Historical Peninsula

The Historical Peninsula (Turkish: Tarihi Yarımada, or Suriçi, "Walled City") is the oldest part of Istanbul. It's the location of most of its sights, with several ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's on the western, European side of the Bosphorus, with the sea to the south and the inlet of the Golden Horn to the north.

Understand

Aerial view of the Sultanahmet Square, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace

This area has been settled at least since 6000 BC, when global sea-level rose by over 6 m - the Bosphorus may have flooded in that era to form a channel to the Black Sea. The first known city was east of the Bosphorus, the Grecian colony at Chalcedon from 685 BC. What's now called the Old City west side was chronicled as being founded 17 years later, in 667 BC.

Byzantium proved an excellent site, on a defensible peninsula above the sheltered inlet of the Golden Horn. In legend it was named for Byzas, who led a second group of Grecian settlers, guided by the Delphi oracle to establish a great harbour city "across from the land of the blind". On landing he encountered fishermen from Chalcedon and declared that "they are the blind!" for failing to settle in the better area. The new colony was on the ridge now occupied by Topkapı Palace and down into Gülhane Park. Defensible however did not mean impregnable: it fell to the Persians, Spartans, Athenians then the Romans in 196 AD.

Constantinople was what it became when Emperor Constantine was impressed by the spot, far from blind to its strategic position. He fortified the peninsula with walls and in 330 AD proclaimed it the eastern Imperial capital. The city sprawled out beyond its defenses so in the 5th century Theodosius built more walls further west, closing off the whole peninsula. These bounds correspond to the area described on this page. It became the capital of an empire that outlasted the fall of Rome by a thousand years - we call this the Byzantine Empire but they regarded themselves as Roman. By the 15th century this in turn was in decay, as outlying territories were gobbled up by rivals, and one particularly menacing pack of wolves was circling via Söğüt, Bursa and Edirne. After a 55-day siege, on 29 May 1453 this Ottoman dynasty breached the walls and captured the city.

The Ottomans tore down Christian imagery, converted the churches into mosques, and set about beautifying the city into a fitting capital for their Sultan and his empire. So what you come to see in this huge city is concentrated in a compact area around Sultanahmet (or Blue) Mosque. It was still called Constantinople until the 19th century when it informally morphed into Istanbul, by which time its speed of growth on both sides of the Bosphorus mirrored the speed of collapse of its Empire. Atatürk formalised the name change on independence in 1923, and moved the capital to Ankara to break with its dysfunctional politics.

Constantinople from the 18th century was a stop on the "Grand Tour", and when modern tourism started in the 1960s it was to the Turkish coast and to the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul that visitors came. The Silk Road that funded its palaces and mosques had long ago withered, but a raggle-taggle motley army revved up their colourful VW camper vans, and set off towards Delhi in a miasma of diesel, herbal tobacco and patchouli.

Orientation

The peninsula is bounded to the south by the Sea of Marmara, to the north by the Golden Horn, to the east by the Bosphorus, and to the west by the Theodosian Walls, now the modern highway of 10 Yıl Cd. It's a ridge said to comprise the "seven hills of Constantinople", mainly to assert the old city's equality with Rome which has seven hills at its core. You're destined to do a lot of hiking up and down, though by Balkan and Mediterranean city standards the trek is modest.

Sultanahmet is the geographical and visitor high point near the tip of the peninsula, a 1 km strip with Topkapı Palace, Agia Sophia Mosque, Blue Mosque, and a clutch of high quality museums. You could spend a week right here.

The ancient "Middle Street" is the thoroughfare descending gradually west from these heights, initially as Divan Yolu Caddesi ("state council road"). At Çemberlitaş (the Forum of Constantine) it becomes Yeniçeriler Cd until Beyazıt. This entire section from Sultanahmet is closed to vehicles. It continues west as Ordu Cd to Laleli (by the University and Grand Bazaar) then Aksaray. Tram T1 runs the length of it. At Aksaray are modern highways, with Atatürk Blv running north-south and Vatan or Adnan Menderes Blv heading west.

