The Historical Peninsula (Turkish: Tarihi Yarımada, alsoSuriçi, "Walled City") is the oldest part of the city, and the location of most of its historic sights.

Understand

Constantinople exclusively referred to this peninsula surrounded by water to its north, east, and south (the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, and the Sea of Marmara, respectively) and by the old city walls to its west. The rest of what is today Istanbul were independent urban and rural communities, fields or even complete wilderness later absorbed by the city. This process is still going on as Istanbul grows with an increasing speed.

The construction of Yenikapı train and subway station, from 2004 to 2014, on the southern coast of the peninsula, revealed archeological finds that date the very first time of Istanbul's settlement back to about 8000 years ago, which makes the city one of the oldest still-inhabited spots of the world. However, tradition states that Byzantium was first settled by Greek colonists from Megara on the Greek mainland in 667 BC. According to this tradition, they and their leader Byzas consulted the Delphi oracle, who said they would create a great harbor city "across from the land of the blind". After much sailing, they arrived at the strategically superb peninsular site of the Seraglio Point (Sarayburnu) and encountered some fishermen who told them they lived in Chalcedon, a very less privileged site across the Bosphorus. ("They are the blind!", said Byzas to himself). This spot that the Megarans chose to found their new colony is now occupied by Gülhane Park and the Topkapı Palace. The urban area was greatly expanded by Constantine the Great for his Imperial capital, inaugurated on 330 AD: foundations of the Constantine walls were uncovered by the digs for Yenikapı station. Later on, Theodosius II extended the urban development even further out — the Theodosian Walls built during his reign in the 5th century have enclosed the entirety of the peninsula.

By the time of the Ottoman conquest, the peninsula was the last vestige of the Byzantine Empire, except a strip of land along the Black Sea up to the Bay of Burgas and arguably the far-away territories held by loosely associated entities in the Peloponnese in the west, Crimea in the north, and Trabzon in the east.

Sultanahmet or Blue Mosque

Once the starting point of the Hippie Trail, the Sultanahmet area has been the main tourist district of the city since the 1960s. As the Hippodrome of Constantinople, it was for long one of the main social centres in the city — a role it still seasonally plays during the evening feasts in Ramadan — and hence is a part of the old city with an exceptionally disproportionate number of historic sights. The name of the district derives from the Turkish name of the imposing Blue Mosque on one side of its main square, which in turn is named after the Ottoman sultan Ahmet I (r. 1603–1617), who had the mosque built, and is buried in a mausoleum on its grounds.

Parts of the peninsula have been in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1985.

In an administrative reform in 2009, the area covered in this guide was declared the district of Fatih, after a quarter in the northwest of the peninsula and its central mosque (see the listing below). While you may see this naming in use in official material and e.g. the postal addresses, this guide sticks with the colloquial usage which applies the narrower definition, and Fatih refers to the said quarter only.

Orientation

The peninsula is formed by a number of elongated plateaus, which gently descend to the valleys in-between and rather more steeply to the coastlines. Some points of these plateaus are relatively higher than their surroundings, and these are known as the "seven hills of Constantinople/Istanbul", replicating the model of Rome, which also has seven hills in its ancient core. Obviously, all of this is heavily built-up now, but the topography is still there.

The ancient Mese ("Middle Street") of Constantinople still forms a major thoroughfare. Its present-day names are Divan Yolu Caddesi ("the state council road", the Ottoman-era ceremonial route leading to the palace, and lined by numerous 16th–19th-century Ottoman imperial tombs in various styles) between Sultanahmet (ancient Augustaion, the I^st hill) and Çemberlitaş (Forum Constantini, the Forum of Constantine, the II^nd hill), Yeniçeriler Caddesi from Çemberlitaş to Beyazıt (Forum Tauri, the Forum of the Bull, or of Theodosius, the III^rd hill), and Ordu Caddesi gradually sloping down west from Beyazıt through Laleli, where fragmented and unidentified antiquities from the Theodosian forum are displayed along the southern sidewalk, to Aksaray (Forum Bovis, the Forum of the Ox). The tram line runs along its entire course, and the section between Beyazıt and Sultanahmet is closed to motorized traffic.

Alemdar Caddesi

East from Sultanahmet, the tram line curves around the contour of the peninsula, following Alemdar Caddesi and then Ebussuud Caddesi through Gülhane down to Sirkeci — Ankara Caddesi forms a helpful, more direct shortcut here for pedestrians and other traffic.

From Sirkeci and adjoining Eminönü (connected to Galata by the Galata Bridge), a major street follows the shoreline of the Golden Horn, successively named Ragıp Gümüşpala Caddesi, Abdülezelpaşa Caddesi, and Ayvansaray Caddesi towards northwest. It is served by the tram line .

At Aksaray, Ordu Cd connects to Atatürk Bulvarı, the central north-south boulevard in one of the valleys. Atatürk Blv runs from Yenikapı on the Marmara coast to the Unkapanı Bridge crossing the Golden Horn (beyond to Beyoğlu and Taksim Square). The metro line roughly follows the same direction underground, albeit some distance away to the east. West of Aksaray, Ordu Cd splits into two 1950s-built boulevards leading towards the city walls on either side of the Topkapı gate (the VII^th hill; a word of caution: this is nowhere near the identically named Topkapı Palace): Millet Caddesi, or officially Turgut Özal Bulvarı, is the southern one where the tram line continues along the central strip. The sites in the southwest are most easily accessed by diverging off west of Aksaray into Cerrahpaşa Caddesi. To the north, Vatan Caddesi, officially Adnan Menderes Bulvarı is the other modern boulevard — resembling more of an urban motorway for better and worse — and follows the valley of the ancient Lycus River, with the metro line underneath.

Vezneciler Caddesi branches off from Ordu Cd at Beyazıt, where a series of alleys leads north to Süleymaniye. Past the interchange with Atatürk Blv, the street is named Fevzipaşa Caddesi. Paralleling southerly Vatan Cd from that point on, Fevzipaşa Cd follows the ridge to Fatih (the IV^th hill) and eventually to the Edirnekapı gate (the VI^th hill) of the walls. At Fatih, a collection of streets leads down to the Golden Horn, through Istanbul's ultraconservative quarter (see the "stay safe" notice below) of Çarşamba (the V^th hill).

Finally, Kennedy Caddesi, built on land reclaimed from the sea in the late 1950s thus stranding the sea walls inland, roars its way from Sirkeci around the Seraglio Point and then along the Marmara coast, through Cankurtaran, Kumkapı (the location of the European portal of the Eurasia Tunnel, Avrasya Tüneli, linking under the Bosphorus with the Asian Side), Yenikapı, Cerrahpaşa, Samatya, and Yedikule towards the western suburbs. The tram line , running along the right-of-way of the old railway into Sirkeci in the heart of the Old City, more or less tracks the same route.

Of course, there are innumerable secondary streets and a labyrinthine network of perhaps thousands of alleys connecting with these main roads and each other, but fear not: getting lost is one of the joys of strolling Old Istanbul, and the rough areas you may unknowingly stumble into are few and far between. If you feel really lost, head towards the first glimpse of the sea, and you will soon meet one of the above routes.

Get in

Being central, the Old City is easy to reach by public transport, and see also Istanbul main page.

By metro

1 Sirkeci was formerly the main point of arrival from Europe. It's long been closed to mainline trains, which now terminate at Halkali 25 km west. Sirkeci is a stop on the Marmaray network, with cross-city and Metro trains deep underground but nothing at street-level. See below for the railway museum here.

