Istanbul Insider’s Sightseeing Guide

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 Istanbul has charming and diverse neighborhoods. They are filled with historical, religious, and cultural sights; shopping districts; and lots and lots of Kahvehane (coffee houses), Meyhanes (Turkish taverns), Kebapcis (kebap restaurants), and çay bahçesi (tea gardens). 

 If you are only in İstanbul for a short trip, you cannot miss the main historical sights. Fortunately, most of the main sights are located in one area, in Sultanahmet. Sultanahmet is one of İstanbul’s oldest areas and a definite must-see. 

 Built by the Roman Emperor Justinian (AD 527-65) in AD 537, the Aya Sofya was the biggest Christian cathedral for a thousand years. Later converted into a mosque and now a museum, its beauty will leave you in awe. 

 Built between 1606 and 1616, the Blue Mosque is smaller and simpler than the Aya Sofia, but the beauty of its dome and the light it creates make it look elegant and magical. 

The Grand Bazaar (Turkish: Kapalıçarşı, meaning ‘Covered Market’; also Büyük Çarşı, meaning ‘Grand Market[1]) in Istanbul is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops [2][3], which attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. [4] In 2014, it was listed as No. 1 among the world's most-visited tourist attractions, with 91,250,000 annual visitors. [5] The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is often regarded as one of the first shopping malls in the world.

Grand Bazaar Opening Hours:

Weekdays from 08:30–19:00

Saturday from 08:30 to 19:00

Grand Bazaar Closed:

Sunday religious holidays and bank holidays.

 Beyoğlu is one of the most interesting areas in İstanbul. Walk down the hectic İstiklal Caddesi, the most famous pedestrian street in İstanbul. The street is lined with shops, fancy embassies, churches, mosques, upscale restaurants and cafes, and all the corporate shops of any European city. What’s interesting is that it has branches of little alleys full of cafes and bars. So if you are feeling crowded by tourists and locals (like you will often feel in İstanbul), just take a turn left or right into its many, many branches, alleyways, and arteries. You will find cafe after cafe. At the end of Istiklal Caddesi, you have the famous Taksim Square and Taksim Park, which are the heart of Beyoğlu. Here, you have a mix of people—students, activists, journalists, and musicians—actively discussing politics.