No one would dare to call Turkey’s largest megalopolis, Istanbul, an ordinary city. Among the cities of the world, only it is located on the territory of two continents at once. On the coast, cut by the Bosphorus Strait, Europe and Asia peacefully coexist. Throughout its 3,000-year history, Istanbul has been the capital of some of the world’s greatest empires – the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires – and a religious center of Christianity and Islam.
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Istanbul Walking Tour
The Istanbul walking tour cannot be limited to the historical or modern part. The city, which combines the high-tech and luxury of the modern world with ancient oriental traditions, has over 3,000 cultural and architectural monuments and is known for its never-ceasing nightlife.
In the modern metropolis, you will find fabulous palaces and mosques, ancient towers and numerous museums, and of course a lot of entertainment. Read on to find out what you can’t miss when planning your itinerary.
Istanbul’s Main Sightseeing Attractions
With a thoughtful itinerary around Istanbul, you’ll save time exploring museums and sights.
Here are 10 places we recommend you visit:
1. Hagia Sophia.
St. Sophia Cathedral is considered the eighth wonder of the world and a symbol of the “Golden Age” of Byzantium. This cathedral has a difficult fate – the patriarchal Orthodox cathedral was converted to a mosque in 1453, turned into a museum in 1943, and in July 2020 by decree of the President of Turkey again became a mosque. Christian and Islamic elements have been preserved in the architecture and decoration of the cathedral.
2. Topkapi Palace.
The Topkapi Sultan’s Palace was built at the request of Sultan Mehmed between 1460 and 1478. The Ottoman sultans lived in the palace for 400 years. It is one of the largest palace museums in the world with a total area of over 700,000 m². The complex consists of four courtyards. The most luxurious decorations are in the Harem.
3. Blue Mosque.
The second name of Sultan Ahmet Mosque – Blue Mosque – came from the use of blue Iznik ceramics in interior decorations. The Blue Mosque is active.
4. Basilica Cistern.
One of the largest and best-preserved ancient underground reservoirs of Constantinople. The capacity is 80,000 m³ of water. The vaulted ceiling of the cistern is supported by 336 marble columns, two of which have Medusa Gorgon heads at their base. The reservoir was used before the conquest of Constantinople by the Turks, and in 1987 it was cleaned and turned into a museum.
5. Hippodrome.
Part of Sultanahmet Square is located on the site of the ancient hippodrome. The construction of the hippodrome began in the 3rd century BC. It was the site of horse races that attracted up to 100,000 spectators.
6. Grand Bazaar and Spice Market.
It is one of the largest and most visited indoor markets in the world. The Grand Bazaar’s 4,000 stores sell everything from gold and handmade carpets to cheap souvenirs.
7. Dolmabahce Palace.
The Dolmabahçe Palace was built between 1842 and 1853 for Sultan Abdul-Medjid I and was used as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire. The Baroque palace has 285 rooms and 46 halls. The collection of the Dolmabahce Museum includes a collection of paintings by Aivazovsky and a Bohemian glass chandelier weighing 5 tons. Tour of the palace is limited to 3,000 visitors per day.
8. Galata Tower.
Galata Tower stands on a high hill in the Galata district, from which it got its name. It was built in 1348 and at different times was used as a depot, prison, and fire tower.
9. Bosphorus.
The Bosphorus Strait divides Istanbul into Europe and Asia. A boat trip along the Bosphorus allows you to see the most beautiful sights of Istanbul on both banks. The boats sail under bridges past palaces, mosques, villas, and defensive structures.
10. Prince’s Islands.
The archipelago of 9 islands is located in the Sea of Marmara, 20 km from Istanbul. On the Prince Islands (Adalary) you can find monuments of different cultures, historical villas, monasteries, and churches, and relax on the beaches.
Listing all the interesting places in Istanbul could be endlessly long. Therefore, we have chosen only the most significant sites of the Turkish capital.
When making your rating, you can take into account our recommendations as well as refer to freetour.com when planning your vacation.