10 Best Things To Do in Istanbul

There are few who are not impressed by the capital of Turkey. Its culture, its customs, its food, its mosques... everything is unique and special in Istanbul.

Once you've arranged your transfer between the airport and the city, the first thing you need to know is that Istanbul is a big city in which there are many things worth seeing. You could spend weeks wandering the streets and still not have seen it all. The second thing you will realize during these walks is that in Istanbul everything is different and everything has a meaning; from the names of the streets to the beautiful monuments, to the gestures you will see people making in the bazaar. To decipher all this it is best to take a guided walking tour through the different areas of the Turkish capital.

In any of the tours and excursions you can do in Istanbul, a local guide will accompany you for two or three hours and will show you the main monuments of the city while explaining their meaning using a speech that goes beyond the standard information you can find in any guidebook for a very affordable price.

There are different options depending on the neighborhoods of Istanbul you want to visit and also depending on the part of history that interests you the most. You will be able to see the best mosques in the city, whether on your trip to the Turkish capital in summer or winter, as any time of the year is ideal to visit it.

You will also find tours in several languages, some of which include hotel pick-up or bus tours. Regardless of the option you choose, the experience will be that of discovering the city from a different perspective than the usual tourist.

This option is recommended whether you have one day to see Istanbul, as if you have three days or more. It will help you to get to know its peculiarities from the inside.

The Bosphorus River separates the city of Istanbul into two areas: the European part and the Asian part. The same river in turn enters the European part in a stretch known as "The Golden Horn" dividing it between the old city and the Galata district. In short, the Bosphorus is not only an emblem of Istanbul, but sailing through it you can see the different areas of the city; for this reason the option of taking a boat trip on the Bosphorus is so popular among visitors to the city.

It is not necessary to spend a lot of money to enjoy this experience. For a very reasonable price you can find a tour that, in addition to cruising the Bosphorus River on a guided cruise, offers you to see the city from a chairlift and from a bus to have all possible perspectives of the beauty of Istanbul. I tell you all about it in this article on the best excursions to the Bosphorus strait.

In addition to touring it by boat, the Bosphorus must be admired from the shore, specifically in the late afternoon while the bustle of the city decays and you hear the call to prayer. That will be one of the images of the city that will be engraved in your mind and will become a symbol of your trip.

If there is a time when it is more advisable to make this tour is undoubtedly the summer. That is why you should put it on your list of things to do in July, as well as among the activities to do in August.

What you will see from the boat

Another tip I would like to give you for traveling to Istanbul is that you should try the tasty Turkish food with one of the gastronomic tours offered by this fantastic city.

Turkish cuisine is famous around the world and when you travel to Istanbul you realize that it goes far beyond the well-known kebab that has reached many other countries. Turkey has flavors that are worth discovering and one way to do so is by taking a gastronomic tour of Istanbul.

With a gastronomic tour of the city, an expert guide will take you to typical places in the capital to taste the main dishes while you learn details of how they are made and how food becomes a ritual in this country. This experience will also help you get to know the city from a different point of view, away from the tourist tours.

If you choose this type of tour, do not hesitate to ask your guide for recommendations that may be useful during your trip. Some of the dishes you will try are Turkish pizza, simit, dolma or baklava. You can book it online and choose the day and time that suits you best; I recommend doing it on the second or third day of your trip when you have already toured the city on your own.

If you can make enough time during your trip, I highly recommend visiting other cities in Turkey even if your main destination is Istanbul. This is not always easy if you do it on your own, as finding your way around the country can be difficult if you are not experienced in it. To solve this problem there are excursions around Istanbul with which you can visit places like Cappadocia, Ephesus or Pamukkale.

This type of organized excursions allows you to forget about schedules and transportation as they include all travel, airline tickets and accommodation in case you are going to spend the night out. Although you can visit these cities in a day trip, my advice is to make a longer excursion to discover them in depth and without haste.

Most recommended places in Turkey

Istanbul is a city full of mosques and temples that you will see as soon as you land in the city. It is practically impossible to visit them all, but you can not miss the two main ones: Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, located a few meters from each other.

These two mosques are two of the most famous and visited works of art in the city. To enter the Blue Mosque, women must cover their hair, so it is always advisable to carry a scarf in your backpack for this purpose. These places of worship are entered barefoot and, although you will be provided with plastic bags at the entrance, it is advisable to bring an extra pair of socks for comfort.

