18 Very Best Things to Do in Istanbul

Looking for fun things to do in Istanbul? Check out this list of must-see sights and the very best things to do in Istanbul, Turkey.

Oh, my dear beautiful Istanbul! I welcome you to this amazing city which without comparison is one of the most unique cities on our planet!

Istanbul is the only city in the world with the unique position of being located on two continents at once. Just consider how cool it is to visit Europe and Asia in the very same city. Or how about going from Europe to Asia on foot? That’s really cool, isn’t it?

When visiting Istanbul, great experiences await. Unleash your inner adventurer and explore magnificent mosques, ancient churches, exclusive palaces, large shopping malls, cozy parks, and stunning vantage points. There’s no doubt that Istanbul has everything any adventurous traveler dreams of.

If you’re planning a trip to Istanbul, you should read this list of the very best things to do in Istanbul, Turkey.

The best things to do in Istanbul:

1. Blue Mosque

Sultanahmet Mosque is better known as the Blue Mosque due to thousands of blue ceramic tiles covering the majestic interior of the raised ceilings inside the mosque.

The Blue Mosque isn’t only one of the biggest landmarks in Turkey but also one of the very best things to do in Istanbul. With its six minarets and many domes, this beautiful mosque seriously dominates the Istanbul skyline.

Please note that you can only visit the Blue Mosque with covered arms, shoulders, legs, and hair. But don’t worry, scarves are usually handed out at the entrance.

Turkish name: Sultanahmet Camii. Price: Free to visit. Official site: http://www.bluemosque.co/

2. Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is another giant mosque in Istanbul that is considered one of the most beautiful and popular mosques in the world and one of the best things to do in Istanbul as well.

In fact, Hagia Sophia was the largest church in the world for more than 1,000 years until the Ottomans transformed it into a mosque. Since then, Hagia Sophia has once again taken on a new meaning. Today it has become an extremely popular museum where you can experience the contrasts between the two regions.

Hagia Sophia is without a doubt a must-see sight in Istanbul. Since it’s no longer an active mosque, you don’t need to be covered during your visit.

Turkish name: Ayasofya Camii. Price: 60 TL. Official site: https://muze.gen.tr/muze-detay/ayasofya

3. Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace was the residence of the Ottoman sultans for almost 400 years and is a very important historic building in Istanbul. This grand palace was almost an entire village and with thousands of people living here at the same time, it was once the largest palace in the world.

Inside Topkapi Palace, there’s full of peaceful courtyards, groves of trees, beautiful architecture, and lots of old rooms with sacred relics, costumes, and weapons. Topkapi Palace is also of great importance to Muslims as several of the objects of the Prophet Muhammad are exhibited here. This is truly a beautiful palace in Istanbul that’s worth a visit.

Turkish name: Topkapi Sarayi. Price: 60 TL. Official site: https://www.millisaraylar.gov.tr/en

4. Basilica Cistern

The Basilica Cistern is the largest of the hundreds of underground cisterns that lie well hidden beneath the city. They were formerly used to store drinking water for droughts, but today the sunken palace is just used as a museum.

Down in the Basilica Cistern, you can walk around underground on small footbridges surrounded by 336 marble columns. Small lamps are beautifully reflected in the water from which a small splash can suddenly come from the huge carp swimming around down there.

Basilica Cistern is both a beautiful and mysterious place at the same time. This is one of the sights in Istanbul you must not miss.

Turkish name: Yerebatan Sarnici. Price: 20 TL. Official site: http://yerebatansarnici.com/

5. Emirgan Park

Emirgan Park is one of the largest parks in Istanbul and is a beautiful breathing space in the middle of the bustle of the big city. Many people rightly call this park the most beautiful park in Istanbul. Here is full of splashing fountains, green areas, playgrounds for the kids, romantic pavilions, and an idyllic lake.

The best time to visit Emirgan Park is in the spring when thousands of colorful tulips spring up and become a true delight to the eyes. Every year in April, the Istanbul Tulip Festival is held here. So, if you want to be sure to experience the tulips from its most beautiful side, you need to visit Emirgan Park in April.

