History · Istanbul · Turkey
8 historic sites to see in Istanbul
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque). Together the 8 picks below take roughly 11–13 hours across 5 areas; 4 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 4
- Time to see them all
- 11–13 hours
- Areas
- Sultanahmet, Beyazıt and Galata
Historic sites in Istanbul
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Religious site · Sultanahmet
1.Hagia Sophia
Visitors who are not praying follow a separate, ticketed route to the upper galleries, where Byzantine mosaics such as the Deësis look down into the vast domed nave.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Art
Palace · Sultanahmet
2.Topkapı Palace
Its four courtyards lead to the Imperial Treasury with the Topkapı Dagger and the Spoonmaker's Diamond, the Sacred Relics rooms, tiled pavilions and terraces overlooking the meeting of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The Harem, the sultan's private quarters, needs a separate or combined ticket and is worth it.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Views
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Religious site · Sultanahmet
3.Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
It is an active mosque with free entry for visitors outside prayer times, and it faces Hagia Sophia across the Sultanahmet park and fountain.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
Market · Beyazıt
4.Grand Bazaar
Old caravanserais (hans) around its edges still house workshops. It shuts on Sundays and public holidays.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Shopping
- Free
- History
- Rainy day
Viewpoint · Galata
5.Galata Tower
A lift and stairs lead to a narrow balcony with a 360-degree view over the Golden Horn, the Old City skyline and the Bosphorus; the lower floors hold a small exhibition on the tower's history.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- Iconic
- History
- Couples
- Photo spot
Historic site · Sultanahmet
6.Basilica Cistern
A walkway leads through a dim forest of 336 marble columns, many recycled from older buildings, to two column bases carved with upside-down Medusa heads. Restored lighting and occasional art installations make it one of the most atmospheric stops in the Old City.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Kids
- Photo spot
Market · Eminönü
7.Spice Bazaar
Its stalls are piled with spices, dried fruit, nuts, Turkish delight and tea, and the streets outside are where locals buy coffee, cheese, cured meat and kitchenware at lower prices.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Free
- History
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Religious site · Süleymaniye
8.Süleymaniye Mosque
Its calm, light-filled interior is less crowded than the Sultanahmet mosques, and the garden holds the tombs of Süleyman and his wife Hürrem Sultan. The rear terrace looks over the Golden Horn to Galata.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Views
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Sultanahmet | Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace, Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) and Basilica Cistern | 1–1.5 hours + 3–4 hours + 45 minutes + 45 minutes |
| Beyazıt | Grand Bazaar | 2–3 hours |
| Galata | Galata Tower | 1 hour |
| Eminönü | Spice Bazaar | 1 hour |
| Süleymaniye | Süleymaniye Mosque | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 4 free, 4 mid-priced. Book ahead for Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace. The longest visit is Topkapı Palace; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Hagia Sophia: Queues for the visitor entrance build quickly in summer; arrive early in the morning or buy the ticket online where offered.
- Topkapı Palace: Buying the ticket online or arriving at opening time avoids the longest ticket queues in summer.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Sultanahmet): Hagia Sophia, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 2 (Sultanahmet): Topkapı Palace → Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Sultanahmet, Beyazıt and Galata): Basilica Cistern → Grand Bazaar → Galata Tower, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Eminönü and Süleymaniye): Spice Bazaar → Süleymaniye Mosque, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 10 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Still cold and grey, but museums and mosques are uncrowded and ferries are pleasant on clear days.
- January: highs of 9°C (48°F), about 12 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold, wet and windy, with occasional snow; the quietest month at the monuments and the lowest hotel rates outside New Year.
- March: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Changeable weather with mild sunny spells; the first spring blossom appears and crowds are still light.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Sultanahmet — Old City monuments, carpet shops and wooden Ottoman houses on the historic peninsula
- Galata and Karaköy — Cobbled lanes below Galata Tower, third-wave cafés and the Istanbul Modern waterfront
More of Istanbul
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Istanbul?
Hagia Sophia. Built in 537 under Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was the largest church in Christendom for nearly a thousand years, became a mosque in 1453, a museum in 1934 and a mosque again in 2020.
+Which of these are free in Istanbul?
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque), Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar and Süleymaniye Mosque.