Eminönü is the low ground north of Sultanahmet, with ferry piers, the 490 m bridge to Galata across the Golden Horn, Sirkeci railway station, a clutch of mosques and museums, and Gülhane Park below Topkapı Palace. Tram T1 descends to the coast by a slow arc to the east, like a nervous skier; on foot take the direct bustling Ankara Cd. Galata Bridge carries vehicles, trams and pedestrians, and is bathed in the aroma of frying fish from the lower-deck restaurants.

Kennedy Cd is a coastal highway built on reclaimed land in the 1950s. From Galata Bridge it sweeps around Sirkeci, the peninsula tip, Yenikapı then away out southwest. It separates the ancient city walls from the sea and together with tram line U3 / T6 is more of a barrier than a way of getting around.

Get in

41°0′53″N 28°57′6″E

Historical Peninsula of Istanbul

Being central, the Old City is easy to reach by public transport. See Istanbul#Get around for ticketing, such as the Istanbulkart.

By train

41.015228.97671 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 has Marmaray and Metro trains deep underground but nothing at street-level. See below for the railway museum that now occupies the station building.

Marmaray is a cross-city light railway. It runs from Halkalı in the western suburbs (for European trains), via several dozen stops including Kazlıçeşme (for Tram U3 along the coast to Sirkeci), Yenikapı (for Metro M1 & M2), Sirkeci (for Sultanahmet area, trams and Metro T5 to Alibeyköy), then under the Bosphorus to Üsküdar, Ayrılık Çeşmesi (for Metro M4 to Asia-side airport SAW), Söğütlüçeşme (for Asia-side trains) and away out east to Pendik and Gebze. Trains run 06:00-23:00 every 15 mins, fares are by distance but within city centre are about 25 TL, less than €1.

Marmaray B1 is the only railway to pass under the Bosphorus, so the line is occasionally shared by mainline trains, and at night by freight. Construction was repeatedly delayed when priceless artefacts were unearthed beneath the Old City, such as a 9th century waterside palace with royal barge that no-one had suspected.

Metro runs from the western suburbs via Esenler the main bus station, Emniyet (for Fatih area) and Aksaray (for Tram T1 at Yusufpaşa, 250 m away) to Yenikapı (for Marmaray and Metro M2).

Metro runs from Hacıosman in the north on the European bank of the Bosphorus, via Gayrettepe (for M11 to the main airport IST), stations in Galata including Taksim and Haliç, then Vezneciler (for tram T1 through the old city) and Yenikapı (for Metro M1).

Thus from IST^IATA the Europe-side airport take Metro M11 to Gayrettepe then M2. From SAW^IATA Asia-side take M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi then Marmaray B1.

By tram

Trams are swish and modern. Heritage trams may be trundled out for special events.

Tram T1 is the most useful route in the Old City, passing near most major sites. It starts in the western suburbs at Bağcılar (for Metro M1) and runs via some 20 stations including Zeytinburnu (for Marmaray and Metro M1), Topkapı (district not palace, for Marmaray and Tram T4), Yusufpaşa (for Metro M1), Aksaray, Laleli-Universite (for Metro M2 and Grand Bazaar), Beyazit, Çemberlitaş, Sultanahmet (for Blue Mosque), Gülhane (for park), Sirkeci (for Marmaray and Tram U3) and Eminönü (for Bosphorus ferries and Tram T5 along the Golden Horn); then crosses the bridge to Galata district and Kabataş (for funicular to Taksim). This popular route can be very crowded, but trams are frequent and journeys are short.

Tram T5 runs north along the Golden Horn from Eminönü (separate station from T1) to Fener, Balat, Ayvansaray (for express cross-town bus), Eyüp (for telepherique to Piyer Loti), Alibeyköy (for Metro M7 cross-town) and Alibeyköy Cep Otogarı, the secondary intercity bus station on the outer beltway.

Tram U3 / T6 skirts the coast from Sirkeci southwest to Cankurtaran, Kumkapı, Yenikapı (for Marmaray and Metro M1 & M2) then three stations to Kazlıçeşme (for Marmaray). When the main line to Sirkeci closed in 2013, the western part from Halkali became the overground route of Marmaray and the eastern part was abandoned, until restored in 2024. They had a fight over whether it was a light railway belonging to TCDD the national operator, or a tramway belonging to the city, and the double designation reflects the peace treaty.