The Marmaray cross-city line runs between Halkalı in the western suburbs, via several dozen stops including Sirkeci, under the Bosphorus to Kadıköy, then out east to Pendik and Gebze. Trains run 06:00-23:00 every 15 mins, fares are by distance but won't exceed 21,91TL. This is the quickest way to reach Asia side, and to connect with mainline trains east and west. For a more direct route to Sultanahmet from the Asian side, consider taking the Marmaray train line from Üsküdar or Ayrılık Çeşmesi stations, which passes under the Bosphorus and arrives at Sirkeci station, within walking distance to Sultanahmet.

Metro lines from the western suburbs (including the main bus station at Esenler) and from north of the Golden Horn meet each other and Marmaray at Yenikapı, which is useful for a transfer to the tram line T1 (Aksaray station, 600 m apart) as well as to the nearby ferry port. On M2, the other useful stations are Vezneciler for the scattered sights around Süleymaniye and Fatih, and another chance to change to T1 (Laleli-Üniversite, 280 m), and Haliç station on the Golden Horn metro bridge, where you can change to the tram line T5 (Cibali, 750 m). On M1, Aksaray is the transfer station to T1 (Yusufpaşa, 250 m away) and Emniyet-Fatih provides a secondary approach to the Fatih area (some uphill walking).

By tram

The tram line T1 is the most useful public transportation route, with stations close to most of the major sites. It runs the length of the peninsula, and links with Galata and further north, and the suburbs in the west. Within the old city, the most helpful stations are at Eminönü, Sirkeci, Gülhane, Sultanahmet, Beyazıt, and Aksaray. With a transfer at Kabataş from the funicular line down from Taksim, this line also offers one of the easiest approaches from that area. Trams can be very crowded, but services are frequent and journey times are short.

The tram line T5 runs north from Eminönü (although from a separate station from that of T1) along the Golden Horn to Fener, Balat, and Ayvansaray, eventually reaching Eyüp and Alibeyköy Cep Otogarı, the secondary intercity bus station on the outer beltway.

The tram line U3/T6 skirts the eastern and southern coast and serves the southwest, with transfers to T1 at Sirkeci, M1A, M1B, M2 and Marmaray B1 at Yenikapı, and once again to Marmaray B1 at Kazlıçeşme.

The tram line T4 is outside the district, but marginally useful: the stations near its southern terminus are just outside the city walls (including Topkapı, where it's possible to change to the T1 station of the same name). It diverges off at Edirnekapı towards the northwestern suburbs.

By bus

• Any bus to Eminönü or Beyazıt will pass within 10 mins walk of Sultanahmet.
• Buses bound for Kocamustafapaşa (#35 from Eminönü, #35A from Aksaray, #35C from Taksim) and Kazlıçeşme (#80 from Eminönü, #80T from Taksim) are the only reasonable public transport option for the sites in the southwest.

By boat

Ferries cross the Bosphorus from Kadıköy and Üsküdar to Eminönü. There are also smaller private boats plying on the same routes. Another option is to take the ferry from Üsküdar to Kabataş and take the tram. If you are arriving in Istanbul by one of fast ferries from towns across on the southern and southeastern coast of Marmara, your likely point of entry to the city is Yenikapı on the southern shore of the peninsula.

• 2 Eminönü Pier (Eminönü İskelesi). (updated Apr 2024)
• 3 Yenikapı Ferry Terminal (İDO Yenikapı Terminali), Kennedy Cad.. (updated Apr 2024)

By taxi

In Istanbul there are plenty of yellow taxis and cab fares are not expensive. A ride from Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW ^IATA) to Sultanahmet is about 45 km and costs around 145 TL, as of Feb 2018.

On foot

Most of the sights in the old city are close enough to be negotiated on foot, as they are in or near Sultanahmet Square. For many others, just follow the tram tracks. However, between Eminönü/Sirkeci and Sultanahmet, it's quicker to shortcut along Ankara Cd as the tramline makes a roundabout loop through that part of the city.

The sidewalk along the street between Sirkeci, Gülhane, and Sultanahmet is not very wide and trams pass along fairly close to the sidewalk, so watch your step especially when you hear tram's bell.

See

Prices quoted here apply to foreign tourists, Turkish residents pay far less. Most of Istanbul’s highlights are in or around Sultanahmet Square.

Do not take transport to "Topkapı" unless you want to go 10 km west to the city walls, nowhere near Topkapı Palace. If you're very unlucky with your taxi driver, he might take you to a re-screening of a 1964 caper movie starring Peter Ustinov and Melina Mercouri.

Sultanahmet

Virtual image of the Hippodrome, left

• Sultanahmet Square (At Meydanı) is a long public square just west of Blue Mosque. It was formerly the hippodrome: those ancient buildings have almost vanished but you can trace the U-shaped racetrack, nowadays 2 m below street level. The first hippodrome was from 203 AD, but re-built under Constantine in 324. Chariots hurtled around in the colours of rival political factions, which came to be bossed by the Greens and the Blues. A spot of crowd trouble in 532 left 30,000 dead and half the city in ruins. The hippodrome was abandoned after the Crusader attack of 1204, but the square retains several monuments: a couple of obelisks, and the stump of the "serpent column". Grandest, at the north end, is the German Fountain of 1901, a gift by Kaiser Wilhelm for the Sultan's approval of the Berlin–Baghdad railway project. West side of the square is the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.
• 1 Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), At Meydani Cd 10 ( Sultanahmet 250 m), ☏ +90 212 518 1319. May-Oct 09:00-21:00, Nov-Apr 09:00-19:00. The defining image of Istanbul, dominating the skyline with its great dome and six minarets. Completed in 1617 for Sultan Ahmed I, it's still a working mosque, so dress appropriately and avoid prayer times. Enter via the courtyard on the SW side. You step (shoeless) into the blue-tiled prayer hall beneath the main dome and its semi-domes. The mihrab is of finely carved marble, well-lit, and the minbar (pulpit) next to it is visible from almost all parts. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

Hagia Sofia

• 2 Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya), Ayasofya Meydanı ( Sultanahmet 300 m), ☏ +90 212 522 1750. 24 hours. The third and grandest of the churches on this site, completed in 537 AD. The 30-m diameter dome covers what was for over 1000 years the largest enclosed space in the world, only surpassed in 1520 by Seville cathedral. It used "pendentive" architecture to throw the dome's weight onto four stout pillars, a design that inspired many Eastern Orthodox churches and Ottoman mosques. It became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest in 1453, remaining so until 1931. It was then a museum until 2020 when it was again proclaimed a mosque. That means you must work around prayer times and dress appropriately. Adult €25. (updated Feb 2025)
• Soğukçeşme Sokağı means "Cold Fountain Street" and it's a car-free cobbled street north side of Hagia Sophia, descending to the gate of Gülhane Park. It's lined by picturesque wooden Ottoman houses, some repro. The fountain is at the upper end by the entrance to Topkapi Palace, a rococo kiosk of 1728 dedicated to Sultan Ahmed III.
• 3 Topkapı Palace, Babı Hümayun Cd 1 ( Sultanahmet 650 m; and see warning above), ☏ +90 212 512 0480. W-M 09:00-17:00. The imperial enclave of the Ottoman emperors for four centuries. Lavishly decorated, with exhibitions of fine craftmanship and four courts of increasing grandeur. The second court has the Harem and the State Treasury, housing a weaponry display. The third court has the Imperial Treasury, with Islamic and Christian relics. The views from the Fourth Court over the Bosphorus are spectacular. Reckon on spending several hours here and bring water as the museum kiosk is overpriced. Adult 1500 TL (combi for Palace, Harem and Hagia Irene). (updated Feb 2025)
• Hagia Irene is within the grounds of Topkapı Palace, in the southern courtyard off Soğukçeşme Sokağı. It was built in 532 after its predecessor was wrecked in the hippodrome riots. Unusually, it was not converted to a mosque by the Ottomans but became an arsenal - a weapons store - until 1826. It's now mostly a concert hall. Same hours and ticket as the main palace.
• Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum (Türk ve İslam Eserleri Müzesi), Atmeydanı Sk 12 (West side of Sultanahmet Square, Sultanahmet 350 m), ☏ +90 212 518 1805. Daily 09:00-17:00. A profusion of carpets, rugs, calligraphy, pottery, Qu'rans and other manuscripts. The museum is housed in the Palace of Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha (1495–1536), who was grand vizier to Suleiman the Magnificent, and the best of pals till Suleiman had him murdered. Adult €17. (updated Feb 2025)

