Simple Guide to Istanbul, Turkey
With our recent travels to Central America, we seem to have neglected our monthly City Spotlight Series. This month’s spotlight highlights one of the world’s oldest and most impressive cities – Istanbul, Turkey.
WHERE is it located?
Historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople, the largest and most populated city in Turkey is located on the western most point of the country. Istanbul is the only metropolis in the world that is built on two continents, the eastern part of the city in Europe and the western part in Asia.
The Bosphorus Straight splits the city, and continents, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara (which links to the Aegean Sea, and thus the Mediterranean Sea).
WHY should you visit?
Without trying to sound like a travel brochure, Istanbul is the perfect destination for those that enjoy food, culture, history, architecture, shopping and sightseeing. There are plenty of museums, churches, mosques and bazaars to keep visitors busy for days – we spent 6 days exploring the bustling city and still only scratched the surface!
Listening to the soothing Muslim Call to Prayer while sipping on a Turkish coffee at an outdoor cafe, it’s easy to get seduced by the city’s energy. Istanbul balances Western modernization with Eastern tradition, creating a distinct atmosphere that can only be found in Turkey.
Exquisite Ottoman mosques are sandwiched between stylish boutique shops and cozy restaurants proudly displaying giant rotating meat spits. But it’s the buzzing social scene and energetic nightlife that have given Istanbul the title of “World’s Hippest City”. Istanbul restaurants are open late, catering to the Turkish style of dining that typically spans over several hours, often including mezze (selection of small dishes) and raki (anise-flavored spirit).
To learn more about the variety of Turkish cuisine, check out our Foodies Guide to Turkish Food.
WHEN should you visit?
Istanbul has hot, dry summers and cold, rainy winters. Because of this, the best time to visit Istanbul is around spring and autumn, roughly from April to June and from September to October. Most of the unpleasant weather happens between October and March. Although it’s uncommon, Istanbul can experience snow in winter months, so pack accordingly!
WHAT to see and do?
Even though Turkey is a Muslim country, you don’t need to travel far to find Istanbul nightlife and entertainment districts. Taksim Square, located on the European side of the city, is the major shopping, tourist and leisure district famous for its restaurants, cafes, bars and hotels. Sultanahmet is the heart of historic Old Istanbul, where you will find beautifully restored Byzantine and Ottoman buildings and the majority of the city’s celebrated landmarks.
Some of the most popular Istanbul attractions:
- Topkapi Palace – the lavishly decorated palace was the seat of Ottoman power for over three centuries
- Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) – greatest church in Christendom for 1,000 years. First a Byzantine church, then converted to an Ottoman mosque and presently a Turkish museum
- Sultanahmet Mosque – often called the Blue Mosque because of its interior tiles, this is one of Istanbul’s most recognized landmarks for good reason – it’s spectacular!
- Byzantine Hippodrome – the political and recreational heart of Byzantine Constantinople and Ottoman Istanbul, now a city park called the At Meydanı (Horse Grounds)
- Grand Bazaar – one of the largest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 covered streets and over 4,000 shops
- Egyptian Spice Market – one of the oldest bazaars in the city and second largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. Every spice you can imagine, displayed in colourful pyramids
- Bosphorus Cruise – the perfect 90-minute, half-day or full-day Istanbul excursion, traveling upriver towards the Black Sea while passing castles, palaces and Ottoman-Victorian villages (see photo below of the boat we took during our trip)
- Dolmabahçe Palace & Mosque – the Sultan’s extravagant European-style palace on the Bosphorus River
- Princes’ Islands – nine small islands about 20km southeast of the center of Istanbul free of motor vehicles
- Historic Hamams – Turkish baths, an essential part of any trip to Istanbul, many cater to tourists
HOW to get to Istanbul?
Most travelers will arrive in Istanbul via Istanbul Atatürk Airport, 20 km west of the city centre. From IATA, it takes about 20–40 minutes depending on traffic. Travel options from the airport include taking a taxi, the light metro and the express airport shuttle bus called Havaş. The main Havaş city terminals are at Taksim Square (European side) and the Kozyatağı Business Center (Asian side).
Istanbul’s Main Bus Terminal is the Büyük Otogar, a massive station with hundreds of bus companies that run thousands of daily buses. This terminal offers bus transportation to all of domestic Turkey, plus international trips to Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and the Balkans, central Europe and the Middle East.
