Istanbul Tourist Information, Istanbul Travel Advisory

Things to know before travelling to Istanbul

Before photographing the locals, you should definitely ask permission from them.
When you enter a house or a mosque, you should definitely take off your shoes. You should be very careful when choosing clothes before visiting the religious places of Istanbul. Short skirts, shorts and open hills are not suitable for city observations.
You can drink alcohol only in specially designated areas.
Don't forget to bargain in markets and bazaars. Sellers increase the price for tourists.
Before you buy anything, you should ask prices few different shops or search from the internet.
Do not drink tap water.
Stay away from street vendors.
Stay away from the vendors selling tours on the street, if you want to buy a tour, you should buy from the internet or tour agency.
Always have your passport with you.
Carry cash with you.
When you buy a plane ticket to go to Istanbul, choose Atatürk Airport because it is much closer to the city center. Sabihagökcen airport is far from the city center, so the transfer fee will be higher.
Air in Istanbul is generally hot during the summer months. Choose casual and sports outfits. Pick up a few winter clothes for the other months.
Don't go to every restaurant to eat and drink, usually choose the local people's choice or ask the local people for help.
Be sure to check the voucher when paying at the restaurant.

Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Istanbul

1. Take tour to historical places of Istanbul, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern, Sultanahmet (Hippodrome), Hagia Sophia and Archeology Museum are the must-see places in Istanbul. Top Landmarks in Sultanahmet, Istanbul

2. Visit the Maiden's Tower in the middle of the sea and drink coffee with the perfect view of Istanbul.

3. Take a boat cruise to Prince Islands; Buyukada, Heybeli, Burgaz and Kinaliada these islands known as the Prince Islands.

4. Visit Galata Tower; Exploring Istanbul is a great experience but to see it from up high is something completely different.

5. Take a Istanbul Bosphorus cruise tour you will have opportunity see Galata Tower, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Bosphorus Bridge, Savarona Yacht, Rumeli Fortress, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Anatolian Fortress, Kuleli Military High School, Beylerbeyi Palace, Maiden Tower.

6. Don't miss to join Turkish Night Show Istanbul Bosphorus Dinner Cruise, Bosphorus cruise with dinner, unlimitted drinks and a great Turkish night show performed by a professional dance team including belly dance and much more.

7. Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise Open Buffet Lunch on the Boat, lunch on the Istanbul bosphorus by the boat and sightseeing cruise in between Asia and Europe. To have opportunities taste Turkish cuisine.

8. Go to a whirling dervish show, Turkey is home to the Mevlevi Order of Sufi whirling dervishes.

9. Listen to the call of prayer between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

10. Visit the Chora Church. The Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora may not be the largest of the Byzantine churches, but it’s certainly known for being one of the most beautiful.

Places to Visit in Istanbul

This city has been the center of history in two great empires and two divine religions. The traces of this past can be seen all over the city, although care is not taken to protect them.

Istanbul is home to the most important temples of both Islam and Orthodox Christianity. The city's most famous buildings, which are among the attractions of Istanbul, are within walking distance. The area known as the Historical Peninsula forms the borders of Byzantine Istanbul.

The list of places includes the most important sightseeing spots including squares and museums such as Galata Tower, Istanbul Archeology Museum, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Suleymaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace.

Sultanahmet Square (Hippodrome)
Maiden's Tower
Ciragan Palace
Dolmabahce Palace
Topkapi palace
Yildiz Palace
Beylerbeyi Palace
Galata Tower
Kucuksu Pavilion
Rumeli Fortress
Anatolian Fortress
Grand Bazaar
The Egyptian Bazaar
Hagia Sophia Museum

Sultanahmet Square (Hippodrome)

Sultanahmet Square, which is on our list of places to visit in Istanbul, is one of the busiest places of the city in terms of tourism.

The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Serpentine Column, Obelisk and many other historical places are in this square.

Maiden's Tower

Maiden's Tower, It is an architectural monument built during the reign of II. Mehmet. The present-day shape of the girl tower in the Byzantine-style architecture of the Ottoman Empire was rebuilt by Sultan It was given by II. Mahmut.

The tower, which was the home of a grave during the Greek period, was used as a customs station during the Byzantine period. In the Ottoman period, it served in many areas such as show platform, exile station, defensive fortress and quarantine room. However, it has never lost its mission to guide the ships that have the primary duty and the importance of this task.

Ciragan Palace

In the palace, the richest examples of stonemasonry are found. At the Ciragan Palace, which hosted important meetings, gold gilded furniture had pearl pencil works. Nowadays, the palace, which hosts many social activities, has been transformed into a seaside hotel due to the additions.