Basilica Cistern

• 4 Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarnici), Yerebatan Cd 1/3 ( Sultanahmet 260 m), ☏ +90 212 512 1570. Daily 09:00-18:30, 19:30-22:00. Vast underground cistern built by Justinian in 532 to store the city's water, the largest and best-known of the hundreds constructed. It's a cathedral-like space with 336 richly decorated columns. Time was you explored in a little rowing boat, but tourist numbers have soared and water levels have dropped, so now you follow a boardwalk, with lights, piped music and art installations. It's sometimes a film location, and stages concerts. But the crowds rob it of atmosphere and you might prefer to seek out one of the less-visited cisterns. 900 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Milion is 50 m south of the cistern entrance on Divanyolu Cd. It's the last scrap of the "Mile Zero" monument from which all road distances were reckoned in the Eastern Roman / Byzantine Empire. This was built in the 4th century by Septimus Severus, emulating the Golden Milestone in Rome, Mile Zero for the Western Empire. It was a domed four-arched monument, but destroyed in the 16th century. A fragment was excavated in 1968 and erected as a sorry-looking pillar.

North of Sultanahmet to Eminönü

Gülhane Park

• 5 Museum of Archaeology, Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu ( Gülhane 350 m), ☏ +90 212 520 7740. Daily 09:00-17:30. Turkey was slow to protect its antiquities and to display them properly, but in 1867 Sultan Abdülaziz toured the museums of Paris, London and Vienna and saw what was needed. The main collection is in a grand neo-classical building of 1891, with two annexes for ancient art and Islamic art. Exhibits include Sumerian tablets, pieces of the wall of Babylon, Roman statues, and the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great, which he never lay in. Adult €15. (updated Feb 2025)
• Gülhane Park stretches for a km east side of Topkapi and Agia Sophia. These were the outer royal gardens, made into a public park in 1912. Lots of seasonal flowers (Gülhane means "house of roses"), mature plane trees to shade strollers from the summer heat, and parakeets, of unknown provenance but they seem to like it here. There are three entrances, north from Kennedy Cd on the coastline, west by the Museum of History of Science and Technology in Islam, and south from Alemdar Cd near Blue Mosque; no direct entrance from Topkapi east.

• • Column of the Goths near the north entrance is a victory monument erected 3rd or 4th century AD when the Romans bashed the Goths yet again, but eventually Rome fell to them. It's thought to be the oldest intact Roman artefact in the city.
  • Orphanage of St Paul near the column was founded in 573 AD.
  • Zoo, aquarium and similar amusements, all gone. These and a dozen fast food outlets cluttered the place until 2000 but then all were swept away and the park was re-modelled with much more open space.
  • Gülhane Park Cistern was discovered during the 1912 makeover. It housed the aquarium but is now an art space, free.
• 6 Museum of the History of Science and Technology in Islam (İslam Bilim ve Teknoloji Tarihi Müzesi), Taya Hatun Sk 8A (west side of Gülhane Park). Daily 09:00-17:30. Museum in a restored building that was the stables for Topkapı Palace. It exhibits various instruments for astronomy, clocks, pumps, weaponry and so on developed in Islamic realms down the centuries, but these are modern repro, and explanations of their context are skimpy. Islamic science and technology preceded that of Europe, as they insist, but they get the tone wrong, as if that was the triumphal culmination rather than the springboard for further advance. Adult €10. (updated Feb 2025)

Sirkeci was once the Europe-side temrinus

• Istanbul Railway Museum (İstanbul Demiryolu Müzesi), Sirkeci Railway Station (street level) ( Sirkeci 130 m, Sirkeci), ☏ +90 212 520 6575. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Housed in the Europe-side railway terminus of 1890, this exhibits Ottoman and modern Turkish railway history. The Orient Express came and went from here, with passengers for further east transferring to ferries then the Asia-side terminus of Haydarpaşa, for trains to Crimea, Baghdad and Damascus. Free. (updated Feb 2025)
• Yeni Camii or New Mosque was built in the 1660s, so it is indeed new by city standards. It's an imposing building with 66 domes at the south end of Galata bridge.
• Turkish Banking Museum is in a former post office south side of Yeni Camii at Bankacılar Sk 2. It's open Tu-Su 10:00-18:00, and free.
• 7 Rüstem Pasha Mosque, Hasırcılar Cd 62 ( Eminönü 450 m). Daily 06:00-21:30. Built in 1564 by Mimar Sinan for Rüstem Pasha, Grand Vizier of Suleiman the Magnificent, this small mosque has an interior covered by beautiful Iznik pottery, then at its zenith. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

South of Sultanahmet to Cankurtaran

• Great Palace Mosaics Museum (Büyük Saray Mozaikleri Müzesi), Arasta Bazaar (100 m south of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 518 1205. Temporarily closed. This museum hosts the pavement mosaics of the Great Palace of Constantinople, which stretched from the Hippodrome to the coast. (updated Feb 2025)
• 8 Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque, Suterazisi Sk ( Sultanahmet 650 m), ☏ +90 212 524 6410. 24 hours. Sokollu Mehmet Pasha was the grand vizier and de facto ruler of the Ottoman Empire during its 16th century golden age. He commissioned this mosque, one of three in the city to bear his name, but the sloping site was a challenge. He hired the best, Mimar Sinan, who completed it in 979 AH / 1571 AD, with the slope resolved by a fronting courtyard above shops and a medrese. The interior has outstanding İznik blue tiles, and three fragments of the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) of the Kaaba: above the main entrance, minbar and mihrab. Free. (updated Feb 2025)
• 9 Little Hagia Sophia (Kücük Ayasofya Camii), Küçük Ayasofya Cd 78 ( Sultanahmet 850 m). Sa-Th 09:30-20:30, F 14:30-20:30. Built as the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus around 530 AD, the same time as Hagia Sophia, but their styles differ. Transformed into a mosque in the early 1500s, it's beautifully decorated, with fine marble details, and has a pleasanter atmosphere than the larger busy mosques. The adjoining madrasa houses craft shops. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