Tram T4 might be useful for the northwest edge of this district. It runs from Mescid-i Selam in the suburbs via two dozen stations including Kiptas (for M7 cross-town), Edirnekapı (for cross-town express bus), Vatan (for M1) and Fetihkapı to Topkapı (district not palace, for Marmaray and T1).

By bus

Lots. Any bus to Eminönü or Beyazıt will pass within 10 mins walk of Sultanahmet.

Buses for Kocamustafapaşa (#35 from Eminönü, #35A from Aksaray, #35C from Taksim) and Kazlıçeşme (#80 from Eminönü, #80T from Taksim) are the best option for sites in the southwest.

By boat

41.01813928.9728892 Eminönü Pier has ferries from Kadıköy and Üsküdar Asia-side, from further up the Bosphorus, from up the Golden Horn, and from the Princes' Islands. Half-a-dozen piers straggle along the shore as far as Sirkeci, but the main pier is by Galata Bridge.

You're likeliest to use the Bosphorus ferries: the Marmaray train is faster but do make this classic crossing at least once during your visit. The main operator is Şehir Hatları, though private boats try to skim off the trade, like pesky private minibuses. They sail from Kadıköy daily every 20 min 06:00-01:00, taking 20 min to Karaköy just north of Galata Bridge, then another 10 min to Eminönü. Others sail from Üsküdar to Karaköy and Eminönü, similar times.

Haliç Hattı is a ferry that pings back and forth across the Golden Horn, so a round trip is an inexpensive scenic tour. It sails hourly from Üsküdar and as of Feb 2025 doesn't call at Eminönü but at Karaköy across the bridge. It makes seven more stops on its 40 min ride to Eyüpsultan.

41.00218728.9563533 Yenikapı Ferry Terminal is the landing point for IDO ferries across the Sea of Marmara. These sail from Armutlu (twice a day, 1 hr 40 min), Bandırma (once daily connecting with the train to Izmir, 2 hr 30 min) and Yalova (every two hours, 90 min). They may sail onward to Kadıköy Asia-side, but you can't use them for the short hop from Yenikapı. See Istanbul#by boat for ferries from elsewhere (such as the Marmara Islands) to other city ports. Ferries no longer sail from Tekirdağ or other ports west towards the Dardanelles.

It's many long years since ferries arrived Europe-side from other countries or from Turkey's Black Sea or Aegean ports; 20th century ships outgrew these facilities and instead landed Asia-side. Modern cruise liners anchor offshore and bring their guests into town by tender.

By taxi

Lots of yellow taxis wherever vehicles are permitted in the Old City; they haunt the main attractions and Uber is available. They're inexpensive, see Istanbul#Get around for sample fares.

On foot

Most of the sights in the old city are near Sultanahmet Square and within walking distance. You're destined to do a lot of walking, as streets are traffic-restricted. If in doubt of directions, follow the tram tracks to the street signs from the relevant stop. The street between Sirkeci, Gülhane and Sultanahmet is narrow so be prepared at any instant to hurtle into a shop door or other recess if you hear an approaching tram's bell.

One could also swim from the other side of the Bosphorus, no jokes. And no, not talking about the annual 'Bosphorus Cross Continental Swim'. It is not forbidden by law, as long as if one does not threaten security of sea transport, or of course their own health. A group called 'Sarayburnu Fatihleri' (Seraglio Conquerers) are actually doing this on a daily basis.

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

Sultanahmet Square (At Meydanı) is a long public square just west of Blue Mosque. It used to 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.

41.005428.97681 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)

41.008528.97992 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 cold fountain is at the upper end by the entrance to Topkapi Palace, a rococo kiosk of 1728 dedicated to Sultan Ahmed III.
Sublime Porte is the gatehouse into Topkapı Palace that became synonymous with Ottoman government, just as "Kremlin" indicates Soviet or Russian government. Turkic rulers of old announced their wise edicts at the gate of their palace, and received supplicants and ambassadors there. As French was the language of western diplomacy, the Sultan's Imperial or High Gate (Bâb-ı Hümâyûn) was translated as "Sublime Porte" then broadened to mean all his high officialdom. When government offices moved to Alemdar Cd the name followed, while journalistically it came to signify all that was rotten in "The Sick Man of Europe".

