Istanbul’s palaces

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.

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.

An extraordinarily opulent 19th-century palace that blends Ottoman architecture with Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Three world-class collections, including the famous Alexander sarcophagus, fascinating prehistoric art and gorgeous Ottoman tiles.

Magical 6th-century underground cistern, once used to supply water to Istanbul’s Ottoman emperors.

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.

Lovely, lively 5th and 6th-century AD mosaics depicting nature, animals and people from the palace of the first Byzantine Emperors.

One of the world’s finest collections of Islamic-influenced glassware, rugs, ceramics, metal work and ethnographic items.

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.

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.