West of Sultanahmet to Beyazıt

• 10 Theodosius Cistern (Şerefiye Sarnıcı), Piyer Loti Cd 2/1 ( Çemberlitaş 220 m), ☏ +90 212 222 2882. Daily 09:00-19:00. This was rediscovered in 2010 when an overlying building was demolished. It was built circa 430 AD to store water brought in by Valens Aqueduct. It's smaller than the better-known Basilica Cistern, but better lit, more atmospheric and less touristy. Adult 650 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• 11 Column of Constantine is at the corner of Yeniçeriler Cd and Vezirhan Cd ( Çemberlitaş 15 m). Erected in honour of Constantine in 328 AD, it's nowadays 35 m tall, with rough-hewn porphyry blocks. Originally it was topped by a statue of Constantine flouncing like Apollo at a gay cabaret; this blew down in the 12th century and was replaced with a cross that the Ottomans briskly removed. They reinforced the column with iron bands, Çemberlitaş, which became the name of the neighbourhood.
• 12 Nuruosmaniye Mosque, Vezirhan Cd 33 ( Çemberlitaş 230 m). Built 1748-55, this launched the style we call Ottoman Baroque, with its grand central dome and pencil-thin minarets. It was copied throughout their empire and is replicated in new mosques even today. The name means "light of the Ottomans," and the interior uses light powdery decor, bathed with much more natural light than its gloomier classical predecessors. The complex also has a madrasa and the imaret (public soup kitchen). Free. (updated Feb 2025)

North of Beyazıt: Vezneciler and Süleymaniye

Zeyrek Mosque

• 13 Kalenderhane Mosque, 16 Mart Şehitleri Cd 11 ( Vezneciler 100 m). Built circa 1200 as the Eastern Orthodox Theotokos Kyriotissa Church, after the Ottoman conquest it was handed over to the Qalandari, a Sufi sect. In the mid-18th century it was converted to a Sunni mosque, and its mosaics were plastered over. The original appearance was restored in the 1970s. (updated Feb 2025)
• 14 Süleymaniye Mosque, Prof Sıddık Sami Onar Cd 1 ( Vezneciler 750 m), ☏ +90 212 458 0000. Sa-Th 08:30-17:00, F 08:30-13:30. On top of a hill overlooking the Golden Horn, this is a magnificent mosque built by Sinan in the 1550s. It was centrepiece of a large külliye, a religious complex which included madrasas, a public kitchen and a hospital.. The small cemetery east has the mausoleums of Suleiman the Magnificent and of his wife Hurrem Sultan or Roxelana. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

Valens Aqueduct

• 15 Valens Aqueduct (Turkish: Bozdoğan Kemeri) vaults across the valley and Atatürk Blv ( Vezneciler 600 m). It's a double-storey aqueduct completed in 368 AD during the reign of Valens, bearing water collected as far away as Vize 120 km west in the mountains of Thrace. Dozens of cisterns and pools then stored the water for distribution, with the nobles grabbing most. It was in use until the 20th century. The surviving section is 921 m long.
• 16 Molla Zeyrek Mosque, İbadethane Sk 2 ( Vezneciler 1.3 km, Cibali 800 m). 24 hours. This is a triple structure: the church of the Monastery of Pantokrator built 1118, then a public church circa 1136 plus a chapel that served as a royal mausoleum. It became a mosque and medresse in Ottoman times, but without massive alteration so it's a prime example of middle-Byzantine architecture. It's nowadays again a mosque, photogenic by day or dusk but the area should be avoided at night. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

Northwest: Fatih to Edirnekapı

• 17 Column of Marcian stands on Kızanlık Cd ( Aksaray 550 m uphill, Vezneciler 950 m). It's red-grey Egyptian granite, erected around 450 AD in honour of Emperor Marcian, whose statue has disappeared from its top. In Turkish it's Kıztaşı, the maiden's stone, for the engravings of female guardian spirits at its base.
• 18 Fatih Mosque, Hattat Nafiz Cd 6 ( Emniyet Fatih 950 m). The original mosque was built between 1463-1470 by the Greek architect Atik Sinan, by order of Sultan Mehmet II the Conqueror, on the site of the former Church of the Holy Apostles, which had served as Byzantine Imperial burial place for a thousand years. The grand complex with eight medreses, a library, hospital, hospice, caravanserai, market, hamam, primary school and public soup kitchen was smashed again and again by earthquakes, and the present building is from 1771 to a different design. The interior is lavish, and outside is the ornate tomb of Mehmet II and his wife Gülbahar Hatun. Free. (updated Feb 2025)
• 19 Hırka-i Şerif Mosque, Akseki Cami Sk 1. Completed in 1851, this houses a mantle said to have been worn by the prophet Muhammad. The mantle is displayed during Ramadan. (updated Feb 2025)

Along the Golden Horn

This was the non-Muslim quarter of Ottoman Istanbul, with the districts of Fener, Balat and Ayvansaray.

• 20 St George's Cathedral (Turkish: Aya Yorgi, Greek: Agíou Geōrgíou), Dr Sadık Ahmet Cd 19 ( Fener 400 m, Fener 350 m), ☏ +90 212 531 9670. 08:30-16:00. This is modest from the outside, as the Ottomans would not permit non-Muslim religious buildings to rival the mosques. The interior is lavish but its chief importance is as the senior Eastern Orthodox church. Their Patriarchate has been housed here since 1586 when they were ejected from Agia Sophia. (updated Feb 2025)

Phanar Greek Orthodox College

• Phanar Greek Orthodox College is the red-brick castle seen south of St George. Built 1881/83, it teaches the standard Turkish curriculum plus Greek language and culture, and the tower houses an observatory. No visits.
• 21 Fethiye Mosque (Pammakaristos Church), Draman Cd ( Balat 1 km). The Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos ("All-Blessed Mother of God") was built between the 11th and 12th centuries. The parekklesion or side-chapel was added maybe 1300, with rich mosaics. The main building became a mosque in 1591, named for Sultan Murad III's conquest (fetih, hence Fethiye) of Georgia and Azerbaijan: the interior was opened up, but the chapel was undisturbed and in modern times became a museum. In 2020 the entire building was proclaimed a mosque, and every scrap of Byzantine artistry was covered up, so now there's nothing worth seeing. Free. (updated Feb 2025)
• 22 St Stephen Church (Sveti Stefan Kilisesi), Mürselpaşa Cd ( Balat 280 m, Fener 260 m), ☏ +90 212 248 0921. Daily 09:00-17:00. A remarkable Bulgarian Orthodox church better known as Demir Kilise, "Iron Church", as it's a cast iron prefab. The Bulgarians split from the Greek Orthodox and established their own wooden church in 1870, which burned down. The ground was too weak for a masonry or concrete structure so they opted for cast iron. The sections were cast in Vienna, shipped here and assembled, to open in 1898. The church was renovated in 2018, but the archpatriarchate building across the street remains a gaunt shell. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

Kariye Mosque, originally Chora Church

• 23 Ahrida Synagogue, Kürkçü Çeşmesi Sk 7 ( Balat 400 m). This was built in the 1430s by Grecian Jews ("Romaniotes") from the city of Ohrid, now in North Macedonia. The district of Balat was a Jewish quarter, swelled from 1492 by those expelled from Spain. The synagogue is only open for pre-arranged tours. (updated Feb 2025)
• 24 Palace of the Porphyrogenitus (Tekfur Sarayı), Şişhane Cd ( Balat 850 m), ☏ +90 212 525 6130. Tu-Su 09:00-17:00. The Byzantines built several great palaces in Constantinople and this is the only one to survive almost intact. It's from the late 13th century, in typical alternating marble and red-brick rows, and was an imperial residence: Porphyrogenitus means "born to the purple" indicating the heir to the crown. Yet it was merely an annex or pavilion within the much greater Palace of Blachernae, of which nothing else remains. It's set within the north end of the Theodosian Walls and was much bashed during the Ottoman capture. Later it was variously a menagerie, brothel, pottery, poorhouse and bottle works, then fell derelict in the 20th century. In 2021 it re-opened as a museum. Adult 300 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• 25 Kariye Mosque (Chora Church), Kariye Cami Sk 18 ( Edirnekapı 900 m), ☏ +90 212 631 9241. Sa-Th 09:00-17:00. Chora means countryside, and when built as a monastery in the 4th century it stood outside the Constantine walls; a century later, it was incorporated into the Theodosian walls. It was rebuilt in the 11th century then wrecked by an earthquake, so the structure and fabulous mosaics you see now are 14th century. When the church was converted to a mosque in 1500 the mosaics were plastered over, and only restored in 1958 when it became a museum. In 2020 it was again proclaimed a mosque but here (unlike Fethiye Mosque) they saw the sense and tourist income of preserving the mosaics. You need to work around prayer times. Free. (updated Feb 2025)