Turkish name: Emirgan Korusu. Price: Free to visit. Official site: https://muze.gen.tr/muze-detay/galatakulesi

6. Galata Tower

Galata Tower is one of the most iconic landmarks in Istanbul and at the same time one of the best things to do in Istanbul. This 67-meter tall medieval tower is among the oldest and tallest towers in all of Istanbul.

The views of the city are truly stunning from here! It allows visitors to get a great overview of the greatness of Istanbul. There’s no doubt that it’s the perfect experience in Istanbul if you want to see the vibrant city from above.

Turkish name: Galata Kulesi. Price: 25 TL.

7. Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world. It’s really huge with more than 4,000 small shops and stalls spread over 61 streets. Yeah, it’s insane! In fact, the Grand Bazaar has previously won the title of the most visited tourist attraction in the entire world.

When you visit the Grand Bazaar, there’s almost a guarantee that you’ll get lost in the maze of narrow streets filled with all sorts of colorful and fragrant goods.

You can buy everything from clothes, jewelry, bags, and shoes to Turkish specialties, rugs, lamps, and souvenirs. Finally, remember to haggle over the price which can often come down to half the starting price.

One thing is for sure, you can’t visit Istanbul without experiencing the hectic and authentic atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar. This is an absolute must-see and one of the very best things to do in Istanbul!

Turkish name: Kapali Carsi. Price: Free to visit.

8. Egyptian Bazaar

The Egyptian Bazaar is also called the Spice Bazaar and is another popular bazaar in Istanbul. Although far from being as large as the Grand Bazaar, this bazaar is still worth a visit.

As soon as you enter the Egyptian Bazaar, you’ll be struck by an abundance of wonderful scents from the many colorful stalls. This is where you’ll find the tastiest spices and a large selection of nuts, dried fruits, teas, and much more that are being sold in the stalls.

Turkish name: Misir Carsisi. Price: Free to visit.

9. Miniatürk

Miniatürk is a miniature park with approximately 122 detailed small models of the historical landmarks of Turkey. All models are made in 1:25 scale of their actual size and most of them are from Istanbul and the rest of Turkey. But there are also few models from the Ottoman territories that aren’t longer part of Turkey.

Miniatürk covers an area of about 60,000 square meters making it one of the largest miniature parks in the world. Miniatürk is especially a fun thing to do in Istanbul if you’re traveling with children.

Turkish name: Miniatürk. Price: 15 TL. Official site: https://www.miniaturk.com.tr/en

10. Bosphorus Strait

The Bosphorus Strait cuts right across Istanbul and is the waters that separate the European and Asian parts of the city. This is where the two worlds meet, two vastly different continents where old meets new and where east meets west. This is also why it’s a great experience in Istanbul to take a boat trip along the Bosphorus.

During the trip, you can really enjoy the beauty of Istanbul from the water. Along the entire coast, there are beautiful houses, majestic palaces, ancient fortresses, and magnificent mosques side by side.

Note that there are several different boat trips on the Bosphorus. It’s just a matter of finding the boat trip that suits your needs.

Turkish name: Istanbul Bogazi. Price: Depends on the boat trip.

11. Istanbul Archaeological Museums

The Istanbul Archaeological Museums actually consists of three separate museums in the same complex consisting of the Archeology Museum, the Ancient Orient Museum, and the Tiled Kiosk Museum.

Together, the three museums contain more than a million artifacts from civilizations around the world. However, it isn’t a secret that the focus is mostly on Istanbul, Turkey, and the entire history of Islam.

When visiting the museum, a learning journey through time awaits you, experienced through beautiful art and artifacts.

However, you should be aware that if you’re not interested in the history of Turkey and Islam, then it’s probably not the best attraction in Istanbul.

Turkish name: Arkeoloji Müzesi. Price: 30 TL. Official site: https://muze.gov.tr/muze

12. Dolmabahce Palace

Built during the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, Dolmabahce Palace is one of the most glamorous and lavish palaces in the world. It’s in fact the largest palace in Turkey and contains no less than 285 rooms, 46 halls, 6 Turkish baths, and 68 toilets.

Nothing was spared as the palace was built and all the rooms are exclusively adorned with gold, crystal, and marble. In addition to serving as the administrative center of the Ottoman Empire, the palace has also served as the home of several sultans. In fact, it has also been an extra home for Turkey’s father Mustafa Kemal Atatürk who died in his bedroom at Dolmabahce Palace.

