15 Things to Do in Istanbul in November

In Istanbul the days are shorter in November, with sunset around 18:00 hours and maximum temperatures of 15°C. A cold that can be easily controlled with a good coat and that won't stop you from exploring the city, which remains alive and bustling with visitors, even though it's the beginning of the low season.

With so much to explore in Turkey's capital, any month is ideal to visit this destination. In November, you'll find plenty of things to do indoors and some timely events around this time. Let's get started!

May 19 and November 10 are very important dates for Turks, commemorating the life and death of Mustafa Kemal, "Atatürk", founder of the modern Republic of Turkey. On November 10, the date of his death, various commemorative events are held throughout the country. With a guided walking tour or by booking a tourist bus, you can visit the traditional Taksim Square, where the Monument to the Republic is located, with statues of Atatürk and other historical figures.

You can also visit the Atatürk Museum, where you can learn more about the history of the leader of the war of independence, and appreciate different objects such as medals, paintings and historical documents.

Useful information Atatürk Museum

• Price: free admission.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00.
• Address: Meşrutiyet, Halaskargazi Cd. No:140, 34363 Şişli/İstanbul.

The Sufi dance, known as Sema, is one of the most famous dances in Turkey and is considered an Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Booking tickets for the Dervish Gyrovagos show is a good idea to get to know their culture in depth. For one hour, you will enjoy this traditional dance performed by the Dervish Gyrovagi, that is, the members of the Mevleví order, the best known of Sufism, who twist and turn endlessly.

During the show you can also enjoy a live Turkish orchestra and 360 video projections that will make you live the show in a more intense way. The origin of this dance is spiritual, in which the Dervishes perform a mystical ritual during the dance. Undoubtedly a show that you should not miss if you want to learn and know in depth their culture.

Useful information

• Date: throughout the year.
• Address: Istanbul
• Tickets: Dervish Girovagos show here

With the cold weather starting to bite harder, indoor plans can be a great idea to enjoy the historical and cultural heritage of a city like Istanbul.

Hagia Sophia Museum and Blue Mosque

Among the many tours and excursions you have available in Istanbul, I recommend you book a guided visit to the Hagia Sophia Museum and the Blue Mosque, two places very close to each other and where you can appreciate architecture, art and learn much of the tradition and religious history of the city. Undoubtedly two of the monuments of Istanbul that you have to visit during your trip.

Useful information Hagia Sophia

• Price: free entrance
• Hours: check prayer hours
• Address: Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya Meydanı No:1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul

Useful information Blue Mosque:

• Price: free admission
• Hours: daily from 09:00 to 19:00 hours
• Address: Sultanahmet, Atmeydanı Cd. No:7, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul

Topkapi Palace

Visiting the Topkapi Palace and the Harem is a unique travel experience. These two places probably have more magic-filled stories than most museums in the world combined. Ambitious sultans and courtiers, beautiful concubines and more inhabited this place between the 15th and 19th centuries, during the time of the Ottoman Empire. And if you book a guided tour of the Topkapo Palace you will end up immersed in a tour full of magic.

• Price: Palace + Harem + Hagia Irene for approximately 17.50€ (285 Turkish Lira), Palace + Hagia Irene for approximately 12.30€ (200 Turkish Lira). Free admission for children under 6 years old.
• Hours: daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Closed on Tuesdays
• Address: Cankurtaran Mh., 34122 Fatih / Istanbul.

Cistern Basilica

Popularly called as the Yerebatan Palace, the Cistern Basilica is located a short distance from the Topkapi Palace and is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul.

This water reservoir of 336 columns and nine meters high is an architectural masterpiece, built by the Byzantine emperor Justinian between the years 527 and 565. I recommend you arrive early and be prepared to queue, as it is usually one of the busiest places at any time of the year. To save queues it is perhaps a good idea to book a guided tour of the Cistern Basilica and, of course, to know in depth all its history.

• Price: 1.80€ approximately (30 Turkish Liras)
• Hours: daily from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
• Address: Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul

I recommend exploring the best Turkish baths in Istanbul. In November the cold starts and this experience can be ideal to raise the temperature and at the same time discover an ancient tradition.

Its name in Arabic is Hammam which means "that expels heat". These enclosures are the Ottoman version of the Roman baths. Booking an experience in a Turkish bath, you will have space to relax body and mind, they are also a social and cultural meeting place in the city. With options starting at around 25 euros, you can find package tours to visit one of them...

