14 Essentials: what to see and do in Istanbul in 2, 3 or 4 days

Istanbul It is one of the great travel destinations in the world and it is not surprising to know that it is one of the most visited cities.

Its magnificent location on two continents, the enormous quantity and quality of its historical monuments, its modern vitality, its gastronomy in addition to its good hotel offer, everything makes Istanbul A classic on travel bucket lists.

Istanbul It is a huge city, the most populated in Europe, and has been the capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

There are such a number of attractive and interesting places. which offers that it is literally impossible to see them all in a visit of a few days, there will always be things pending that will justify a new visit.

It is very easy to combine a stay for a few days in Istanbul with a tour with other areas of Türkiye, either the Aegean Coast, Cappadocia, Turkish Riviera or any of other less visited but equally interesting areas in the interior of Anatolia.

14 places to see and visit in Istanbul

We selected 14 places to visit on a sightseeing trip to Istanbul and Türkiye.

There are many more, which guarantees that it is an exceptional destination that is well worth spending several days enjoying its attractions.

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

Hagia Sophia It is the great monument that stands out from the immense amount of architectural and cultural wonders that abound so much in Istanbul.

For many, this visit is the great cultural experience of any trip to this city and, logically, it is the most visited monument in the city.

There is no comparable anywhere else in the world.

For more than nine centuries it was the largest church in the Christendom and then, for almost five centuries, the most splendid mosque in the world Islam.

Since 1934 it functioned as a museum, but since the summer of 2020 it has regained the status of a mosque.

Although the exterior is not very attractive, its interior is one of the most splendid on the planet, both for the space created and for the richness of the construction materials and the beauty of the artistic works, especially the byzantine mosaics.

By ceasing to be a museum and becoming a mosque again, the visiting rules have changed, which are now subject to free hours between periods dedicated to prayer, as is the case in all mosques in Turkey.

Blue Mosque in Istanbul

La Sultan Ahmet Mosque, known to all as the Blue Mosque, is one of the monuments most appreciated by visitors.

It is the last major imperial mosque of importance. It occupies part of the land of the Racetrack and the Byzantine Grand Palace.

It is accessed through a porticoed patio that has the same dimensions as the prayer room.

Upon entering, the light that enters through its 260 windows is dazzling and makes the 20.000 Iznik tiles that cover the interior.

The mosque's nickname is due to the fact that most of these tiles are blue, turquoise and green.

Built at the beginning of the 17th century, it is very attractive but all its lavish aspects actually mask the inability of the architects to provide innovations on previous constructions.

Little Hagia Sophia in Istanbul

If you have a little time, it is a good idea to go to the former church of Saint Sergius and Saint Bacchus, which is located about 500 meters from the Blue Mosque.

Like the vast majority of byzantine churches, was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest, adding the minaret and a portico.

It was built in the first half of the 6th century by order of the Empress Theodora. It has been restored a few years ago.

It has a curious structure, that of an irregular quadrangle in which an octagon is inscribed that supports the dome.

Among the most interesting details are the capitals that crown the marble columns; some of them still show the monograms of Justinian and Theodora.

These are some of the details that have fostered the nickname “Little Hagia Sophia”.

Topkapi Palace in Istanbul

El Topkapi palace: Topkapi Sarayi, is the great palace of the sultans in constantinople, is the largest and most important monument of Ottoman civil architecture.

It was the residence of the ottoman sultans and seat of political power of the empire from the mid-15th century to the mid-19th century.

In addition to its architectural and historical value, it is a true museum that displays an almost incalculable amount of jewelry, manuscripts, porcelain, armor, rich fabrics and works of art that belonged to the sultans.

A complete tour includes pavilions, treasury rooms, Harem and a beautiful panoramic view of the Bosphorus.

Along the way it is easy for the imagination to fly when thinking about stories full of mysteries and intrigues in which they participate. sultans, viziers, eunuchs, odalisks, janissaries y concubines.

Underground cistern in Istanbul

Yerebatan Sarayi, known as the Underground Cistern or the Basilica Cistern, is located a few steps away from Hagia Sophia, and it is one of the most curious remains of the Byzantine period in Istanbul.

Is the oldest underground cistern that the water intended for the imperial palace was conserved and stored and the Ottomans continued to use it to serve the Topkapi palace.

Its interior is a space supported by 336 columns, some from previous buildings.

The most notable point is the columns that rest on carved blocks that represent Gorgon heads.

The fact that they are turned or upside down adds a point of strangeness to the place.

Istanbul Hippodrome

El Racetrack was the real one social heart of ancient Constantinople, where everyone came to have fun and talk about politics. It is thought that it could accommodate 100.000 spectators in its stands with 40 rows of seats.

The only thing that remains, in addition to the free space now converted into a very elongated square, are three monuments that adorned the plug, the central podium around which the races were held.

They are the obelisk of constantine, made of roughly hewn blocks; he Obelisk of Theodosius, which was brought from the Karnak temple in Egypt; and the Serpentine column.

This column was erected in the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, in Greece, to commemorate the victory over the Persians in the battle of Plataea.

Over time it has lost the three snake heads that crowned it, and with almost 2.500 years old, it is the oldest monument that can be found in Istanbul.

El Racetrack is now the Sultanhame Squarety is very frequented by locals and visitors.

