Smart Self-Managed Tours

City guide · Türkiye

Istanbul

A photograph of Istanbul
Photograph · Ben Morlok · CC BY-SA 2.0

Two continents, three empires and one strait that everything else is arranged around. The old capital rewards a plan: the great monuments sit within a twenty-minute walk of each other in Fatih, and almost everything else is a ferry ride away.

Practical information
Language spoken
Turkish
English is understood in tourist districts and rarely outside them
Dialling code
+90 212 · +90 216
212 on the European side, 216 on the Asian; drop the leading 0 from abroad
Currency
Turkish lira (₺, TRY)
Cards accepted almost everywhere; markets prefer cash
Emergency number
112
One number for ambulance, fire and police
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Standard European two-pin
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified national source in the dataset

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
3–5 days
Getting around
Tram, metro and ferry
  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: recorded as a best month to visit
  5. May: recorded as a best month to visit
  6. June: recorded as a best month to visit
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  9. September: recorded as a best month to visit
  10. October: recorded as a best month to visit
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

Filter the list

100 places match
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Category

Historic monuments 9 Museums 154 Places of worship 0 Nature sites 3 Viewpoints 0 Food and drink 0 Markets and shopping 0 Entertainment 66 Nightlife 468 Family attractions 11 Art and culture 0 Activities 1

Typical visit duration

1 to 2 hours 468

Interests

History 0 Art 0 Museums 0 Nature 0 Sea and beach 0 Viewpoints 0
  1. Bigudi Club
    01 2 hours

    Bigudi Club

    • High
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  3. Arsen Lupen
    03 2 hours

    Arsen Lupen

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  4. Art Istanbul
    04 2 hours

    Art Istanbul

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  5. Artists
    05 2 hours

    Artists

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  6. Ayı
    06 2 hours

    Ayı

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  8. Bar street
    08 2 hours

    Bar street

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  9. Belfast
    09 2 hours

    Belfast

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  10. Berlin platz
    10 2 hours

    Berlin platz

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  11. Biergarten
    11 2 hours

    Biergarten

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beşiktaş
  12. Black House
    12 2 hours

    Black House

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  13. Bonn
    13 2 hours

    Bonn

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  14. Bova
    14 2 hours

    Bova

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  15. Bristol
    15 2 hours

    Bristol

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  16. BTA
    16 2 hours

    BTA

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Bakırköy
  17. By BTA
    17 2 hours

    By BTA

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Bakırköy
  19. Eat & Fly
    19 2 hours

    Eat & Fly

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Bakırköy
  20. Fabbrica
    20 2 hours

    Fabbrica

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Avcılar
  21. Fil
    21 2 hours

    Fil

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  22. Flekk
    22 2 hours

    Flekk

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  23. Foxy
    23 2 hours

    Foxy

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  24. Frankie
    24 2 hours

    Frankie

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  25. Gadi
    25 2 hours

    Gadi

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Tuzla
  26. Gizli bahce
    26 2 hours

    Gizli bahce

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  27. Glow
    27 2 hours

    Glow

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  29. Hookah Place
    29 2 hours

    Hookah Place

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  31. Indigo
    31 2 hours

    Indigo

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  32. IQOS HEETS
    32 2 hours

    IQOS HEETS

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  33. joker No19
    33 2 hours

    joker No19

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beşiktaş
  34. Kahvedan
    34 2 hours

    Kahvedan

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  35. Kharon
    35 2 hours

    Kharon

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  36. kiki
    36 2 hours

    kiki

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  37. Kilit
    37 2 hours

    Kilit

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beşiktaş
  38. Kozmonot
    38 2 hours

    Kozmonot

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Şişli
  39. kulup
    39 2 hours

    kulup

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  40. Kumkapi
    40 2 hours

    Kumkapi

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Fatih
  42. mansor bar
    42 2 hours

    mansor bar

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Esenyurt
  43. Marlen Bar
    43 2 hours