Dolmabahce Palace

Dolmabahçe Palace, located in the unique beauty of the Bosphorus, was a palace in the late Ottoman period. Today, the palace welcomes visitors as a museum.

Dolmabahce Palace is the first of its kind in Istanbul with its unique decorations, architectural details, unique hand-woven carpets, chandelier craftsmanship, glazed pavilion, greeting section, palace collections, and Mustafa Kemal's room.

Topkapi palace

After the conquest of Istanbul, the construction of Topkapı Palace started in 1460 and was completed in 1478. Topkapı Palace, which has an area of seven thousand square meters, was started to be used with Fatih Sultan Mehmed and it was the place where the Ottoman Empire was ruled for 400 years until the reign of Sultan Abdülmecid.

Yildiz Palace

The Yıldız Palace, which witnessed a very important period that coincided with the last years of the Ottoman Empire, is quite impressive with its natural surroundings, unlike other palaces.

Beylerbeyi Palace

The palace was built by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1861 and served as the summer palace for the Ottoman sultans and members of the Ottoman Empire.

The palace is a very important heritage with its magnificent view, unique craftsmanship and the opportunity to witness a period.

Galata Tower

Galata Tower was first built as a lighthouse by the Byzantines in 528 and needs to be constantly renewed and repaired for fires, storms and many other reasons until the present day. The tower, which was recently restored in 1967, continues to host thousands of guests who want to have a panoramic view of Istanbul every day.

Kucuksu Pavilion

Küçüksu Pavilion belongs to the Byzantine period. It was used as a sultan garden during the Ottoman period. It was used for different purposes throughout the period.

The construction of the vault was completed in 1857. During the reign of Sultan Abdülaziz, the facade decorations were given importance and a rich visual appearance. The Küçüksu Pavilion, which was used as a state guest house in the Republic period, was turned into a museum palace in 1996 and opened to visitors.

Rumeli Fortress

The Rumeli Fortress, also known as the Boğazkesen fortress, is located in the Sarıyer district of the Istanbul province and in the Bosphorus. The Rumeli fortress was built by Fatih Sultan Mehmet directly opposite the Anatolian fortress before the conquest of Istanbul in order to prevent the attacks from the northern part of the strait.

The area where the fortress is located is the narrowest part of the strait. The construction of the fortress lasted 90 days. The fortress, which has the biggest castle towers in the world, has 3 large towers.

Anatolian Fortress

Anadolu Fortress, which is built on an area of 7.000 m2 at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus and at its narrowest point, consists of the inner and outer fortress walls and inner and outer castles. Especially after the conquest of Istanbul, Anadolu Fortress, which lost its importance, started to be considered as a settlement.

Grand Bazaar

Istanbul's favorite, the most visited tourist attraction of the world, a gateway to history, has always been the center of attraction for shopping.

The year 1461 was accepted as the foundation of the Grand Bazaar by Fatih Sultan Mehmet. However, it is thought that the history of the Grand Bazaar dates back to Byzantium. The first building, known as the Inner Bedesten and covering a small area of 48 × 36 meters, is considered to be a Byzantine work. The new Bedesten, the Sandal Bedesten, was started to be built in 1461 with the order of Fatih.

The Egyptian Bazaar

One of the oldest covered bazaars in Istanbul, the Spice Bazaar is said to be a bazaar in the place of the Byzantine time. The present building was built by Haseki Turhan Hatice Valide Sultan, the wife of the Ottoman Sultan Ibrahim, to the Chief Architect Kazim Aga.

Hagia Sophia

The Hagia Sophia Museum is the largest church built by the Eastern Roman Empire in Istanbul. The fact that the church is built three times in the same place is a remarkable feature.

In 1453, by the conquest of Istanbul by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque. After the conquest, the building was strengthened and the minarets built by Mimar Sinan contributed to the building's protection with the support of the building. In the Ottoman period, inside the Hagia Sophia, minbar, mihrabs, preaching sermons, and muezzin mahfilleri were made.

Best Time to Visit Istanbul

Four seasons to another beautiful Istanbul, any time of the year, but the most ideal months to visit the city spring and summer. In Istanbul, precipitation may occasionally appear in spring but mostly air is sunny and warm.

Istanbul has a structure that attracts tourists in all months of the year. The city offers a distinct beauty in every period. In the spring, purple flowers blooming purple trees, and in autumn the blossoming vegetation embraces urban streets and avenues of landscape. Likewise, Istiklal Street, which is under the snow and white snow in winter, has a beauty not to be found in the Christmas cities of Europe. Some people likes this city in winter and others in the summer.

Istanbul Weather

The weather in Istanbul is about 20 degrees Celsius in summer and 7 degrees Celsius in winter. The best times in Istanbul, which is around 14 degrees in the spring, are experienced in May, June, September and October.