Southwest

• City Walls were first built in the 4th century under Constantine, then a second line was built further out in the 5th century under Theodosius II. This outer wall closed off the entire peninsula from the Golden Horn to the Marmara coast and is mostly intact, though battle-scarred and with gaps for modern highways. For the complete walking route along them see Theodosian Walls Walk. There are easily accessible sections around Chora Church (above), the Pazartekke station of T1 tram line, and Yedikule Fortress.
• 26 Panorama 1453 History Museum, Topkapı Kültür Park ( Topkapı 200 m), ☏ +90 212 222 2882. Daily 08:00-18:30. This is a circular indoor space enclosed by a 3D depiction of the Ottomans breaching the Walls of Constantinople on 29 May 1453, with sound effects. It's over-priced, unhistorical and tourist-trappy. Adult 650 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Istanbul City Museum is under construction next to the panorama.
• 27 Koca Mustafa Pasha Mosque (Sümbül Efendi Mosque), Koca Mustafapaşa Cd 183 ( Kocamustafapaşa 650 m), ☏ +90 212 585 0502. Daily 07:00-19:30. Built in the early 5th century as a monastery dedicated to Saint Andrew the Apostle, in 766 it was the burial place of Saint Andrew of Crete and was later re-dedicated to him. It was rebuilt in the late 9th century and again in the 13th, then around 1490 converted into a mosque. From the 16th century it was occupied by the Dervishes, when the legend arose that a chain hung to a cypress tree in the courtyard was a truth diviner. The chain was swung between rival witnesses and the one it hit was telling the truth. The cypress stump is still standing. (updated Feb 2025)

Panorama of the Ottoman capture

• 28 Monastery of Stoudios (İmrahor Mosque), Mühendis Ali Sk 1 ( Yedikule 500 m). Byzantine monastery complex built in 463 AD. In the 15th century it served as İmrahor Mosque, but was wrecked by fires and earthquakes. A ruin it remains, and plans to restore it as a mosque have come to nothing. You'll probably find it locked. (updated Feb 2025)
• Belgrade Gate 500 m north of Yedikule Fortress is a stout section of the city walls.
• 29 Yedikule Fortress, Yedikule Meydanı Sk 9 ( Yedikule 300 m), ☏ +90 212 453 1453. Tu-Su 08:30-17:00. The Golden Gate was the ceremonial entrance through the Theodosian city walls. After the Ottomans captured the city in 1453, Mehmed II needed a stronghold for his treasures and documents. The gate was therefore bricked up and the walls reinforced into a fortress, with valuables stored in its seven towers, hence yedi kule. In the following century the treasury moved to Topkapi Palace and the fort became a prison for high-level detainees - Osman II was strangled here in 1622. It remained in use until 1837, whereupon the Golden Gate was re-opened. Adult 250 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Yedikule Gasworks was built in 1873 and in use to 1993. It was turned into an art exhibition space and there are plans to make it an events venue. It's 200 m south of the fortress across the railway bridge.
• Marble Tower was built by the Byzantines around 1402. It's not marble, but when built was lapped by the Sea of Marmara. That's been pushed back by landfill so it now stands next to Kennedy Cd 200 m southwest of the gasworks.

Do

• Walk Along the Golden Horn Poke around forgotten corners just over this hauntingly beautiful inlet from the Bosphorus. You make some thrilling - and chilling - "finds" on cobbled streets as you trace its narrow alleyways and ancient squares. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate housing a column which is believed to have been used for the binding and flogging of criminals in Jerusalem is here. The magnificent Neo-Gothic, Neo Baroque - well literally hand-made doll house - St. Stephens Church is on the western shores. The cascading domes and four slender minarets of the Imperial Suleymaniye Mosque dominating the skyline. One of Istanbul’s surviving mediaeval synagogues, and trendiest houses in town that are now enjoying their second or even third type of use. Highlight is the famous Chora the Byzantine marvel of mosaics and frescoes.

Hamams

Hürrem Sultan Hamamı

Hamams are traditional Turkish baths. Few people of old had piped water, so there are scores of public hamams throughout the city and especially around Sultanahmet. These have Ottoman architecture and offer the standard bath ritual but many have got into the lucrative wellness industry, with "therapies" unimagined by even the most debauched of Sultans.

• 1 Hürrem Sultan Hamamı, Aya Sofya Meydanı ( Sultanahmet 400 m), ☏ +90 212 517 3535. Daily 08:00-22:00. Bathhouse built in 1556 by Mimar Sinan, the chief Ottoman architect, at the request of Hürrem Sultan (Roxelana), wife of Suleiman the Magnificent. It was built over the former public baths of Zeuxippus, abandoned around 713. Restored in 2011, it's now an upmarket spa. 60 min €150. (updated Feb 2025)
• Çemberlitaş Hamamı, Vezirhan Cd 8 (facing Constantine's Column, Çemberlitaş 30 m), ☏ +90 212 522 7974, contact@cemberlitashamami.com. Daily 07:30-22:30. Built in 1584, credited to Mimar Sinan but he probably only had light-touch supervision. It was astride the city's highway from Europe and very profitable, in spite of multiple earthquakes and fires. It fell out of use late 19th century but in the 21st was revived as a tourist experience. Adult about 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• 2 Cağaloğlu Hamamı, Prof Kazım İsmail Gürkan Cd 24 ( Sultanahmet 400 m), ☏ +90 212 522 2424, info@cagalogluhamami.com.tr. Daily 09:00-22:00. Built in 1741, the last major hamam opened in the Ottoman era. It has ornate architecture, great service and a stellar cast of famous visitors. Prices to match, and only tourists now use it. From €70 per hour. (updated Feb 2025)
• 3 Şifa Hamamı, Şifa Hamamı Sk 12 ( Sultanahmet 600 m), ☏ +90 212 638 3849. Daily 09:00-23:00. Established in 1777, this is one of the cheaper options. It's marble throughout and the fittings could be original. It has a mixed main section and a separate female section for the scrubbing. One hour €50. (updated Feb 2025)
• 4 Süleymaniye Hamamı, Mimar Sinan Cd 20 ( Vezneciler 750 m, Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı 900 m), ☏ +90 212 520-3410, info@suleymaniyehamami..trFORMAT. Daily 10:00-21:30. Commissioned by Süleyman the Magnificent and built by Mimar Sinan in 1550, at the east edge of Süleymaniye mosque complex. It had private cubicles for distinguished visitors such as the sultan, but was mostly a standard working-class bathhouse. It was restored in 2001 and is nowadays touristy. It's the only mixed hamam in Istanbul, but mixed sessions are only for couples and families. 90 min for €75, cash only. (updated Feb 2025)

Buy

One of the Grand Bazaar rows

You can buy tourist-kitsch souvenirs all around the city. A magnet with coloured picture of Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia will cost 2 TL each. Haggling over the price is the norm when shopping. Shopkeepers usually let you offer a price lower than the retail price; once a price agreeable to both is met, then the sale can be finalized.