    Marlen Bar

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  45. mask
    45 2 hours

    mask

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  46. Mezzo Bar
    46 2 hours

    Mezzo Bar

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  47. Minimuzikhol
    47 2 hours

    Minimuzikhol

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  48. Muaf Bar
    48 2 hours

    Muaf Bar

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  49. Muhit
    49 2 hours

    Muhit

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  50. Neruda
    50 2 hours

    Neruda

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  51. Papillon
    51 2 hours

    Papillon

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  53. Pixie
    53 2 hours

    Pixie

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  55. Rasputin
    55 2 hours

    Rasputin

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  56. Révolte
    56 2 hours

    Révolte

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  57. Ritim
    57 2 hours

    Ritim

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  58. Rock-N-Rolla
    58 2 hours

    Rock-N-Rolla

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  59. Roots
    59 2 hours

    Roots

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  60. Rose Garden
    60 2 hours

    Rose Garden

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Bakırköy
  61. Seferi
    61 2 hours

    Seferi

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Bakırköy
  62. Seferi
    62 2 hours

    Seferi

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Bakırköy
  64. tayfun
    64 2 hours

    tayfun

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Eyüpsultan
  67. U2
    67 2 hours

    U2

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  68. Yakin Bistro
    68 2 hours

    Yakin Bistro

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  70. Yuri Gagarin
    70 2 hours

    Yuri Gagarin

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  71. Ziba
    71 2 hours

    Ziba

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  75. Depo Taksim
    75 2 hours

    Depo Taksim

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  78. Lobby Lounge
    78 2 hours

    Lobby Lounge

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beşiktaş
  79. Ufuk Tekel
    79 2 hours

    Ufuk Tekel

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Gaziosmanpaşa
  80. 11 Kadikoy
    80 2 hours

    11 Kadikoy

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  81. 16Roof
    81 2 hours

    16Roof

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beşiktaş
  82. 1A Meyhanesi
    82 2 hours

    1A Meyhanesi

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  83. 360 Istanbul
    83 2 hours

    360 Istanbul

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  85. 6:45 Pub
    85 2 hours

    6:45 Pub

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  88. Ağaç Ev
    88 2 hours

    Ağaç Ev

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  90. Ahtapot
    90 2 hours

    Ahtapot

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beşiktaş
  91. Akbaba
    91 2 hours

    Akbaba

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  92. Akdeniz pub
    92 2 hours

    Akdeniz pub

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Fatih
  93. Aksi Bar
    93 2 hours

    Aksi Bar

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  94. Aksi Cadde
    94 2 hours

    Aksi Cadde

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Kadıköy
  95. Albüm Club
    95 2 hours

    Albüm Club

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beşiktaş
  96. Al Gotür
    96 2 hours

    Al Gotür

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu
  100. Ambiyans
    100 2 hours

    Ambiyans

    • Notable
    • Nightlife venue
    • Beyoğlu

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Where to base yourself

District boundaries come from OSM administrative relations, so a district page holds exactly the places inside it — plus, for the islands and the coast, the nearest district by proximity.

