Travel Guide to Istanbul, Turkey

Region: Europe · Budget: Cheap · Flight from UK: 4 hours · Best months: April to May, September to November

Istanbul is the only city straddling two continents — the European side wraps around the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, the Asian side is where most of the 16 million residents actually live. The result is a city of staggering layers: 1,500-year-old Byzantine churches, Ottoman mosques, Art Nouveau apartment blocks, modernist skyscrapers, all in one frame. From the UK you're 4 hours direct. Three or four days covers the headline sights of Sultanahmet (the historic peninsula) plus a wander through the buzzy Beyoğlu and Karaköy neighbourhoods on the other side of the Golden Horn. Take at least one ferry — the 90-minute Bosphorus cruise from Eminönü to the Black Sea is one of the great urban journeys. Lira inflation makes Istanbul excellent value for sterling visitors but always check live rates and use card where possible. Modesty in mosques (covered shoulders/knees, headscarf for women), respect during call to prayer, and a willingness to drink endless cups of tea are the basics.

Budget breakdown (per day, GBP)

Stay £15–£35 · Food £8–£18 · Activities £5–£15 · Total £28–£68

Best time to visit

April–early June and September–October are the sweet spot — 18–24°C, the Bosphorus shimmering, and reasonable crowds. July and August are hot (30–35°C) and very humid. December and January are cold and grey but Christmas-light atmospheric. Avoid Ramadan if you're not used to fasting culture (restaurants are quieter daytime, manic at sunset).

Weather overview

Mediterranean meets Black Sea — hot dry summers, cool wet winters, pleasant springs and autumns. The Bosphorus generates fast weather changes and strong wind chill in winter. Pack layers and a windproof jacket in shoulder seasons.

Suggested trip length

Weekend or 1 Week

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul, drop bags at your accommodation and take a slow orientation walk through the centre to get your bearings before the jet lag hits. Grab an early dinner near your hotel — somewhere you can walk back from in five minutes — and have an early night to reset your body clock. If you've still got energy in the evening: Hagia Sophia.
Day 2: Grand Bazaar in the morning while you're fresh and the light is good for photos, followed by a long local lunch somewhere off the main tourist drag. Afternoon: explore a neighbourhood you haven't seen yet on foot, stopping for a coffee or a drink whenever you find a spot that looks right.
Day 3: Bosphorus cruise — book any tickets in advance online to skip the queues, which can easily eat 90 minutes in peak season. Afternoon: a slower café-and-shops loop in a different part of town, then dinner somewhere recommended by your accommodation hosts rather than a top-10 list.
Day 4: Turkish bath. Use the second half of the day for any souvenirs or gifts to take home, and try a restaurant outside the main tourist strip — typically 30–40% cheaper for noticeably better food. End the day somewhere with a view, sunset is usually the best free attraction in any city.
Day 5: Day trip out of Istanbul — a coastal town, mountain village, vineyard region or nearby city is usually under an hour by train, bus or ferry and gives you a completely different angle on Turkey. Pack light, leave early, and aim to be back for a relaxed dinner.
Day 6–7: Revisit your favourite spot from earlier in the week now that you know your way around, slow down with a long lunch, and pick up anything you missed on the first pass. Use the final morning for a quiet breakfast and a final wander before heading to the airport — leave at least 3 hours' buffer for international flights.

Things to do in Istanbul

Visit Hagia Sophia first thing (8:30am) before the queues build — entry is £20, modest dress required.
Walk through the Blue Mosque (free) at non-prayer times — bring a scarf if you're a woman.
Explore Topkapi Palace gardens for an hour — the harem section is worth the extra £8 ticket.
Wander the Grand Bazaar (4,000 shops) and the smaller, more atmospheric Spice Bazaar — bargain firmly on textiles, less so on food.
Take the 90-minute long Bosphorus ferry from Eminönü — £4 for the public version, much better than tourist cruises.
Coffee on the rooftop of the Mikla hotel in Beyoğlu at sunset — the best 360° view of the Old City and the Bosphorus.
Cross to the Asian side via ferry to Kadıköy — wander Moda neighbourhood, eat at Çiya Sofrası (legendary Anatolian cuisine).
Hammam at Çemberlitaş or Cağaloğlu — both are 16th-century historic baths with proper full-treatment options around £40–60.

Best areas to stay in Istanbul

Sultanahmet — the historic peninsula, Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque on your doorstep. Touristy but unbeatable for first-timers.
Karaköy — across the Golden Horn, brilliant restaurants, art galleries and rooftop bars; walking distance over Galata Bridge to the Old City.
Beyoğlu (Galata / İstiklal) — the buzzy modern centre, best for nightlife, with the Galata Tower as your landmark.
Beşiktaş — leafier, more residential, with great seafood meyhanes (taverns) and the Dolmabahçe Palace.
Avoid hotels right on İstiklal Caddesi for sleep — central but loud until 2am.

Transport tips

From Istanbul Airport: the new metro M11 reaches central Istanbul in 70 minutes for £1 — much cheaper than the £35 taxi.
From Sabiha Gökçen (Asian side): bus or Uber to the centre takes 60–90 minutes depending on traffic.
Get an Istanbulkart on arrival — works on metro, tram, bus, ferry and the historic Tünel funicular.
Tram T1 runs through Sultanahmet, across the Golden Horn and through Karaköy — most useful single line for tourists.
Ferries are not just transport, they're the experience — use them to cross to the Asian side and to do the Bosphorus cruise.

Safety tips

Istanbul is generally safe for tourists; the main risks are scams (the 'shoeshine' setup, the 'Turkish friend' inviting you to a bar with a £200 bill) rather than violence.
Pickpocketing on tram T1 around Sultanahmet — keep zips closed.
Female travellers should expect occasional unwanted attention but rarely anything aggressive — confident dismissal works.
Always agree taxi fares before getting in or insist on the meter (taksimetre) — and use Bolt where possible.
Tap water is technically safe but most travellers stick to bottled.

Visa & entry requirements (UK travellers)

Visa-free for UK passport holders for stays up to 90 days in 180.