Flight time
3h 50m
Best season
April–May & September–October
Budget
Budget to mid-range
Best for
History, food, culture, value
Overview
Why Istanbul for a city break?
Istanbul is one of the world's truly great cities — the only metropolis that spans two continents, a city of 15 million people built on the ruins of Byzantium and Constantinople, where Byzantine mosaics and Ottoman minarets share the same skyline and the Bosphorus connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. The Hagia Sophia, built in 537 AD, is one of the most extraordinary buildings ever constructed. The Grand Bazaar has been trading continuously since 1461. The food — meze, kebabs, börek, baklava, balık ekmek (fish sandwiches) on the Galata Bridge — is extraordinary.
From London it's under four hours; well served from most UK regional airports with direct flights. The Turkish lira's significant weakness against sterling has made Istanbul one of the best-value major city breaks available to UK travellers — a Michelin-quality dinner costs what a mid-range restaurant would in London. April to May and September to October are the ideal months: warm, dry and free of the intense summer heat that makes July and August oppressive. A long weekend is the minimum; four or five days does the city real justice.
Where to stay & explore
Istanbul's best neighbourhoods
Sultanahmet
The historic peninsula where Constantinople was founded — the Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and Grand Bazaar are all within walking distance. Tourist-heavy but architecturally unmissable.
Beyoğlu & Galata
The 19th-century European quarter across the Golden Horn — the Istiklal Avenue, Galata Tower, the best restaurants and bars, and the tram that runs up to Taksim Square. The real beating heart of modern Istanbul.
Karaköy & Eminönü
The waterfront districts on either side of the Galata Bridge — the fish market, the spice bazaar, the ferry terminals, and some of the best street food in the city. Take the ferry to the Asian side from here.
Things to do
What to see in Istanbul
1
Hagia Sophia
Built in 537 AD as the largest cathedral in the world, converted to a mosque in 1453 and to a museum in 1934, reconverted to a mosque in 2020 — the Hagia Sophia is now open to visitors but functions as an active mosque, with access between prayer times. The scale of the dome, the gold mosaics of the Byzantine emperors, and the layers of history written on every surface make this one of the most affecting buildings on earth. Go early morning.
2
Topkapi Palace & Harem
The administrative heart of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years — four courtyards of audiences, kitchens, treasury and the Harem, all with extraordinary views over the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The Imperial Treasury (the Spoonmaker's Diamond, the Topkapi Dagger) and the Holy Relics Room are the highlights. Book entry online; the Harem requires a separate ticket and guided tour.
3
Grand Bazaar & Spice Market
The Grand Bazaar — 4,000 shops under 61 covered streets, trading since 1461 — is more tourist than local now but still extraordinary as a physical space. Go for the experience rather than the shopping. The Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) nearby is better for genuine shopping: dried fruits, spices, Turkish delight, fresh bread — and the surrounding streets are where locals actually buy food.
4
Bosphorus Ferry
The public ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy (the Asian side) or the longer cruise up the Bosphorus is one of the finest journeys in city travel — the skyline of minarets and bridges from the water, the tankers heading to the Black Sea, the fishermen on the Galata Bridge below. The standard commuter ferry is a few lira; the longer Bosphorus cruise runs half-day tours up to the second bridge.
Food & drink
Where to eat in Istanbul
Karaköy Güllüoğlu
Baklava / Turkish pastry
The finest baklava in Istanbul — possibly in the world. The family has been making it since 1820; the pistachio baklava and the kadayıf (shredded wheat with clotted cream) are extraordinary. A 200g box costs what a coffee costs in London. Buy and eat immediately.
Çiya Sofrası
Anatolian cuisine / Kadıköy
One of the most important restaurants in Turkey — Musa Dağdeviren's encyclopaedic knowledge of Anatolian regional cooking produces dishes found nowhere else, from the far eastern provinces and lost Ottoman recipes. Take the ferry to the Asian side; the food justifies the crossing. Lunch only.
Mikla
New Anatolian / rooftop
Chef Mehmet Gürs's rooftop restaurant on the 18th floor of the Marmara Pera hotel — a New Anatolian menu of extraordinary sophistication, with a panoramic view of the Istanbul skyline that may be the finest restaurant view in the world. Book well ahead; the sunset slot fills first.
Itinerary
3 days in Istanbul — a suggested itinerary
Day 1
Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, the Bosphorus at dusk
Istanbul Airport is 45 minutes from the centre by Metro and tram (change at Gayrettepe; total cost around £2.50). Get to Sultanahmet and book your Topkapi entry time for 9am — go straight to the Hagia Sophia as it opens, an hour before Topkapi. The scale of the dome and the gold mosaics reward quiet, slow looking. Topkapi Palace: the Treasury first, then the Harem tour (book the guided tour separately), then the third courtyard kitchens and the views. Lunch in the Sultanahmet neighbourhood — avoid the tourist restaurants on the main square and find the lokanta (canteen-style restaurants) on the side streets. Late afternoon: walk down to the Galata Bridge and watch the fishermen. Take the ferry across to the Asian side at dusk — the skyline from the water at sunset is extraordinary. Dinner in Karaköy.
Day 2
Grand Bazaar, the Golden Horn, Beyoğlu and Galata
The Grand Bazaar opens at 8.30am — go early before the tour groups arrive. The Spice Bazaar nearby is better for actual shopping; the streets around it (Hasırcılar Caddesi, Tahtakale) are where Istanbul's wholesale food and spice trade happens at street level. Cross the Galata Bridge (stop for a tea with the fishermen) into Karaköy — Karaköy Güllüoğlu for baklava, then up the steps to the Galata Tower for the view. Istiklal Avenue is a 10-minute walk: the Fish Market (Balık Pazarı) in the backstreets off Istiklal, the 19th-century covered arcade of the Çiçek Pasajı. Lunch somewhere along Istiklal. Afternoon: the Pera Museum (Orientalist paintings, Kütahya tiles, an extraordinary collection of Ottoman material culture) or the Istanbul Modern (the finest contemporary art space in Turkey). Dinner at Mikla if booked.
Day 3
Asian side, Çiya Sofrası, one last çay on the Bosphorus
Ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy on the Asian side — a 20-minute crossing that's one of the great city travel experiences. Kadıköy's market (the Kadıköy Çarşısı) is the finest neighbourhood food market in Istanbul: fish, cheese, fresh bread, pickles, herbs. Lunch at Çiya Sofrası — arrive at noon when it opens. Walk along the Asian Bosphorus waterfront to Moda for coffee and the view back over the European skyline. Ferry back and a final hour at the Süleymaniye Mosque complex (less visited than the Blue Mosque, more architecturally pure) — the çay garden in the Süleymaniye complex, with its views over the Golden Horn, is the finest place to sit and watch Istanbul from. One last apple tea. Done.
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