Bazaars

• 1 Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı). M-Sa 09:00-19:00. Istanbul's grand old bazaar with an estimated 4,400 shops lined along covered walkways. It is said to be the world's oldest shopping mall, covers several blocks and features a labyrinth of side streets to keep you lost for the better part of a day. The shops are organized around their wares, e.g. the silver jewellers are clustered together, the carpet shops are clustered elsewhere and the shoe shops are bunched together somewhere else. Parts of it now are modernized and rather touristy—most locals don't shop here—and you are likely to pay up to twice as much as elsewhere. However, with the vast selection you will find what you're looking for and it is one of Istanbul's character pieces. (updated Feb 2019)
• 2 Egyptian Bazaar / Spice Market (Mısır Çarşısı) (in Eminönü). This is also a covered bazaar, but a lot smaller than the Grand Bazaar, and as its name implies, houses herbalist and spice shops. It is very touristy. Good for taking some nice pictures, but shopping should be only be done elsewhere, prices are up to twice as high as in the rest of the city. (updated Feb 2019)

Shops

• Rugs and kilims
  • Mevlana Rug Store, Torun Sk 1, ☏ +90 212 517-1260. The only store recommended by The New York Times. (updated Feb 2010)
  • Mehmet Cetinkaya Gallery, Küçük Ayasofya Cd, Tavukhane Sk 7, ☏ +90 212 517-6808. Glorious museum-quality textiles, a feast for the eyes. (updated Feb 2010)
• Chalcedony, Ayasofya Caferiye Sk 2, ☏ +90 212 527-6376. One stop shop for raw rocks, smooth stones and finished jewellery of the pale-blue. They also sell chalcedony, a semi-precious gemstone named after the nearby ancient town of Chalcedon (modern Kadıköy across the Bosphorus). (updated Feb 2010)
• 3 Historia, Vatan Cd (Adnan Menderes Blv) 2 ( Aksaray 300 m, İskenderpaşa 30 m), ☏ +90 212 532-0202, fax: +90 212 531-1010, info@historia.com.tr. Historia is the only shopping mall in the Old City (and will likely stay that way, as large-scale development is restricted in most of the area), and is the place to go if you are looking into something more modern and less touristy than in the Covered Bazaar. Usual selections of garment, electronics, and furniture stores, a large supermarket, as well as a bowling alley, fast food joints, and a movie theatre. You may also want to check out Fenari İsa Mosque next door, just across the alley at the side of the mall. This is a small, red-brick Byzantine church from the early period. A fire damaged it in 1918, and it was derelict for decades afterwards until it was renovated in the 1970s and has since served as a mosque. 

Areas

A shopping alley in Mahmutpaşa

• 4 Laleli is the main centre of textile wholesale business, with many stores specializing in leather.
• 5 Tahtakale, Mercan, and Mahmutpaşa, extending from Eminönü uphill to Beyazıt, form the main commercial area for the local clientele. Always busy and crowded, thousands of shops often within centuries-old buildings lining its streets join to create an open-air bazaar atmosphere, where anything from electronics to ornamental plants are in offer. If you can't find what you are looking for here, it's doubtful you can anywhere else.

Eat

Restaurants around Sultanahmet are mainly targeted at tourists, and charge much higher prices than those in places such as Galata. The quality of the restaurants aimed at tourists varies, so it's well worth looking for online reviews or following the recommendations of a good guidebook when making your selection (this also reduces your exposure to the aggressive touts employed by many of the restaurants). If you don't want to spend too much money on food, consider walking away from the Sultanahmet area north or westwards for 10 minutes to have much cheaper – and probably nicer – meal.

Budget

For budget meals it is advisable to avoid the restaurants along the tram line and to the immediate west and south of the Blue Mosque. For really budget places, where locals eat, head to Gedik Paşa Cd, south of Beyazıt, and look around in the side streets. Peykhane Cd, closer to Sultanahmet, features restaurants with meals costing a little more, but still lower than Sultanahmet proper.

• Osman Gourmet Restaurant, Klodfarer Cd 27/B (block west of Turkish & Islamic Arts Museum), ☏ +90 212 638 3444. Daily 09:00-02:00. Inexpensive family-friendly restaurant. (updated Feb 2025)
• 1 Karadeniz Aile Pide ve Kebap Salonu, Divanyolu Cd Hacı Tahsinbey Sk, Sultanahmet (about five meters down a side street just a bit west from the Sultanahmet tram stop), ☏ +90 212 528 62 90. Their specialty is pide, and at this they excel. The other dishes are also good though. Prices are ordinary for a quality pide place. Friendly staff. (updated Sep 2022)
• 2 Meşhur Pideci Orhan Usta, Macuncu Sk 5A, ☏ +90 212 511 7433. M-Sa 07:00-19:00. Welcoming small restaurant, good value. (updated Feb 2025)
• 3 Pak Pide Pizza Salonu, Paşa Cami Sk 27, Mercan. Friendly owners, very tasty traditional pide, prepared quickly and authentic in the wood-fired stone oven. Great flavors. Amazing, relaxed local spot for delicious konya. Worth the walk up the hill to get there. 60-80 TL. (updated Jun 2023)
• Galata Bridge has half-a-dozen mid-price fish restaurants, but for budget food go down to the lower level near Eminönü ferry pier - listen for cries of Balik ekmek! The fishermen are no longer allowed to sell their "fish in bread" straight off the boat, but two outlets here are Eminönü Balık Ekmek and Deniz Yildizi Balikci.
• Ali Usta Çiğ Köfte, Muhzirbaşı Sk 6 (50 m west of Sirkeci station). Daily 08:00-21:00. Good value köfte takeaway, veggie choices. Ali the owner is an instagram celeb for his videos jibing customers, so you may be in a long line. (updated Feb 2025)
• 4 Efsane Kahvaltı, Sarıdemir, Fatih. 07:00-16:00 (closed Su). Well away from the typical tourist areas, the friendly staff, excellent food, and great prices make this neighbourhood breakfast place worth the detour. Breakfast plates, sandwiches, and menemen on offer, amongst other options. 60-100 TL. (updated Jun 2023)
• 5 Eminönü Börekçisi, Two locations along Ragıp Gümüşpala Cd. Inexpensive and very good neighbourhood börek place. Börek portion approx 50 TL. (updated Jun 2023)
• Oses Çiğ Köfte, Büyük Çukur Hanı shopping centre (just east of Rüstem Paşa Mosque), ☏ +90 212 527 0215. Daily 09:30–21:00. Inexpensive chain restaurant, mostly köfte but has vegan dishes. (updated Feb 2025)

Mid-range

• Doy Doy Restaurant, Sifa Hamamı Sk 13 (opposite Şifa Hamamı), ☏ +90 212 517 1588. Daily 9:00-23:00. Cafe spread over three floors and a roof terrace with views over the sea and Blue Mosque. Good range of Turkish meals and mezes, with veggie choices. (updated Feb 2025)
• 6 Palatium Cafe & Restaurant, Kutlugün Sok. 33 (Opposite Four Seasons Hotel), ☏ +90 212 516 5132. Daily 11:00-23:45. Decent food and ice cold beer. Lounge in the comfy bean-bag chairs, and backgammon and Nargileh are available. The restaurant looks down into the foundations of a Roman-era palace. (updated Sep 2022)
• 7 Cafe Amedros, Hoca Rüstem Sok 7, ☏ +90 212 522 83 56. Daily 09:00-00:00. Good Ottoman cuisine and a small international & vegetarian selection. The street here is plagued by aggressive touts, but they drift away once you've sat down and one of them has earned his baksheesh. (updated Sep 2022)
• 8 Rumeli Restaurant, Ticarethane Sk 11 (One block west of Basilica Cistern), ☏ +90 541 904 9604. Daily 09:30-02:00. Not cheap, but good value for its Ottoman and Turkish cuisine, service and vibe. (updated Feb 2025)

Other cuisine

Admit it, you might want a break from Turkish, especially if you've been touring away from the city, where alternatives are rare.