41.01328.9843 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)

41.008128.97784 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. Adult 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.
Binbirdirek Cistern is seldom visited. It's 100 m southwest of Sultanahmet tram stop, at İmran Öktem Cd 2, open daily 10:00-17:00.

Eminönü

This district is north of Sultanahmet to the waterfront, and takes in Sirkeci and Vefa. The name means "in front of the customs officer" and the artist Tracey Emin takes her name from here.

41.010728.98125 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.
41.013828.97966 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)

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.
41.017628.96887 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)
41.010328.96538 Beyazit II Mosque, Yeniçeriler Cd. Imposing mosque built 1500/05. The other parts of the religious complex have found secular use. Free. (updated Feb 2025)
Bayezit II Turkish Bath Museum is on Ordu Cd west side of Beyazit Square. But it's no long a working hamam, and there are so many active, elegant baths in town.

Cankurtaran

A narrow coastal strip southeast of Sultanahmet. Kennedy Cd and the tramway impede access, so plan ahead which footbridge to cross on.

41.006328.98549 Ahırkapı lighthouse on Kennedy Cd was first built in 1755. The present 26 m tower is from 1857. No interior access.
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)
41.004828.972110 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)
41.002828.971911 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)

Beyazıt

The neighbourhood 1 km west of Blue Mosque, centred on Beyazit II Mosque. That 15th / 16th century Sultan consolidated the Ottoman empire (very necessary after the disastrous Beyazit I) and invited in the Jews expelled from Spain.

41.007328.972612 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)
41.00861128.97111113 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.
41.01027828.97027814 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)

Süleymaniye

The neighbourhood west of Eminönü and north of Bayezit.

41.0159928.9555715 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.

41.019728.957216 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)
41.01313228.96030417 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)
41.016128.963918 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)

Fatih

The local government and postal district of Fatih (meaning "conquest") covers much of the peninsula including Sultanahmet, but it here describes Fatih neighbourhood northwest of the old city out to the Theodosian walls.

41.015528.950219 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.
41.019728.949720 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)
41.02181928.94177821 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)

Golden Horn

The west bank of the inlet was the non-Muslim quarter of Ottoman Istanbul, with the districts of Fener, Balat and Ayvansaray.

41.029228.951722 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 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.
41.029228.946423 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)

41.031928.949724 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)

41.032828.945625 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)
41.03388928.94027826 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)
41.03111128.93916727 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.
41.018228.920428 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.
41.003428.928629 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)

40.99611128.92861130 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.

40.992928.922731 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.
41.0300928.9480011 Balat. A neighborhood with colorful houses and stairs all along. (updated Feb 2025)
Dr Cemil Bilsel Conference Hall stages live performances and conferences. It's on the university campus midway between Vezneciler metro and Laleli tram stop.

Hamams

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.

41.007328.97912 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)
41.010628.97563 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)
41.004128.97574 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)
41.015928.96585 Süleymaniye Hamamı, Mimar Sinan Cd 20 ( Vezneciler 750 m, Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı 900 m), ☏ +90 212 520-3410, info@suleymaniyehamami.tr. 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

Haggling over the price is normal when shopping. Ask yourself, do you actually want this stuff, and what's it worth to you?

