three museums beside Topkapı with the Alexander Sarcophagus and finds from across the former Ottoman lands.
New Mosque
A 17th-century imperial mosque at the Eminönü end of the Galata Bridge, beside the Spice Bazaar.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque
A small Sinan mosque raised above the market streets near the Spice Bazaar, covered inside with İznik tiles.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's masterpiece for Süleyman the Magnificent, on a hill above the Golden Horn, with the tombs of both men.
Valens Aqueduct
A late 4th-century Roman aqueduct whose double arches still span Atatürk Boulevard.
Day 3
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with the Harem, the Treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
Taksim Gezi Park
A park beside Taksim Square, centre of the 2013 protests, at the top of İstiklal Avenue.
Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque
A mosque by the great architect Sinan, built in 1580 in Tophane, a short walk from Istanbul Modern.
Galata Tower
A medieval Genoese stone tower above Karaköy with a viewing balcony over the Golden Horn and the old city.
Golden Horn
The inlet that splits European Istanbul, crossed by the Galata Bridge with its fishermen and fish restaurants.
Day 4
Malta Kiosk
A 19th-century Ottoman pavilion in Yıldız Park, now a café with views towards the Bosphorus.
Nişantaşı
An upscale district of designer shops, cafés and late 19th-century apartment buildings north of Taksim.
Istanbul Sapphire
A skyscraper in the Levent business district, among the tallest in Turkey, with a shopping mall at its base.
Rumelihisari
The fortress Mehmed II built in 1452 at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus before taking Constantinople.
Khedive Palace
An Art Nouveau mansion built for the last Khedive of Egypt, in a park above the Bosphorus at Çubuklu.
Day 5
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
Sinan's mosque for Süleyman's daughter Mihrimah by the Edirnekapı gate, its prayer hall lit by many windows.
Chora Church
A Byzantine church with some of the finest 14th-century mosaics and frescoes anywhere, reopened as the Kariye Mosque in 2024.
Palace of the Porphyrogenitus
A late Byzantine palace on the land walls, restored as a museum of the Ottoman tiles once made there.
Rahmi M. Koç Museum
A private museum of transport and industry on the Golden Horn, with ships, cars, trains and a submarine.
Day 6
Maiden's Tower
A tower on a tiny islet off Üsküdar, reached by boat, long a lighthouse and now a museum.
Dolmabahçe Clock Tower
An ornate 19th-century Ottoman clock tower beside Dolmabahçe Palace on the Bosphorus shore.
Istanbul Modern
Turkey's leading museum of modern and contemporary art, in a Renzo Piano building on the Karaköy waterfront.
Istanbul Military Museum
A museum in Harbiye on Turkish military history, known for performances by the Ottoman Mehter band.
Istanbul in 7 days
Day 1
Hagia Sophia
Justinian's 6th-century domed church, later a mosque and then a museum, and a mosque again since 2020.
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground cistern of 336 columns, with two Medusa heads reused as column bases.
Sultan Ahmed Mosque
The Blue Mosque, built in the early 17th century, with six minarets and blue İznik tiles inside, facing Hagia Sophia.
Hippodrome of Constantinople (Sultanahmet Square)
The long Byzantine chariot-racing arena, now a park in Sultanahmet, holding the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpent Column and the German Fountain.
Theodosius Cistern
A 5th-century Byzantine cistern near Sultanahmet, restored and opened to visitors with light installations.
Nuruosmaniye Mosque
An 18th-century mosque, the first in Ottoman Baroque style, at one of the gates of the Grand Bazaar.
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's masterpiece for Süleyman the Magnificent, on a hill above the Golden Horn, with the tombs of both men.
Day 2
Little Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine church, now a mosque, built a few years before Hagia Sophia on a similar domed plan.
Topkapi Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace for nearly four centuries, with the Harem, the Treasury and views over the Bosphorus.
New Mosque
A 17th-century imperial mosque at the Eminönü end of the Galata Bridge, beside the Spice Bazaar.
Spice Bazaar
A 17th-century covered market near the Galata Bridge, selling spices, dried fruit, Turkish delight, teas and nuts under vaulted ceilings.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque
A small Sinan mosque raised above the market streets near the Spice Bazaar, covered inside with İznik tiles.
Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets, with thousands of shops selling carpets, lamps, gold and leather.
Valens Aqueduct
A late 4th-century Roman aqueduct whose double arches still span Atatürk Boulevard.
Day 3
Istanbul Archaeology Museums
Three museums beside Topkapı with the Alexander Sarcophagus and finds from across the former Ottoman lands.
Istanbul Modern
Turkey's leading museum of modern and contemporary art, in a Renzo Piano building on the Karaköy waterfront.
Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque
A mosque by the great architect Sinan, built in 1580 in Tophane, a short walk from Istanbul Modern.
Galata Tower
A medieval Genoese stone tower above Karaköy with a viewing balcony over the Golden Horn and the old city.
Golden Horn
The inlet that splits European Istanbul, crossed by the Galata Bridge with its fishermen and fish restaurants.
İstiklal Avenue
A pedestrian shopping street from Tünel to Taksim Square, with the old red tram, side-street meyhanes and historic arcades.
Day 4
Mihrimah Sultan Mosque
Sinan's mosque for Süleyman's daughter Mihrimah by the Edirnekapı gate, its prayer hall lit by many windows.
Chora Church
A Byzantine church with some of the finest 14th-century mosaics and frescoes anywhere, reopened as the Kariye Mosque in 2024.