• 9 Korecan, Cankurtaran Meydanı Sk 10 (Tram: Cankurtaran), ☏ +90 531 515 7217. Daily 11:00-21:00. Good Korean cuisine. (updated Feb 2025)
• 10 Virginia Angus Steakhouse, Uzun Çarşı Cd 2. (updated Sep 2022)
• Burgerillas, Büyükbaş Sk 3/C (east side of Rüstem Paşa Mosque), ☏ +90 212 519 7676. M-Sa 08:00-21:00, Su 09:00-20:00. Decent burgers, sit in or take away. They have ten other city locations. (updated Feb 2025)
• Changcheng, Peykhane Cd (within Hotel Fehmi Bey), ☏ +90 212 458 6760. Daily 10:00-22:30. Good Chinese food. (updated Feb 2025)

Splurge

Restaurants beneath Galata Bridge

• Four Seasons Hotel, Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi İçi Bab-I Hümayun Avlusu Tarihi Karakol Binası, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul (see Sleep listing), ☏ +90 212 638-8200, saray@konyalilokantasi.com. Lunch 12:00-15:00, Sat brunch from 11:00. Seasons Restaurant does lunch for non-residents, but what it's famous for is its sumptuous (and pricey) Saturday brunch. (updated Mar 2019)
• There's a cluster of fish restaurants beneath the Galata Bridge over to Kadikoy. Their open-air decks have great views of the Old City, with the water traffic bustling past as if you were on a liner in harbour. The sea reflects the view and so do the prices. These places are happy for you just to sit and drink without eating.

Drink

Kumkapı comes alive at night

Bars: Sultanahmet doesn't really do freestanding bars, they're usually part of a restaurant or hotel. Some options are: Galata Star on the bridge, Wagon Bar and Red River Pub adjacent off Hüdavendigar Cad, Beni Afet on Atmeydani Cad, Just Bar on Akbiyik Cad, Pierre Loti off Divan Yolu Cad, and Room Bar off Ataturk Blvd.

1 Kumkapı , an old fishermen quarter south of Beyazıt on the Marmara coast boasts traditional taverns specializing in seafood, with tables lining the streets.

2 Samatya in the southwest was also a fishermen quarter. It is the other area renowned for its taverns, additionally featuring kebabs in their menus.

Cafés and dessert restaurants are numerous. They include:

• 3 Sarayburnu Aile Çay Bahçesi (Exit Gulhane Park below the Gothic Pillar, cross busy Kennedy Cad. Turn left and take the ugly road down and right to Sarayburnu point). Tu-Su 24 hrs, M 07:30-00:00. Ugly surrounds but this open-air cafe has fantastic views. Tea, coffee and many flavours of hubble bubble. (updated Mar 2019)
• 4 Anadolu Nargile (Çorlulu Ali Paşa Medresesi), Yeniçeriler Cd 32, Beyazıt ( Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı 100 m). Housed in the courtyard of a former madrassah built to a Baroque-influenced design in the 18th century and with a traditional decor, this is likely the hookah cafe with the most genuinely Ottoman ambience of the city. 
• 5 Vefa Bozacısı, Vefa Cd 66, Vefa ( Vezneciler 500 m, Şehzadebaşı 350 m, Vefa 500 m), ☏ +90 212 519 49 22. This 1876-establishment specializes in boza, a thick, fermented grain drink with a sweetish tart taste. Once a favourite of the Ottomans, it is still popular in the Balkans and Central Asia. Don't expect getting inebriated even if you gulp down barrels of it — boza is more akin to liquefied bread than beer and has a negligible alcohol content.  

Water: the Ottoman Drinking Fountain is at the corner of Şeyhülislam Hayri Efendi Cad and Bankacilir Sk. It's probably okay to drink; it's definitely okay for rinsing face and hands when you're sticky with baklava from the cafes.

Sleep

Accommodation in the peninsula is mostly around Sultanahmet. Budget hotels and hostels are clustered in Cankurtaran, the neighbourhood just south of Sultanahmet Square towards the coastal strip of Kennedy Cd.

Istanbul has a large community of CouchSurfing.com users who will let you stay at their home free. In return you take your host out for a meal, and spend time sharing your culture with them.

Budget

• Blue Tuana Hotel, Akbıyık Değirmen Sk 3 (200 m south of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 518 1061. Very small rooms. B&B double 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Star Holiday Hotel, Divanyolu Cd 10 (200 m north of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 512 2961, info@hotelstarholiday.com. Friendly hotel, rooms have air-con, TV and minibar. B&B double 2500 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Deniz Houses Hotel, Çayıroğlu Sk 16 (off Kennedy Cd), ☏ +90 212 518 9596, info@denizkonakhotel.com. Rooms with own bathroom, cable TV, air-con. B&B double 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Istanbul Holiday Hotel, Küçük Ayasofya Cd 28 (200 m southwest of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 458 0707, info@istanbulholidayhotel.com. Clean rooms with en suite bathroom and satellite TV. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Elasophia Hotel (formerly Dongyang; 100 m west of Agia Sophia), Alemdar Cd 7, ☏ +90 212 511 2414. Rooms with en suite bathroom, satellite TV, and internet access. B&B double 5000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Stone Hotel Istanbul, Şehit Mehmetpaşa Ykş 34 (300 m west of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 638 1554, info@stonehotelistanbul.com. Simple rooms with en-suite bathroom and satellite TV. Variable on cleanliness. B&B double 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Hotel Alp Guesthouse, Adliye Sk 4 (Tram: Cankurtaran), ☏ +90 212 517 7067, info@alpguesthouse.com. Clean friendly place, all rooms en-suite. (updated Feb 2025)
• Grand Anka Hotel, Molla Gürani Cd 46 (Tram: Fındıkzade), ☏ +90 212 635 2020, info@grandankahotel.com. Modern rooms, good location and usually clean. B&B double 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Tulip Guesthouse, Terbıyık Sk 19 (400 m east of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 517 6509, info@tulipguesthouse.com. Welcoming and helpful staff, solo women feel safe. Dorm 1000 TL ppn, double room 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Avrasya Hostel, Seyit Hasan Sk 12 (200 m east of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 516 9380. Amazing value for the location, with six and eight bed dorms, helpful and friendly staff. No real common room. Dorm 1000 TL ppn. (updated Feb 2025)
• Yeni Otel, Dervişler Sk 12 (within Diamond Royal Hotel, next to Sirkeci station), ☏ +90 212 522 4759. Basic but central, clean and friendly. B&B double 4000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)