Useful information

• Price: packages starting at about 25 Euro (400 Turkish Liras)
• Opening hours: daily from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
• Address: Kuloglu Mh., Turnacibasi Cd. No:48 Aga Hamami, 34433 , Taksim / İstanbul

Although temperatures are starting to drop, the weather in Istanbul during November invites you to take a walk, and nothing better than touring one of the best neighborhoods in Istanbul. Balat is full of color and today is integrated with the ancient Greek neighborhood of Fener.

Walk through its narrow and steep streets, while taking pictures with its beautiful old colorful houses in the background. You will also see many stray kittens resting in the windows and on the sidewalks. The Plantio mansions of Kiremit Sokak are a favorite for a photo op. They are located in the Greek part of the neighborhood between Kiremit and Usturumca streets.

November marks the beginning of the low season in Istanbul, so you can take a more leisurely tour of some of the places that at other times of the year are usually very crowded with tourists. These are two of the most emblematic places in Istanbul and with great tourist interest. In this month, in addition, each of its commercial stalls begins to offer sales that you will not want to miss in carpets, lamps, handicrafts and much more.

In the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul you will find an enclosed space full of color and in the Spice Bazaar, also known as Egyptian Bazaar, you will find a paradise of food. It is highly recommended to book a guided tour of Istanbul so you can get to know them, and in addition to seasonal shopping, you can learn about their history with the help of an expert local guide.

It's no secret to anyone that when the cold weather arrives, our appetite is whetted. I recommend you to take a gastronomic tour in Istanbul and enjoy the culinary tradition of this city. Starting at 50€ you can find guided tours that take you on a tour of street food stalls and bazaars.

Don't miss the Kadikoy market, where you can chat with fishermen and eat a tasty grilled fresh fish sandwich, while the guide shares historical details about this colorful and bustling area of the city.

I recommend you to book an excursion to the city of Pamukkale (which also includes the city of Ephesus) and discover a real jewel of nature. They call it the Cotton Castle and in it you will find natural pools of thermal waters. A relaxing and magical place that in November welcomes you with more calm, before the colder months when it welcomes more tourists.

The Roman city of Hierapolis was built in this place about two thousand years ago, taking advantage of its subway waters. In the pools that have been formed in terraces it is allowed to bathe in waters that are around 35°C. I advise you to wait until sunset to enjoy the sunset that in this place will be unforgettable.

Some of the most important marathons in the world take place in November, such as the New York Marathon and the Barcelona Marathon. The Istanbul Intercontinental Marathon is the only one in the world that takes place between two continents and is one of the elite races in world athletics. The marathon is 42 kilometers long and you can also register to participate only in a 15-kilometer section; the cost is 60 euros.

The marathon, which takes place on the second Sunday of November, starts in the Asian part of the city, near the First Bosphorus Bridge and passes through some iconic points of the city such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, to finish at the Inönü Stadium, in the European part of Istanbul. The marathon crosses three bridges, including one over the Bosphorus and two over the Golden Horn.

Useful information about the marathon

• Date: first Sunday in November
• Tickets and schedule: Marathons of the World

Autumn in Istanbul invites us to enjoy leisure and cultural activities. November is the perfect month to explore the city's museums and galleries, attend an exhibition and learn more about the contemporary art on offer in the city. Here are three recommendations:

SALT Galata

This art space is located in an old building and in it we find a gallery, a cozy cafe and library service. SALTA Galata is considered the best contemporary art institution in Istanbul, which also has another branch in the city of Ankara.

Useful information:

• Price: free admission
• Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
• Address: Bankalar caddesi̇ 11, Karaköy 34421 Istanbul

Sakıp Sabancı Museum

This museum is housed in a 1925 mansion and features temporary and permanent exhibitions of modern art, as well as Islamic sculptures. The house was built on the shores of the Bosphorus by Italian architect Edoardo De Nari, in a yali style, which means wooden house by the sea.

So in addition to being able to enjoy an art exhibition, you will be able to see up close a style of architecture that is considered to be one of the most exclusive in the city, as yali style houses are the trademark of the Bosphorus and one of the most expensive accommodations in all of Istanbul.

Useful information:

• Price: approximately €4.60 (75 Turkish Lira).
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Address: Sakıp Sabancı Caddesi No:42 Emirgan 34467 İstanbul

Sadberk Hanim Museum

I recommend you to visit this European-style mansion that houses an extensive private collection of antique objects from the Ottoman era. This is the first private museum in Turkey, displaying the private collection of Sadberk Koc, the wife of the famous Turkish businessman Vehbi Koc.

This house museum displays exhibits with more than twenty thousand pieces of Turkish and Islamic works, as well as archaeological relics from different eras.

Useful information:

• Price: approximately 1 Euro (15 Turkish Lira).
• Hours: daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Address: Büyükdere, Piyasa Cd. No: 25 D:29, 34453 Sarıyer/İstanbul