Istanbul 4-day Itinerary
Turkey
Where to go and what to see in Istanbul to get the most from your trip – a 4-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
Bucket list experience:
Built on the orders of Sultan Ahmet I (1603–17) to rival the Hagia Sophia in grandeur and beauty – and completed in 1616, one year before his death – the Blue Mosque (aka Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is considered one of the last great mosques of the classical period, combining Byzantine elements with traditional Islamic architecture.
With six slender minarets and a beautiful dome, it dominates Istanbul’s skyline. The interior is decorated with 21,000 hand-painted (mostly blue) tiles and stunning stained-glass windows.
The whole area around the Blue Mosque was once the site of the Byzantine emperors’ Great Palace. Some of the palace’s recently discovered, lavish floor mosaics, dating from AD 450-550, are on display at the Great Palace Mosaic Museum.
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Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
Turkey
Where to go and what to see in Istanbul to get the most from your trip – a 4-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
Take the tram to Sultanahmet; it’s a short walk from there. Dress respectfully (long trousers and shirt with sleeves for men; knee-length skirt, sleeves and a headscarf for women) and be prepared to leave your shoes at the entrance.
The Blue Mosque has similar appeal to the Suleymaniye Mosque, so many visitors opt to go inside just one of them, viewing the other mosques from the outside. The Blue Mosque tends to be less crowded.
The mosque is open all year round, seven days a week, except during prayers (half an hour after the call to prayer). Also avoid the main services on Friday mornings and early afternoons, unless you’re a Muslim.
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[0.3 miles]
This stylish, friendly and affordable boutique hotel is in sights-packed Sultanahmet, perfect for first-time visitors.
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Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[0.3 miles]
Superbly staffed, relaxing oasis in an unbeatable location – the luxury choice in central Sultanahmet.
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Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[0.8 miles]
Close to Istanbul’s top sights, this friendly hotel with a spa and rooftop restaurant is a dream for first-time visitors. And good value too.
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Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[0.8 miles]
Convenient for the major sights and plugged into Turkish culture, this charming, historic hotel is ideal for families and first-timers.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Marmara Region, Turkey
Exotic, inexhaustible and dynamic – East meets West head-on in this mesmerising city metropolis, famed for its extraordinarily rich history, superb food and shopping, and mind-blowingly magnificent, over-sized mosques.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[0.4 miles]
Magical 6th-century underground cistern, once used to supply water to Istanbul’s Ottoman emperors.
Best for ages: 8+ | £3
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[0.4 miles]
A masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, this world-renowned 6th-century marvel encapsulates the essence of the lost Ottoman Empire. Initially a cathedral, it’s now a museum as well as a functioning mosque – and a must-see in Istanbul.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Istanbul , Marmara , Turkey[0.8 miles]
Three world-class collections, including the famous Alexander sarcophagus, fascinating prehistoric art and gorgeous Ottoman tiles.
Best for ages: 6+ | £5
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[0.9 miles]
Built in 1459 to become the 15th and-16th century home of the Ottoman Sultans, this magnificently decadent palace is a perfectly preserved time capsule of life at the top in this most exotic of empires.
Best for ages: 8+ | £17
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Istanbul , Marmara Region , Turkey[0.1 miles]
Lovely, lively 5th and 6th-century AD mosaics depicting nature, animals and people from the palace of the first Byzantine Emperors.
Best for ages: 18+ | £2
Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[0.2 miles]
One of the world’s finest collections of Islamic-influenced glassware, rugs, ceramics, metal work and ethnographic items.
Best for ages: 18+ | £4
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[0.8 miles]
Super authentic spot near the Grand Bazaar where you can smoke nargile (a water pipe or hookah) and drink tea in the courtyard of a mosque from 1709.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5
Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey[2.8 miles]
A modern art museum housing the finest collection of modern and contemporary art in the country. The Modern’s temporary exhibits by Turkish and international artists – often organized in collaboration with MoMA (New York) and the Centre Pompidou (Paris) – are particularly exceptional.
Best for ages: 18+ | £4
Round-ups that include this experience
Multiple countries
The great civilisations of the past have left a legacy of constructions that still stand out and inspire. Built without the wonders of 20th-century technology, many are also monumental feats of engineering; others offer such grace and beauty, that they’ll literally take your breath away.