Palace of the Porphyrogenitus
A late Byzantine palace on the land walls, restored as a museum of the Ottoman tiles once made there.
Balat
A colourful old Golden Horn neighbourhood of steep streets, painted houses, antique shops and cafés, once a Jewish and Greek quarter.
Rahmi M. Koç Museum
A private museum of transport and industry on the Golden Horn, with ships, cars, trains and a submarine.
Day 5
Nişantaşı
An upscale district of designer shops, cafés and late 19th-century apartment buildings north of Taksim.
Malta Kiosk
A 19th-century Ottoman pavilion in Yıldız Park, now a café with views towards the Bosphorus.
Ortaköy
A Bosphorus-side district under the Bosphorus Bridge, with a baroque mosque, cafés, craft stalls and street food such as kumpir.
Istanbul Sapphire
A skyscraper in the Levent business district, among the tallest in Turkey, with a shopping mall at its base.
Rumelihisari
The fortress Mehmed II built in 1452 at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus before taking Constantinople.
Khedive Palace
An Art Nouveau mansion built for the last Khedive of Egypt, in a park above the Bosphorus at Çubuklu.
Day 6
Kadıköy
Lively district on the Asian side, a short ferry ride across the Bosphorus, with food-market streets of fish stalls, cafes, bars and bookshops.
Maiden's Tower
A tower on a tiny islet off Üsküdar, reached by boat, long a lighthouse and now a museum.
Dolmabahçe Clock Tower
An ornate 19th-century Ottoman clock tower beside Dolmabahçe Palace on the Bosphorus shore.
Dolmabahçe Palace
The 19th-century Ottoman palace on the Bosphorus, with a vast crystal chandelier; Atatürk died here in 1938.
Istanbul Military Museum
A museum in Harbiye on Turkish military history, known for performances by the Ottoman Mehter band.
Taksim Gezi Park
A park beside Taksim Square, centre of the 2013 protests, at the top of İstiklal Avenue.
Day 7
Joshua's Hill
A hill on the Asian shore of the upper Bosphorus with a tomb said to be Joshua's and wide views of the strait.
Yoros Castle
A ruined Byzantine and Genoese castle above Anadolu Kavağı, overlooking the Black Sea entrance of the Bosphorus.
Anadolu Feneri
A working 19th-century lighthouse in a fishing village on the Asian shore, where the Bosphorus meets the Black Sea.
Watch: Istanbul in 3 days
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
Tours in Istanbul
When to go to Istanbul
April to May and September to October are the best months, with warm days and fewer visitors, and the tulip festival fills the parks in April. July and August are hot, humid and crowded, while winter is cold, wet and sometimes snowy but quieter. During Ramadan, which shifts earlier each year, evenings are lively with iftar meals.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Istanbul on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Istanbul on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Istanbul on GetYourGuide or on Viator
- From the airport: a private transfer in Istanbul with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Turkey from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Istanbul with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Istanbul
- Topkapı Palace closes on Tuesdays and Dolmabahçe Palace on Mondays; the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.
- Mosques close to visitors during the five daily prayers; cover shoulders and knees, and women cover their hair.
- An Istanbulkart works on trams, the metro, buses, funiculars and the public ferries.
- A public ferry across or along the Bosphorus is the cheapest boat trip in the city.
- Arrive early at Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı; queues build from mid-morning.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Anadolu Feneri: Recep Cirik, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Balat: Antoloji, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Basilica Cistern: Moise Nicu, CC BY 3.0
- Chora Church: US gov, Public domain
- Dolmabahçe Clock Tower: l0da_ralta, CC BY 2.0
- Dolmabahçe Palace: flowcomm, CC BY 2.0
- Eyüp Sultan Mosque: User:Darwinek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Galata Tower: GrandEscogriffe, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Golden Horn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:DeliDumrul, Public domain
- Grand Bazaar, Istanbul: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hagia Sophia: Arild Vågen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hippodrome of Constantinople (Sultanahmet Square): Ninara, CC BY 2.0
- Istanbul Archaeology Museums: Metuboy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Istanbul Military Museum: User:Darwinek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Istanbul Modern: Arild Vågen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Istanbul Sapphire: Dosseman, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joshua's Hill: Юрочкин Роман, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kadıköy: Starliner, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Khedive Palace: elif ayse, CC BY 2.0
- Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque: User:Darwinek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Little Hagia Sophia: user:Bollweevil, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Maiden's Tower: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 2.0
- Malta Kiosk: Chapultepec, Public domain
- Mihrimah Sultan Mosque: R Prazeres, CC BY-SA 4.0
- New Mosque: HALUK COMERTEL, CC BY 3.0
- Nişantaşı: Ail Subway, CC BY 3.0
- Nuruosmaniye Mosque: Dmitry A. Mottl, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ortaköy: flowcomm, CC BY 2.0
- Palace of the Porphyrogenitus: Gryffindor, Public domain
- Rahmi M. Koç Museum: A.Savin, FAL
- Rumelihisari: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rüstem Pasha Mosque: User:Simm, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Spice Bazaar: Robot8A, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque: Pedro Szekely from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Süleymaniye Mosque: Hunanuk, CC0
- Taksim Gezi Park: Yinyerale, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Theodosius Cistern: Izabela Miszczak, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Topkapi Palace: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Valens Aqueduct: Laima Gūtmane (simka…, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Yoros Castle: Moonik, CC BY-SA 3.0
- İstiklal Avenue: Mark Ahsmann, CC BY-SA 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