41.010628.96851 Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) (Tram: Beyazit). M-Sa 09:00-19:00. Vast historic covered bazaar with over 4400 shops. These are organized around their wares, so the silver jewellers are clustered together, shoe shops are together in another alley, and so on. Prices are double those elsewhere and locals don't shop here, but it's an atmospheric place with a vast selection. (updated Feb 2025)
41.016428.97062 Egyptian Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı). Daily 08:00-19:30. Smaller than Grand Bazaar, it specialises in herbs and spices. Very touristy, but prices (even after haggling) are twice those in the rest of the city. (updated Feb 2025)
Rugs and kilims: lots of outlets, with a cluster around Arasta Bazaar just east of Blue Mosque.
Mehmet Cetinkaya Gallery, Tavukhane Sk 7 (50 m south of Blue Mosque), ☏ +90 212 517 6808. Daily 09:30-19:30. Attractive but pricey textiles. (updated Feb 2025)
Kalsedon, Ayasofya Caferiye Sk 2 (100 m north of Agia Sophia), ☏ +90 212 527 6376. Raw gems and finished jewellery, especially chalcedony, the semi-precious stone named for the ancient town of Chalcedon, nowadays Kadıköy across the Bosphorus. (updated Feb 2025)
41.014328.94543 Historia AVM, Adnan Menderes Blv 2 ( Aksaray 300 m), ☏ +90 212 532 0202, info@historia.com.tr. Daily 10:00-22:00. AVM (alışveriş merkezi) means a shopping mall, and Historia is the only one in the Old City. Usual selections of garments, electronics, furniture, a large supermarket, plus a bowling alley, fast food and a cinema. Across the alley, Fenari İsa Mosque was an early Byzantine church, renovated as a mosque in the 1970s. (updated Feb 2025)
41.00972228.9561114 Laleli is a shopping area for textiles and leather. The baroque mosque is 18th century.
Tahtakale, Mercan and Mahmutpaşa are shopping districts extending from Eminönü Meydan near Galata Bridge uphill to Beyazıt II Mosque. They're popular with locals.

Eat

Places along the tram line and just west and south of Blue Mosque are touristy and overpriced. Get away a few blocks, where you'll see locals eating.

Budget

Budget friendly fish&bread vendors are located on the seaside. Çiğ köfte and börek shops/carts could be found in every street.

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)
41.008528.9751 Karadeniz Aile Pide ve Kebap Salonu, Hacı Tahsinbey Sk (Tram: Sultanahmet), ☏ +90 212 528 6290. Temporarily closed. Their specialty is pide. (updated Feb 2025)
41.013728.97052 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)
41.014528.9683 Pak Pide Pizza Salonu, Paşa Cami Sk 27, ☏ +90 212 513 7664. M-Sa 11:00-16:00. Relaxing place for traditional pide. (updated Feb 2025)
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)
41.018728.96624 Efsane Kahvaltı, Ragıp Gümüşpala Cd, ☏ +90 545 134 5891. M-Sa 07:00-16:00. Great place for breakfast in a non-touristy area. (updated Feb 2025)

Mid-range

Galata Bridge has a dozen mid-price to expensive 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.
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)
41.005828.985 Palatium Cafe & Restaurant, Kutlugün Sk 33 (opposite Four Seasons Hotel), ☏ +90 543 844 5413. Daily 12:30-00:30. Decent trad 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 Feb 2025)
41.008328.97396 Cafe Amedros, Hoca Rüstem Sk 7, ☏ +90 212 522 8356. Daily 09:00-00:00. Good Ottoman cuisine with veggie and GF choices. (updated Feb 2025)
41.008328.97657 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.

Red River Pub is a western-themed pub, open daily 08:30-00:00. It's at Hüdavendigar Cd 44 near Sirkeci Marmaray station.
Dubb is an Indian restaurant at İncili Çavuş Sk 10 west of Agia Sophia, open daily 12:00-22:30.
41.005328.98178 Korecan, Cankurtaran Meydanı Sk 10 (Tram: Cankurtaran), ☏ +90 531 515 7217. Daily 11:00-21:00. Good Korean cuisine. (updated Feb 2025)
Little Piece of Asia is Chinese, sort of, on Boyacı Ahmet Sk near Column of Constantine. It's open M-Sa 10:00-22:00, Su 10:00-20:00.
41.015928.96779 Virginia Angus Steakhouse, Uzun Çarşı Cd 2, ☏ +90 212 528 3808. Daily 12:00-21:00. Steaks, burgers and similar. (updated Feb 2025)
Sidi Bousaid serves Tunisian food at Zeynep Kamil Sk 11, 100 m south of Veznecilir metro station. It's open daily 10:00-01:00.
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

41.01478228.97428610 Olden 1772, Hobyar, Mimar Vedat Sk. No:3. A trip in both history and gastronomy. (updated Feb 2025)
Four Seasons Hotel (see Sleep) serves non-residents.
Galata Bridge over to Kadikoy has fish restaurants along its lower level. Their open-air decks have great views of the Old City, with the water traffic bustling past. The sea reflects the view and so do the prices. These places are happy for you just to sit and drink without eating.