Mid-range

• Nomade Old City Hotel, Ticarethane Sk 15 (Tram: Sultanahmet), ☏ +90 212 513 0339, info@hotelnomade.com. Neat cozy hotel near the main sights. They have another on Akbıyık Cd.. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Tulip House, Katip Sinan Cami Sk 28 (Tram: Çemberlıtaş or Sultanahmet), ☏ +90 212 458 8403. Small mid-range hotel, clean and central but needs a lot of maintenance. Try to get a south-facing room with balcony. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Sarnıç Hotel, Küçük Ayasofya Cd 26 (100 m south of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 518 2323. Central and clean, some noise, good value for the price. Many stairs, not suitable for the disabled. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Hotel Armagrandi Spina, Utangaç Sk 19 (100 m east of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 638 1727. Small friendly hotel. B&B double 4000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Armada Hotel, Ahırkapı Cd 10, ☏ +90 212 455 4455. Clean comfy place near the seafront. Rooftop restaurant has views of the sea and the Blue Mosque. B&B double 5000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Sultanhan Hotel, Piyer Loti Cd 7 (Tram: Sultanahmet), ☏ +90 212 516 3232, info@hotelsultanhan.com. Welcoming five-floor hotel with Ottoman-style décor, next to Theodosius Cistern. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Blue House Rooftop, Dalbasti Sk 14 (100 m east of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 638 9010. Very central comfy 3-star. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Empress Zoe, Akbıyık Cd 10 (Tram: Cankurtaran), ☏ +90 212 518 2504, info@emzoe.com. Pleasant hotel in a quiet street near Agia Sophia, with simple rooms decorated in Turkish style. B&B double 5000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Esans Hotel, Yenisarachane Sk 4 (Tram: Cankurtaran), ☏ +90 212 516 1902, info@esanshotel.com. Hotel on a quiet street 3 minutes walk from Agia Sofya, decorated in Ottoman style. The rooftop terrace looks out over the Sea of Marmara and Princes Islands. B&B double 2500 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Ibrahim Pasha, Terzihane Sk 7 (Tram: Sultanahmet), ☏ +90 212 518 0395, contact@ibrahimpasha.com. Pleasant small hotel 100 m west of Blue Mosque. B&B double 4000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Dersaadet Hotel, Kapiağasi Sk 5 (100 m south of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 458 0760, admin@hoteldersaadet.com. Decorated in 19th century Ottoman-style, with great welcome and service. B&B double 2500 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Hotel Niles, Dibekli Cami Sk 13 (Tram: Beyazıt), ☏ +90 212 517 3239, info@hotelniles.com. Comfy place near the Grand Bazaar. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Hotel Inter Istanbul, Büyük Haydar Efendi Sk 29 (Tram: Beyazit), ☏ +90 536 944 4545, info@hotelinteristanbul.com. In a quiet area with modern rooms. B&B double 3000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Erguvan Hotel, Aksakal Sk 3 (200 m southwest of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 458 2784. Value-for-money hotel near seafront. B&B double 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Garden House Istanbul, Mehmet Paşa Sk 5 (300 m southwest of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 517 9111. Small well-furnished rooms around a garden courtyard. B&B double 4000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Hotel Tashkonak, Tomurcuk Sk 5 (150 m south of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 518 2882, info@hoteltashkonak.com. Small rooms but friendly staff and sea views. B&B double 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Hotel Sultan Hill, Tavukhane Sk 15 (100 m south of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 518 3293, info@hotelsultanhill.com. Rebuild of an 18th century Ottoman mansion. There are 17 rooms, a traditional courtyard and a roof terrace bar with panoramic views. B&B double 2500 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Yigitalp, Çukur Çeşme Sk 34, ☏ +90 212 512 9860. Boxy inexpensive place often used by tour groups. B&B double 2000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)

Splurge

Four Seasons was a prison

• 1 Hotel Sultania, Mehmet Murat Sk 4 (Tram: Gülhane), ☏ +90 212 528 0806. Charming hotel with 42 rooms, each dedicated to a wife of the sultan. B&B double 4000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• Sirkeci Mansion Hotel, Taya Hatun Sk 5 (100 m north of Gülhane tram stop), ☏ +90 212 528 4344. Charming friendly hotel near Sirkeci station. B&B double 4000. (updated Feb 2025)
• 2 Four Seasons at Sultanahmet, Tevkifhane Sk 1, ☏ +90 212 402 3000. A converted prison built in 1918 near Sultanahmet mosque, great reviews for comfort and service. Their sister hotel is further up the Bosphorus. B&B double 30,000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• 3 Wyndham Old City Hotel (formerly Celal Aga), Şehzadebaşı Cd 1 (Metro: Vezneciler), ☏ +90 212 511 1579. 87 rooms with spa and pool. Dreadful reviews in late 2024 but they've since much improved. B&B double 5000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)
• 4 Doubletree by Hilton Old Town, Ordu Cd 31 (Tram: Laleli - Üniversite), ☏ +90 212 453 5800. Clean welcoming modern hotel. B&B double 4000 TL. (updated Feb 2025)

Connect

This area has 4G from all Turkish carriers. As of Feb 2025 a few other parts of the city have 5G but there's been no national rollout.

Stay safe

The city walls are indeed interesting and worthwhile to explore, but what appears to be fresh soot from a recent bonfire is a good indication of where you shouldn't linger for too long

The focal point of the peninsula for travellers, Sultanahmet Square, is safe and policed during day and night, so by staying within the realms of common sense, you shouldn't encounter problems there. However, there are some issues to keep in mind for the rest of the old city:

• The dilapidated, though picturesque, neighbourhoods around Süleymaniye, Zeyrek, the banks of the Golden Horn west of Atatürk Boulevard (i.e., parts of the neighbourhoods of Balat, Fener, Ayvansaray), and along the Marmara coast (especially Kumkapı west to Yenikapı and around Samatya) are home to the impoverished recent immigrants to the city. While this doesn't automatically translate to these neighbourhoods being dangerous, it is best to avoid them (especially narrow back lanes) during the evening and night. The main tourist sites in these neighbourhoods, such as Süleymaniye Mosque or the taverns at Kumkapı, and the main streets leading to them are perfectly safe, though.
• Too skimpy clothing (which might be defined differently by the locals than you do) will likely attract unwanted attention and perhaps reaction from the ultraconservative inhabitants of Çarşamba, a neighbourhood between Fatih and the Golden Horn.
• Taking a close look into the details of the city walls (both land and sea) near the gates, major sights or along the major roads that cross them is okay, but elsewhere keep a respectable distance while enjoying their view. Although rare, stabbings and even murders of those who ventured too far into the lonely sections of the walls aren't unheard of.
• Scams involving extremely overpriced drinks are common at nightclubs around Aksaray, which are best avoided completely. These are quite dangerous with the possible involvement of organized crime. See the "stay safe" section of the main Istanbul article for more details on this.
• Around Aksaray and Laleli, there are a number of illegal brothels which are not controlled by health authorities in any way. If you choose to engage in such activity, keep in mind that the (usually Eastern European and Central Asian) women you will encounter are more often than not involuntarily forced into prostitution to "pay off" the cost of their trip to Istanbul (where they were hoping to get decent jobs) and had their passports seized by their "boss". 24-hr national hotline phone # 157, with operators speaking in English, Russian, and Romanian in addition to Turkish is where you can report such incidents to bring the victims to safety.
• In Eminönü's crowded underground passages (and in the rest of Eminönü, in general), be extremely wary of pickpockets, especially when climbing up and down the stairs.

Istanbul Police Department has a "tourism police" office with multilingual staff in Sultanahmet, just across the street from Hagia Sophia, where you can report passport loss or any other problems.

Cope

Laundry

• Star Laundry, Yeni Akbıyık Cad. 18, Sultanahmet, ☏ +90 212 638-2302. Laundry service. 4 TL/kg. 

Routes through Historical Peninsula

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