A cultural guide to Istanbul
Ancient architecture, hip coffee houses, bustling bazaars—Türkiye’s most iconic city has them all
Your essential guide to the best things to see and do in Istanbul. Find more travel inspiration for more amazing cities here.
If one thing is constant in Istanbul, it’s change. From the city’s very name—first Byzantium, then Constantinople, now Istanbul—to the signs of economic growth you see on every street corner, it’s a compelling crossroads of past and present, construction and decline, religious and secular, chaos and order and—as the clichés have it—East and West.
You’ll find Roman ruins (you can still walk parts of Constantinople’s walls—the section near Chora Church is well worth a visit), Byzantine churches, and fascinating Ottoman treasures like Topkapi Palace, former home of the Sultans. Either way, with its extraordinary spread of history and its beguiling views of the Bosphorus Strait, it deserves its reputation as one of the world’s most memorable cities.
Art & architecture
Orientate yourself with a trip up the Galata Tower, one of the Istanbul skyline’s standout features, with prime city-scanning views. Take the Tünel funicular railway up there from Galata Bridge—as the world’s second-oldest subway system (after London’s Tube), it’s a perfectly preserved piece of history in itself. Some of Istanbul’s iconic sights are best seen from the water, such as Dolmabahçe Palace, the once-home of Atatürk, the legendary leader who made Türkiye technically secular (though overwhelmingly Muslim) and whose picture can still be seen gazing imperiously down from most government buildings.
Take in Istanbul’s other sightseeing big-hitters with a tour of the “Historical Peninsula”: Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace, all offering a slightly different slice of the city’s history. Take your time at the latter to explore an ornate harem decorated with hand-painted tiles, shady gardens with panoramic views, and room after room of glittering, jewel-encrusted treasures.
A more sedentary way to appreciate the city’s architecture is with a trip to one of its famed hammams: bathhouses that are often centuries-old former palaces, with stunning domed architecture to match. Pay for an attendant and you’ll be massaged and scrubbed until your skin feels restored, then linger in the heated rooms until your feet feel the same—make sure to tip when you leave.
Art lovers, meanwhile, are spoilt for choice. A few standout spots: architecturally innovative Arter in Beyoğlu; Ara Güler Museum, with its vintage photographs of the city through the years; Taksim’s AKM Gallery; and, of course, the scene-defining Istanbul Modern (see Hot ticket, below).
Food & drink
Istanbul runs on heavy fuel. Start your day right with a Turkish breakfast—a buffet spread groaning with white cheese, jam, olives, honey and fresh bread. Power up with a cup of çay (tea)—served small and strong, with plenty of sugar—or try a strong, dark coffee at one of Istanbul’s hip new third-generation coffee houses, such as the local icon Karabatak in Karaköy.
Istanbul has quite the fine-dining scene: Try Michelin-starred Mikla for impeccably plated food and panoramic city-skyline views; or book ahead at Turk Fatih Tutak, Turkey’s first two-Michelin-starred restaurant, for its elevated takes on the nation’s street food classics, such as pickle juice and böreks.
Finally, a visit wouldn’t be complete without something sweet: Lokum (Turkish delight) and baklava (rich, honey-laden, flaky pastry bites) can be found on every street corner, and perfectly offset the aniseed flavor of raki, Türkiye’s national drink.
Street food is everywhere and not to be missed: Check out the charmingly ramshackle Karaköy fish market (Karaköy Balik Pazari), a local-favorite spot where you can get grilled fish wraps loaded with glistening pomegranate seeds and vibrantly colored salad, or even a full seafood platter.
Music
Well worth checking out is Bomontiada, a complex in an abandoned beer factory that houses art exhibits, bars, dining, and Istanbul’s premier music venue for club nights and live performances, Babylon. Live music fans could also book tickets to a concert at Salon IKSV, a music venue in Beyoğlu that features the hottest names in alternative, jazz, experimental and world music, and also hosts the Istanbul Music Festival in June, considered to be the most prestigious classical music festival in Türkiye.
Shopping
Istanbul is a shopper’s treasure trove. Start at the tacky-yet-fascinating, fakes-filled Grand Bazaar, then on to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar for rose and eucalyptus teas, mounds of aromatic saffron and scented essential oils; or meander up the winding streets of Çukurcuma, with its oddball antiques stalls and carpet shops.
Türkiye has a happening fashion scene; wander through the neighborhood of Nişantaşı, where the country’s most prestigious designers have their ateliers. Also worth checking out is the flagship store of the hip jewelry designer Begüm Khan, recently profiled in Vogue.
In Karaköy, leaf through historic photography books and uncover more of the city’s past at the Karaköy branch of Istanbul Kitapçisi, a bookstore charmingly situated on top of Karaköy Pier ferry terminal, with a café, terrace and portholes looking out onto the Bosphorous.
Hot ticket
The city’s first contemporary art museum, Istanbul Modern, sparked the opening of many of the city’s smaller spaces, and still reigns supreme. It’s worth a revisit following its 2023 reopening in an iconic new building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano. The bigger-and-better Galataport site now houses modern art and photography exhibitions, event spaces, a library and a movie theater, plus dining options with incredible views.
Istanbul is enormous, with off-the-charts traffic issues (one phrase that needs no translation for visitors is the taxi drivers’ “Çok trafik problem,” said with a sigh and a tut)—so pick your base carefully. Beyoğlu hosts most of the key tourist sights, such as the Hagia Sofia, the Golden Horn and the Grand Bazaar, and its streets wind down to the Eminönü ferry terminal, from where black-and-white, cross-continent ferries will take you to the less explored—but no less fascinating—Asian side of the Bosphorus.
The Asian-side district of Kadıköy and its Moda neighborhood are up-and-coming, with hip cafés and bars set against a slightly more traditional slice of Istanbul life. Have a night out on Kadife Sokak—or what the locals call “bar street.” Stereogun bar is a favorite among residents and has a terrace with a cracking view.
The hip waterside area of Karaköy is an excellent base, its pedestrianised streets lined with hipster coffee shops like Karabatak, colorful umbrellas and jewelry shops. Meander around nearby Çukurcuma for offbeat antiques, kilim rugs, carpet shops, and cute little cafés; Cihangir is also near the action and is thronged with coffee houses and smart boutiques.
Rachel Sullivan is Expedia Group’s Creative Director of Editorial. Before joining Expedia, she had a career in magazine publishing, writing for titles from Condé Nast Traveller to Brides, Red and The Sunday Times.
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