  • Fatih

    Places
    844
    Across the district
    1 hr 18 min

  • Beyoğlu

    Places
    412
    Across the district
    1 hr 1 min

  • Üsküdar

    Places
    382
    Across the district
    1 hr 52 min

  • Kadıköy

    Places
    491
    Across the district
    1 hr 51 min

  • Sarıyer

    Places
    323
    Across the district
    4 hr 24 min

  • Eyüpsultan

    Places
    320
    Across the district
    6 hr 42 min

  • Çatalca

    Places
    308
    Across the district
    12 hr 53 min

  • Beşiktaş

    Places
    246
    Across the district
    1 hr 28 min

  • Pendik

    Places
    282
    Across the district
    5 hr 55 min

  • Kartal

    Places
    223
    Across the district
    2 hr 3 min

  • Bakırköy

    Places
    174
    Across the district
    2 hr 9 min

  • Beykoz

    Places
    197
    Across the district
    5 hr 14 min

  • Ümraniye

    Places
    245
    Across the district
    2 hr 29 min

  • Silivri

    Places
    181
    Across the district
    7 hr 50 min

  • Şişli

    Places
    155
    Across the district
    1 hr 15 min

  • Küçükçekmece

    Places
    207
    Across the district
    1 hr 59 min

  • Arnavutköy

    Places
    182
    Across the district
    8 hr 7 min

  • Başakşehir

    Places
    186
    Across the district
    3 hr 33 min

  • Tuzla

    Places
    172
    Across the district
    5 hr 10 min

  • Maltepe

    Places
    190
    Across the district
    2 hr 4 min

  • Sancaktepe

    Places
    157
    Across the district
    3 hr 3 min

  • Sultangazi

    Places
    151
    Across the district
    1 hr 53 min

  • Ataşehir

    Places
    182
    Across the district
    2 hr 16 min

  • Büyükçekmece

    Places
    144
    Across the district
    4 hr 15 min

  • Kâğıthane

    Places
    140
    Across the district
    1 hr 18 min

  • Gaziosmanpaşa

    Places
    140
    Across the district
    1 hr 12 min

  • Esenyurt

    Places
    164
    Across the district
    2 hr 24 min

  • Beylikdüzü

    Places
    141
    Across the district
    1 hr 47 min

  • Bayrampaşa

    Places
    113
    Across the district
    1 hr 23 min

  • Zeytinburnu

    Places
    119
    Across the district
    1 hr 16 min

  • Çekmeköy

    Places
    125
    Across the district
    4 hr 37 min

  • Bağcılar

    Places
    138
    Across the district
    1 hr 22 min

  • Sultanbeyli

    Places
    191
    Across the district
    1 hr 39 min

  • Şile

    Places
    104
    Across the district
    10 hr 57 min

  • Avcılar

    Places
    97
    Across the district
    3 hr 9 min

  • Adalar

    Places
    71
    Across the district
    3 hr 5 min

  • Bahçelievler

    Places
    93
    Across the district
    1 hr 26 min

  • Esenler

    Places
    81
    Across the district
    2 hr 8 min

  • Güngören

    Places
    58
    Across the district
    48 min

How the city is laid out

South of the Horn, in Fatih, the monumental core is walkable end to end: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı sit inside one square kilometre.

North of the Horn, Beyoğlu climbs from Karaköy to Taksim and is where the city eats and drinks late. Across the Bosphorus, Kadıköy and Üsküdar are residential, cheaper and reached best by ferry rather than by bridge.

Checked 2026-08-23

Getting around

One contactless card covers tram, metro, funicular, bus and ferry, and it is the only ticket most visitors need.

The T1 tram threads the monumental core; the M2 metro crosses the Horn to Taksim. Ferries are the fastest way between the European and Asian sides and cost the same as a tram ride. Traffic on the bridges is unpredictable enough that a taxi is rarely faster.

Checked 2026-08-23

Nearby districts and related places

Nearby places

Common questions

How many days does Istanbul need?

Three days covers the monumental core in Fatih without rushing. Five lets you add Beyoğlu, a Bosphorus ferry and one of the Asian-side neighbourhoods.

Can visitors enter the mosques?

Yes, outside prayer times. Shoulders and knees should be covered, shoes come off at the door, and women cover their hair; scarves are lent at the larger mosques.

Is the Bosphorus cruise worth it?

The scheduled public ferry runs the same water as the tourist cruises for a fraction of the fare, and stops at neighbourhoods you can walk around before catching the next one back.

Which side should you stay on?

Fatih puts you inside walking distance of the monuments. Beyoğlu is livelier at night and still two tram stops away. The Asian side is cheaper and quieter but adds a ferry to every sightseeing day.

When is the city least crowded?

April to June and September to October are warm without the July heat or the cruise-ship peak. January and February are cold and wet but the queues disappear.

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Istanbul