Istanbul Weather by Month

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp Min °C	3	2	3	7	12	16	18	19	16	13	9	5
Temp Max °C	8	9	11	16	21	25	28	28	24	20	15	11
Rainfall (mm)	109	92	72	46	38	34	34	30	58	81	103	119

Where to Stay in Istanbul

If you are looking for a place to stay in Istanbul, such as public transport, security, service quality, Wi-Fi service and of course customer reviews.

Istanbul hotels are located in Taksim, Galata, Kadikoy, Sultanahmet and Talimhane regions. The most popular region in this regions is Sultanhamet. Most of the Ottoman and Byzantine historical artifacts in Istanbul were collected in this region. You can reach these historical sights by walking just a few minutes without using any vehicle.

On the other side if you have limited budget, you should choose your hotel near the Sultanahmet region such as Aksaray, Fatih, Laleli and Topkapi. In this regions you can use T1 tram line to go Sultanahmet just in few minutes. But be carefull while chooseing your hotel at Aksaray and Laleli, some of hotels in this regions is not family friendly hotels.

Where to Eat in Istanbul, What to Eat in Istanbul

There are many alternatives to dinner in Istanbul, one of the largest metropolises in the world, where many different cultures live together. You can take into consideration the suggestions of what to eat in Istanbul from the regional Anatolian flavors and the distinguished examples of the world cuisine.

We have researched where you can find the best of these flavors.

When you come to Istanbul, you should taste these;

Kebap
Döner
Bursa İskender
Lahmacun
Kuru Fasulye
Kumpir
İşkembe Çorbası
Kokoreç
Baklava

Where is the best kebab in Istanbul?

There is always a place in your stomach for a good Kebab. If a local person does not eat kebab for a week, he starts to miss.

Hamdi Restoran

Eating kebab on one hand and sitting on both the Galata, Bosphorus and Sultanahmet sights are much more luxurious than going to Paris for breakfast. Hamdi (also known as Hamo), which serves in Eminönü with 17 different varieties of kebabs, makes this luxury easy. The kebab with peanuts is also very good.

Address: Tahmis Caddesi Kalçın Sokak No: 17 Eminonu / Istanbul

Where is the best lahmacun in Istanbul?

Often wrongfully referred to as a ‘Turkish pizza’, lahmacun has nothing to do with the Italian classic. A thin and crispy round of dough is topped with minced seasoned meat, which is complimented with a squeeze of lemon and parsley before it’s rolled up and ready to eat.

Borsam Taşfırın

A place with mysteries within itself Borsam Taşfırın. When you order, there comes a very tasty lahmacun in front of you.

Address: Rıhtım Caddesi Reşit Efendi Sokak No: /A Kadıköy / Istanbul

Where is the best doner in Istanbul?

This buffet is one of the best representatives of Turkish fast food. When you go to Istanbul, it is a must to taste.

Sedef Döner located at walking distance to the Sultanahmet square.

Address: Binbirdirek Mah. Divanyolu Cad. No: 21 / A Sultanahmet / Fatih / Istanbul

Where is the best Bursa Iskender in Istanbul?

Iskender kebab is one kind that you must never miss. Named after its inventor, Iskender Efendi of Bursa, iskender kebab is basically lamb kebab lovingly smothered with tomato sauce, topped with warm sheep butter, and finished off with a side of yogurt.

Şavak Usta – Aksaray

You should eat this taste of Şavak Usta restaurant where you can eat the delicious kebab varieties and iskender kebab.

Address: Sofular Cd. No: 58, Aksaray / Istanbul

Below are the food recommendations that every tourist must visit to Istanbul. Do not go without taste these iconic taste before your vacation ends.

Sultanahmet Köftesi: You should definitely try the historical Sultanahmet Köftecis, next to the Sultanahmet tram stop.
Ali Baba Kuru Fasulye: In the main menu of Kuru Fasulye (dry beans), Ali Baba, you should definitely try Kuru Fasulye (dry beans), cacik, rice and pickles. All the dishes are really delicious, as are the rettaurant which is served in many turkish cuisine dishes. Price is suitable. It is located opposite the Süleymaniye Mosque behind the Beyazit Square.
The other proposal is the Hatay Medeniyet Sofrası at walking distance to Taksim Square; you can find all kinds of meat dishes that really turn into a full feast of meat.
Baklava: Karaköy Güllüoğlu, the first baked baklava shop in Istanbul, has been hosting its guests in Karaköy since it opened. Beside the baklava, they are also very successful in the şöbiyet, burma, kadayıf and the milk. It is located in Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa Quarter, Rıhtım Street, Storey Car Park Under, No 4, Karaköy

Istanbul Tourist Information, Istanbul Travel Advisory

Things to know before travelling to Istanbul

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