Most international trains arrive at Haydarpaşa Terminal, the busiest rail terminal in Turkey and the Middle East and one of the busiest in Eastern Europe.
TRAVEL TIPS for Istanbul, Turkey
Most visitors arriving in Istanbul will need to purchase a “sticker visa” to enter the country (essentially a tourist tax). It’s a painless process that requires little planning, but make sure you have proper cash on hand. For some reason, Canadians are charged the highest entry fee at US$60. Almost every other country only has to pay between US$15 to US$20, or nothing at all.
Taxi drivers are notorious for ripping off both locals and tourists. Public transit in the city is quite good, so plan to use it. Keep in mind, Istanbul has an extensive bus network, various rail systems, funiculars, and maritime services that transport more than 13 million residents every day. Get familiar with the transit maps and purchase the iButtons or smart RFID cards ahead of time – this will save you time and money, and it will prevent the common dilemma of not having proper change.
Bosphorus Cruise about to pass under the iconic Bosphorus Bridge
Entrance to the ancient Grand Bazaar, the ultimate medieval shopping centre
Fresh grilled fish at Eminönü near Galata Bridge
Inside the courtyard of the Blue Mosque in the Sultanahmet district
Riverside views of Dolmabahce Mosque from the Bosphorus Cruise
Have you visited Istanbul, Turkey? Care to share some travel tips with our readers?
Please share your feedback in the comments section below!
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Cameron and Nicole Wears are Canadian married couple and newbie parents living in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. A passion for travel and outdoor adventure has taken them to over 50 countries on 6 continents in the past 7 years. Consider following us via 
I was around 22 when I went to Istanbul, and we only stayed for one night (stopover on a cruise). At that point in my life, it was the most different and exciting place I had ever been. I must go back and spend more time.
One more thing to do is go to a Turkish Bath. Well, don’t go if you have a problem being naked in a room full of naked women and having a Turkish woman give you a scrub down
The Travel Chica recently posted..I Came All the Way to South America to Drink Gato Negro
Yeah! Turkish baths are great as long as you don’t mind being naked with a room of strangers. It’s like the common washrooms in Japan too!
I’m heading to Istanbul in a couple of weeks – your tips on public transport were really helpful and your pictures have made me so excited for the trip!
Rachel recently posted..Being A Tourist In Your Own Country- Exploring London
Hope you have a great time. The city is beautiful.
I love how you get to experience the modern of Istanbul and the rich history of Constantinople… This is perhaps my favorite city in the world because of that combination.
We really like it too! Very rich in culture, yet very modern.
I was lucky enough to have lived in Istanbul for a year and I swear to god, that city absolutely stole my heart! Thanks for the great photos that made me homesick for the city that really feels like a home away from home to me!
Your welcome! Hopefully you will be able to visit again soon.
I LOVED Istanbul, even though I was only there for one night (cruise stopover). I highly recommend a Turkish bath… such a different experience.
I spent a month in Istanbul in 1992. I fell completely in love with it and am bummed to have not been back since. Its everything you guys say here and more. The depth history and culture is amazing. Thanks for the post!
Priceless! Thanks so much for this guide. Istanbul is high on our list, and I’m hoping we make it there in the near future.
Istanbul is one of those amazingly mysterious cities that just captures the imagination. I was there during the big earthquake of 1999 and saw firsthand just how amazing and resilient the Turkish people can be. I would love to get back there one day…
Raymond recently posted..Experience Cambodia on Your Holiday
We visited Istanbul during the Ramadhan, and it was excellent! In this Moslem holy month, every night after they are done fasting, there’s a big food festival in the Hyppodrome (the square beside the Blue Mosque). Food, singing, dancing, toys, and other attractions. We went there almost everynight during our stay in Istanbul.
We got the fish sandwich from the boat cafe along the river, and it was amazing!
Dina recently posted..Deodorizing on the road, or how not to be a stinky traveler
Istanbul is a magical city which I think many find quite intense and confusing when they first visit, but the people are so friendly and there is so much life in the city, as well as culture and colour that I have not heard of anyone leave it without falling at least a little bit in love with the place!
Liv recently posted..Guide to Expat Living in Turkey
Great article! Glad to hear that you enjoyed Istanbul. Unfortunately, they will shut down the Historical Haydarpasa train station and the railroad to Asia for two years for construction.