This palace is definitely one of the most extravagant places you can visit in Istanbul. Oh, and of course it’s also one of the best things to do in Istanbul.

Turkish name: Dolmabahce Sarayi. Price: 60 TL. Official site: https://www.millisaraylar.gov.tr/en

13. Chora Church

Chora Church is a bit away from the typical tourist attractions of Istanbul, but it’s definitely worth a visit. Over time the church has been both a Byzantine church and an Ottoman mosque, but today it functions as the Kariye Museum.

The Chora Church is actually believed to be one of the most beautiful surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. The beautiful interior is certainly no exception and consists of many fine religious mosaics and frescoes that are among the most significant in the Christian world.

Turkish name: Kariye Müzesi. Price: 45 TL. Official site: https://muze.gen.tr

14. Istiklal Street

Istiklal Street is one of the most famous streets in Istanbul and is the city’s answer to the Champs-Élysées in France. This pedestrian street is so popular that it can easily be visited by up to three million people in a single day! This is the pulsating heart of Istanbul and stretches all the way from Taksim Square to just north of Galata Tower.

Istiklal Street is packed with shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and art galleries. It’s one of the best places to go shopping in Istanbul. There’s plenty to do and you shouldn’t be afraid of getting bored. Also, don’t forget to visit the charming little side streets and passages to Istiklal Street.

Turkish name: Istiklal Caddesi. Price: Free to visit.

15. Gülhane Park

Gülhane Park was originally the outermost garden of the Topkapi Palace and was only accessible to the Kingdom. But the park has since been opened to the public and today there’s ample opportunity to enjoy nature amidst the bustle of Istanbul.

When visiting Gülhane Park you can enjoy the view of the Bosphorus Strait, admire the rose gardens, visit several museums, relax by the ponds, or take a walk on the wide paths. Gülhane Park is the perfect thing to do in Istanbul if you need to get away from the busy and hectic streets of Istanbul.

Turkish name: Gülhane Parki. Price: Free to visit.

16. Süleymaniye Mosque

The Süleymaniye Mosque may not be as well-known as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, but it is just as impressive. And best of all, you don’t have to rub elbows with a myriad of other tourists.

This mosque is one of the largest mosques in Istanbul and has attached a hospital, school, kitchen, Turkish bath, and much more. You should be aware that the mosque is used for prayer several times a day. And therefore, I recommend that you visit the Süleymaniye Mosque at other times of the day.

Also, remember to wear appropriate clothing. However, it’s possible to borrow scarves at the entrance.

Turkish name: Süleymaniye Camii. Price: Free to visit.

17. Bosporus Bridge

The Bosphorus Bridge is a 1,560-meter-long suspension bridge that crosses the Bosphorus Strait, connecting Europe and Asia. It was the first bridge to connect the two continents and until it was completed in 1973, you could only sail across the Bosphorus Strait.

If you don’t feel like sailing across the Bosphorus Strait, you should definitely cross the Strait on the Bosphorus Bridge. How cool wouldn’t it be to brag that you’ve walked “all” the way from Europe to Asia? I really think it’s cool!

Turkish name: Bogazici Köprüsü. Price: Free to visit.

18. Camlica Hill

Another of the best things to do in Istanbul is to visit Camlica Hill. This is the highest point in all of Istanbul and offers the most beautiful views of the city, the Bosphorus, and the Sea of Marmara. If you visit Camlica Hill on a clear day, you can actually see all the way to the Black Sea!

The views from Camlica Hill are truly stunning at sunset as the light descends over the city. There are also plenty of opportunities to relax in the scenic surroundings of the park, but it’s probably best enjoyed during daylight.

Turkish name: Camlica Tepesi. Price: Free to visit.

So that’s all on this list of the very best things to do in Istanbul, Turkey. What are your favorite things to do in Istanbul? What are you looking forward to on your trip to Istanbul? Feel free to leave a comment.

Looking for fun things to do in Istanbul? Check out this list of must-see sights and the very best things to do in Istanbul, Turkey.

Read also: The Complete Travel Guide to Istanbul