Istanbul Grand Bazaar

El Grand Bazaar It has been, for more than five centuries, one of the most important social institutions in the city and embodies the commercial character of Istanbul that continually adapts to new times.

His name is Kapali Carsi, Covered Bazaar, and it is like a small city of 65 streets with thousands of shops and workshops as well as warehouses, fountains, mosques, cafes and restaurants.

The best way to explore it is to walk without a specific objective, letting yourself be carried away by the stimuli you receive at all times, absorbing the atmosphere, without trying to visit each and every corner.

Getting lost is part of the visit.

Suleiman Mosque in Istanbul

La Suleiman Mosque It is the most splendid of all Ottoman Istanbul and it's the best job in the world Ottoman capital of Architect Sinan, the most important architect of the empire.

There is no doubt that it is the most important ottoman building in istanbul, surpassed only in magnificence by Hagia Sophia.

It is located at the top of a hill, so it is visible from many points in the city.

Its silhouette stands out above all when viewed from the galata bridge, in the area of Golden horn.

You have to know that the mosque is part of a complex, a complex of related and jointly managed buildings including schools, baths, hospital, kitchen, caravanserai, cemetery, etc.

Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul

El Egyptian Bazaar It is one of the most attractive in Istanbul and the second largest after the Grand Bazaar. It is part of the complex dependent on the New Mosque, New Mosque, and its profits helped finance the whole.

It is also known as Spice Market o Spice Market since before it was specialized in medicinal herbs and spices.

It is made up of two hallways that meet at right angles at the ends, forming a kind of “L”.

Each corridor is flanked by an infinite number of shops, among which there are plenty of spice shops but also sweets, nuts, soaps, fabrics, perfumes and teas.

Don't miss the lively atmosphere in the surrounding streets, where shops, many of them selling food and household items, put their wares on the streets.

Rustem Pasha Mosque in Istanbul

La Rüstem Pasha Mosque It is a little gem built by Sinan, the creator of Suleiman Great Mosque, and despite its small size, it is one of the most beautiful in Istanbul.

Rüstem Pacha He was grand vizier of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and became the richest and most powerful man in the empire.

The mosque opens onto a courtyard, unique in the city as it is situated on a terrace, through a double porch, which is also somewhat unusual.

The rent paid by the shops that occupy the ground floor of this structure has been used to cover the expenses of this institution for centuries.

The mosque is especially famous for its extraordinary tile decoration that covers almost all the walls.

They belong to the period of greatest splendor of the Iznik school, the most famous of the Ottoman Empire.

Galata Bridge in Istanbul

El galata bridge It is one of the liveliest spots in the entire city, and it will be impossible not to pass by it several times during a Istanbul sightseeing tour.

This bridge crosses the Golden horn, the arm of the sea that separates the historic center and a more modern area known historically as Pear o Galata.

The bridge is used by cars and the tram, but there are also pedestrian crossings and at some point you will have to cross it on foot to enjoy the views and the atmosphere.

The bridge is usually occupied by fishermen lined up along the railings.

There is a lower deck of the bridge where numerous bars and restaurants are located.

Having a drink at any of them at dusk while the lights turn on, the silhouettes of the mosques are silhouetted against the horizon and the ferries enter and leave the pier, is an experience not to be missed.

Beyoglu in Istanbul

El Beyoglu neighborhood It is very different from the historic center where the best-known great monuments such as the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, Suleiman Mosque and Topkapi palace.

It is the area where foreign communities, embassies and churches were established, and where the great hotels, the most luxurious shops and the most sumptuous private buildings were built in the 20th century.

The axis of the neighborhood is Istiklal Caddesia, Independence Avenue, which extends between the taksim square y Tunnel.

Although it may not be seen at first glance, the avenue runs along the crest of a hill, which will at some point provide the best surprises of the route since from the rooftops of the buildings, some occupied by bars and restaurants, you can see some stunning views of the city, the Bosphorus and the surrounding area.

La Galata Tower It is the oldest and most spectacular monument in this area.

From the top the views over the city, the Golden horn and Bosphorus They are magnificent.

Bosphorus in Istanbul

Istanbul It is the only city in the world that is located on two continents and the bosphorus, the strait that separates Asia from Europe, is one of the biggest attractions on any visit.

The Bosphorus measures just over 30 kilometers, which separates the Black Sea Of the Marmara, but it is full of attractions.

There are different ways to get around it and the simplest and most economical way is take the public ferry that comes out of the Eminönü terminal (near the southern end of the galata bridge) and begins the journey to Anadolu Kavagi, the end of the route.

This ship is kind of water bus which makes different stops along the way while zigzagging between various ports distributed between Asia and Europe.

Upon arriving at Anadolu Kavagi, there is time to visit the town and eat in one of the numerous restaurants that are located on the banks of the strait before taking the boat back to Istanbul.

It is best to make the trip on a sunny day.

Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul

When in the middle of the 19th century the ottoman sultans They considered that the Topkapi Palace was outdated, they decided to move to the Bosphorus area.

There they were building several palaces, among which that of Dolmabahçe It is the most spectacular, and overlooks the Bosphorus from its western, European shore.

Its main façade is the one that overlooks the strait and stands out especially when you make a ferry excursion.

The visit is a tour of an almost endless series of rooms of all kinds, among which there are many rooms, whether for reception, religious ceremonies, as well as the throne room.

You don't have to miss a walk through the gardens that surround it.