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:
Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey
Dolmabahce Palace
Credit Shutterstock.com/muratart
In 1453, Mehmet the Conqueror found the old Byzantine Great Palace uninhabitable, so he built a new one – the opulent Topkapi Palace – which set the style and remained the seat of power for centuries.
Other more flamboyant Sultans followed suit, no expense spared, in building their own palaces and monuments. The result was a legacy of 11 extravagant palaces, reaching a dizzying level of crystal chandelier splendour in the Dolmabahce Palace. Some of the palaces are summer houses and mansions, one (the Ciragan Palace) is now a 5-star hotel, but many are retained as museums.
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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.
Istanbul , Marmara Region, Turkey
Built in 1865 by Sultan Abdulaziz (1830–1876) as a summer residence and to entertain guests – Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph and French Emperor Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugenie, both visited. Today, the main structure and harem sections are open to visitors.
Best for ages: 18+ | £3
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey
An extraordinarily opulent 19th-century palace that blends Ottoman architecture with Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles.
Best for ages: Any | £9
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey
On the lesser-explored Asian side of Istanbul, Kucuksu is petite but lavishly furnished, with crystal chandeliers, marble fireplaces and Persian rugs. It’s open to the public as a museum.
Best for ages: 18+ | £1
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey
One of the city’s oldest and best-preserved Byzantine palaces, the Tekfur Palace aka ‘Palace of the Porphyrogenitus’ now lies abandoned, with ruins for visitors to explore.
Best for ages: 18+ | £2
Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity
Istanbul
€60 | Rating 4.1 / 5 [20 ratings]
Tour supplied by:
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$70 | Rating 4.76 / 5 [17 ratings]
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Istanbul
€79 | Rating 4.81 / 5 [38 ratings]
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€103 | Rating 4.33 / 5 [6 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.3 miles]
Superbly staffed, relaxing oasis in an unbeatable location – the luxury choice in central Sultanahmet.
Official star rating:
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.5 miles]
Convenient for the major sights and plugged into Turkish culture, this charming, historic hotel is ideal for families and first-timers.
Official star rating:
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.6 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.
Official star rating:
Istanbul, Marmara Region, Turkey[1.8 miles]
This stylish, friendly and affordable boutique hotel is in sights-packed Sultanahmet, perfect for first-time visitors.
Official star rating:
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[1.3 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[1.3 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[1.5 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[1.5 miles]
The greatest of Istanbul’s Ottoman mosques, beautifully decorated with thousands of handmade ceramic tiles, the Blue Mosque combines Byzantine elements with traditional Islamic architecture.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Istanbul , Marmara Region , Turkey[1.5 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[1.7 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[2.3 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[3.1 miles]
Located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, Kadikoy Market is Istanbul’s foodie central, a gastro-riot of local produce including seafood, fruit and vegetable stalls, herbs, spices and cheeses.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free