Drink

Water: the tap water is highly chlorinated so it's safe to drink but not very appetising, and you might prefer bottled. The same stuff pours from drinking fountains, such as the Ottoman Fountain on Şeyhülislam Hayri Efendi Cd near the Banking Museum, the problem is the grubby hands that came before you. Best just use it for rinsing face and hands when you're sticky with baklava from the cafes.
Bars: the old city doesn't really do freestanding bars, they're usually part of a restaurant or hotel. Some options are Galata Star on the bridge, Beni Afet on Atmeydani Cd, and Just Bar on Akbiyik Cd.

41.00424228.9647081 Kumkapı is an old fishermen's quarter south of Beyazıt on the coast. Traditional taverns, meyhanes, line the streets, mostly serving seafood.
4128.9333332 Samatya further west was a similar fishermen's quarter. Its taverns major on seafood but have more meat choices.
41.017528.9863 Sarayburnu Aile Çay Bahçesi, Sarayburnu Point, off Kennedy Cd, ☏ +90 212 522 1397. Daily 08:30-03:00. Open-air cafe on the coast with great views, though the park is grubby. Tea, coffee and many flavours of hubble-bubble. (updated Feb 2025)
41.008928.9684 Anadolu Nargile, Yeniçeriler Cd 32 ( Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı 100 m), ☏ +90 212 519 2341. Daily 07:00-02:00. Shisha / hookah cafe in the courtyard of the former Çorlulu Ali Paşa Medrese, so plenty of Ottoman ambience. (updated Feb 2025)
41.015428.95845 Vefa Bozacısı, Vefa Cd 66 ( Vezneciler 500 m), ☏ +90 212 519 4922. Daily 08:00-00:00. Established in 1876, this cafe specializes in boza, a ferment of bulgur wheat with a sweetish tart taste. A favourite of the Ottomans, it's still popular in the Balkans and Central Asia. It's less than 1% alcohol, but it was the closest you got to being off your head in Neolithic times. (updated Feb 2025)

Sleep

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

Mercure is an Accor chain hotel opposite Sirkeci station.
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)
Pierre Loti Hotel is off Divan Yolu Cd near the Column of Constantine.

Splurge

41.012528.97741 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)
41.006728.98022 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)
41.012428.95843 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)
41.009228.96034 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

And see Istanbul#Stay safe. Tourist police are based north end of Sultanahmet Square and outside Sirkeci station.

The surrounds of Sultanahmet Square are policed day and night, so ironically the threat of terrorism has made these safer.
There are large numbers of destitute people, some Turkish and others fleeing conflicts to the east, and a few of them may be tempted to attack wealthy-looking visitors. They dwell in the run-down areas and sleep rough in parks and along the city walls. Don't be there after nightfall, or get isolated even by day.
This isn't Bodrum, so skimpy clothing that might be normal there will draw hostile attention both from horny jocks and ultraconservatives.
The city has the usual scams, nightclubs being the worst offenders. The sex trade is run by organised crime, who coerce and mistreat their workers.
Beware pickpockets in any crowded area.

Cope

Laundry: half a dozen in the Old City, including Rainbow at Salkım Söğüt Sk 2, Active at Molla Fenari Sk 12, Express at Terbıyık 15, Silk Road nearby at Cankurtaran Meydanı Sk, Popup at Mustafa Paşa Sk 26, Demir at Göktaş Sk 5b and Loti at Piyer Loti Cd 71/B.

Go next

Galata, reached by the bridge over the Golden Horn, is the city's downtown.
Üsküdar is the most interesting district on the Asian Side. You can quickly get there by Marmaray train but don't miss a trip on the Bosphorus ferries, for breezy city views.
Limited attractions in the sprawling Western Suburbs but the European-side airport, railway terminal and inter-city bus station are all out here.

Routes through Historical Peninsula

END (Halkalı) ← Western Suburbs ←

W

E

→ Asian Side → Gebze

This district travel guide to Historical Peninsula is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.