Although it is essential to visit the interior, the exterior of both buildings will impress you in itself, so do not hesitate to delight in walking around and looking for the best perspective for what will be one of the most iconic photographs of your trip. Take your time for this visit because it will be one of the most memorable of all the ones you do in Istanbul.

A very practical way to visit both mosques is by taking the tourist bus. Along its route, and thanks to its open second floor, you can enjoy panoramic views of the special Turkish architecture. If you are traveling in colder months, such as January or February, it may be more advisable to travel in the covered part of the bus, as the humidity and the typical wind of Istanbul can get you while the bus travels through the streets.

Topkapi Palace is the symbol of the power that the region of Constantinople achieved as the seat of the Ottoman Empire. Its visit is a must, so I tell you how to visit this special palace, highlighting in the same its wonderful gardens, the Harem Hall and the Treasury Hall.

The most important thing you need to know is that access to the complex can be overwhelming. You can buy tickets at the door or online at the ticket machines or at the ticket office. Once you have your tickets you will have to enter through turnstiles.

Since the entrance is at timed intervals the queues can be quite significant, especially if you go in the central hours of the day. Add to this the fact that the queues in Istanbul are not an orderly line as you can expect in other European countries; you may have to give more than one push to enter the palace... However, once inside the crowds disappear and the experience is worth it; there are amazing places to photograph.

One of the most fun experiences you will have in Istanbul is shopping in the Grand Bazaar. Important: go without rushing and without calculating times, because, although getting there is easy, getting out can be a real maze. Most of the stalls of the Grand Bazaar are inside and there the crowds are relaxed but there will always be people wherever you look. The real hive is in the stalls outside, so be patient if you feel like you're going around in circles.

What's in the Grand Bazaar? Everything: spices, handicrafts, food...and the best handbag and shoe imitations you've ever seen in a street market. Bargaining is the norm for buying any item and they will always offer you a higher price up front; don't be surprised if the seller literally chases you around the bazaar when you refuse and offers you a lower price than his first offer.

If your trip coincides in the month of December, I give you an important tip: leave room in your suitcase, because coinciding with the Christmas season, you will want to take gifts for everyone. And in few places you can make more authentic purchases than the ones you make here, so include this plan as a "must" among the things to see in Istanbul at Christmas.

A short distance from the Topkapi Palace is located one of the main sights of Istanbul: the Basilica Cistern. This is a 336-column, nine-meter-high water reservoir that will leave you speechless as soon as you cross its threshold. Be prepared to queue at the entrance and always bring something warm to visit the interior due to the humidity.

The best way to describe this place would be as an optical illusion in which the columns surround you and the water acts as a mirror. No matter how many photos you take inside you will not capture its true essence: you have to live it and experience it, so enjoy the experience and forget about your camera.

I suggest this plan if you travel to Istanbul with children, they will love it!

Personally, I always say that every city has a mythical point to climb to enjoy the aerial views. Of all the ones you'll find in Istanbul, my recommendation is that you choose the Galata Tower, located in the wonderful neighborhood that gives it its name.

Although it is only 61 meters high, it stands out for its huge diameter and the views are perfect to appreciate the details of the famous area of the Bosphorus Horn. The tower is located in one of the most cosmopolitan neighborhoods of Istanbul, so after the visit, you can walk around it and taste the Turkish delicacies that you will find in its cafes.

The schedule of the Galata Tower allows you to visit it at night, as you can go up until 12. But if you want to know other options to see the city once the sun goes down, I leave you here this guide to discover Istanbul at night.

If you travel to Istanbul in October or if you take advantage of a few days in November to escape to this city to climb the Galata Tower and see the city with its autumn colors without many crowds, it will be a great plan that you will not forget.

The pace of the city of Istanbul can be stressful. When this happens to you, take advantage of an infallible remedy that the city has to combat fatigue that is also a cultural emblem: the Turkish baths.

In this post I show you which are the 10 best Turkish baths. It is an essential that you must include among the things to do on your 4-day trip to Istanbul and also if you have five days or if you are lucky enough to travel for 7 days to the Turkish capital.

This type of enclosures are the Ottoman version of the famous Roman baths. It is a place created for relaxation and cleansing of the body, but nowadays it functions more as a place for social gatherings. In the more traditional ones, women are separated from men. You will find all kinds of options and prices, but if you opt for the most authentic ones do not expect great luxuries because the Turkish baths are not a spa. However, the experience is always worth it.