Istanbul travel guide

Istanbul gets simpler if you split it into a Sultanahmet heritage day and a Bosphorus day.

The upper gallery of Hagia Sophia costs 25 euros for foreign visitors, and visits are closed on Fridays from 12:30 to 14:30.

Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays; its ticket office opens at 9:00 and closes at 17:00.

Istanbul Airport is linked to the city by Metro M11 and Havaist buses. The short Bosphorus cruise takes about 2 hours, so it fits an afternoon. On your first day, just walk near your hotel. Visa rules depend on your nationality; check the official sources before you travel.

Visa and entry requirements for Türkiye

Whether you need a visa, how long you can stay and which pre-arrival forms apply all depend on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Check the official source below, and your own government's travel advice, before you book.

• Republic of Türkiye e-Visa (official) (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Hagia Sophia stands beside Sultanahmet Square. The ground-floor prayer area is free, while the upper-gallery visit for foreign visitors costs 25 euros, checked on 23 October 2026. Children under 8 are free, and visiting hours are listed as 9:00 to 19:00. On Fridays from 12:30 to 14:30, the visitor area closes for Friday prayers. The Blue Mosque on the same square closes to sightseeing during prayer times, so pairing it with Hagia Sophia in the same morning works well.

Topkapı Palace is the site of the Ottoman palace. It's closed on Tuesdays, and the ticket office opens at 9:00 and closes at 17:00. The Harem section is listed at 1,050 lira for foreign visitors, also checked on 23 October 2026; lira prices should be checked on site. Putting both on the same day loses half a day to queues and walking, so do Hagia Sophia in the morning and Topkapı in the afternoon.

Checked on 23 October 2026 with official information from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the National Palaces Administration. Euro and lira prices change often, so check again before your visit.

With 2 nights: on day one, come into the city from the airport and walk around Sultanahmet Square; on day two, see Hagia Sophia in the morning and Topkapı Palace in the afternoon. Keep the morning of day three for a Bosphorus cruise. If your dates include a Friday, move Hagia Sophia outside the midday slot.

With 4 nights: keep the same flow and add a day walking Galata Tower and the bazaars on day three. On day four, check the airport metro's hours and allow plenty of travel time. Topkapı is closed on Tuesdays, so keep that day for Galata or the bazaars.

An example of how to split the days.

Şehir Hatları cruises depart from Eminönü. In the winter timetable, valid from 7 September 2026 to 27 June 2027, the short Bosphorus tour leaves at 14:40 and takes about 2 hours, with a foreign-visitor fare of 340 lira (checked 23 October 2026). The long tour leaves daily at 10:35, stops for about 2 hours 30 minutes at Anadolu Kavağı and returns at 16:40, with a foreign-visitor fare of 640 lira. Both fares change with exchange rates and timetables, so treat them as values to confirm on site.

On days already full of plans, the short route fits. The long route takes the whole day including lunch, so keep the afternoon of day two clear. Timetables change by season, so check the official timetable again before you go.

Istanbul Airport is about 50 km from the city. Metro M11 runs from the airport to Gayrettepe, where you change to M2 for Taksim and the old town. The Havaist HVL-9 bus goes to Taksim; late at night, when the metro isn't running, look into buses and taxis.

In the city, one İstanbulkart covers the metro, trams and buses. Tapping a credit card at metro gates charges a single-ticket fare, so buy a card at the airport station first. For Sultanahmet, take tram T1 to the Sultanahmet stop.

Plan meals in Istanbul around kebabs, simit, baklava and Turkish tea. Have a plate of kebab for lunch and a simit from near the piers for a morning snack; for dessert, order baklava with tea. On cruise days, eat lightly near the pier with simit and tea, and make a kebab your big dinner. We don't pick shops or prices here.

Many nationalities can visit Türkiye visa-free for a limited period, while others need an e-Visa from the official site. Check the rule for your passport before you travel. Some southeastern provinces carry higher-level travel warnings from many governments, so check your own government's advice even if you're only going to Istanbul. Note Hagia Sophia's Friday visiting time and Topkapı's closing day on your plan first. Staying near Sultanahmet, where tram T1 stops, lets you walk between the sites.

Pre-departure checklist

• Check passport validity and entry requirements before departure
• Check your government's travel advice
• Make sure your Hagia Sophia visit isn't on a Friday midday
• Avoid Tuesdays, when Topkapı Palace is closed
• Check the airport metro's last service

• Seeing the heritage sites: stay in Sultanahmet and walk between Hagia Sophia and the palace.
• Seeing the strait: spend half a day on the short cruise from Eminönü.
• Worried about the airport transfer: check Metro M11 and Havaist times first.