Old City Travel Guide

Istanbul

Topkapi Palace showing a river or creek, a city and a bay or harbour
Suleymaniye Mosque which includes interior views and a mosque
Grand Bazaar showing shopping, markets and interior views
Topkapi Palace showing heritage architecture and a castle
Suleymaniye Mosque featuring a mosque

Popular places to visit

Blue Mosque featuring heritage architecture, a mosque and religious aspects

Blue Mosque

4.5/5(685 reviews)

The nickname of this 17th-century structure refers to the brilliant color of its tiled interior.

Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia

4.5/5(625 reviews)

Once a church, then a Byzantine cathedral, later a mosque and now a monument, this iconic building is a national treasure.

Hagia Sophia
Grand Bazaar

Grand Bazaar

4.5/5(691 reviews)

Enter the maze of shop-lined streets in one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world to browse hundreds of thousands of hand-crafted objects.

Grand Bazaar
Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace

4.5/5(554 reviews)

The official residence of the Ottoman sultans for about four centuries is now accessible to the public and home to sacred relics.

Topkapi Palace
Sultanahmet Square

Sultanahmet Square

4.5/5(552 reviews)

You can find out about the history of Istanbul with a stop at Sultanahmet Square. Add the area's notable monuments or shops to your travel plans.

Sultanahmet Square
Basilica Cistern showing religious aspects, interior views and a church or cathedral

Basilica Cistern

4.5/5(353 reviews)

The “Sunken Palace” is one of the most striking remnants of Byzantine Constantinople and is the largest of hundreds of ancient underground reservoirs in Istanbul.

Basilica Cistern

Things to do

Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table

Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table

Rp420.908
per adult
90% of travellers recommend
Istanbul: Bosphorus Dinner Cruise & Show with Private Table
Blue Mosque

Istanbul Highlights: Small-Group Tour with a Local Expert

Rp1.403.605
per adult
100% of travellers recommend
Istanbul Highlights: Small-Group Tour with a Local Expert
Istanbul: Full-Day Highlights Tour with Guide and Lunch

Istanbul: Full-Day Highlights Tour with Guide and Lunch

Rp802.532
per adult
80% of travellers recommend
Istanbul: Full-Day Highlights Tour with Guide and Lunch
Picture 1 for Activity Istanbul: Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Sunset Option

Istanbul: Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Sunset Option

Rp153.058
per adult
Istanbul: Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise with Sunset Option
Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar Tour

Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar Tour

Rp520.160
per adult
Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Grand Bazaar Tour
Istanbul: Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table

Istanbul: Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table

Rp573.966
per adult
90% of travellers recommend
Istanbul: Dinner Cruise and Entertainment with Private Table
See all activities in Istanbul

Top hotels in Old City

Sultanhan Hotel - Special Class

Sultanhan Hotel - Special Class

Piyer Loti Cad No:7, Istanbul, Istanbul
The price is Rp2.702.191 per night from 24 Aug to 25 Aug
Rp2.702.191
Rp3.026.454 total
24 Aug - 25 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Istanbul. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant in their reviews. ...
9/10 Wonderful! (2,057 reviews)
"Excellent hotel, kind staff"

Reviewed on 19 Aug 2025

Sultanhan Hotel - Special Class
Carina Gold Hotel and Restaurant

Carina Gold Hotel and Restaurant

4 out of 5
Türbedar Sk. 20, Istanbul, Istanbul
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Istanbul. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and valet parking (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (514 reviews)
Excelente hotel !!!
"Excelente hotel, esta casi nuevo muy comodo y limpio las habitacion muy amplia, solo les falta mejorar un poco el desayuno siempre ponen lo mismo, el hotel tiene Excelente ubicación, lo recomiendo al maximo !!!"

Reviewed on 18 Aug 2025

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Carina Gold Hotel and Restaurant
Seven Hills Hotel - Special Class

Seven Hills Hotel - Special Class

Cankurtaran Mh., Tevkifhane Sokak 8, Istanbul, Istanbul
The price is Rp1.519.983 per night from 22 Sept to 23 Sept
Rp1.519.983
Rp1.702.381 total
22 Sept - 23 Sept
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Istanbul. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,002 reviews)
"Great position and excellent reception staff (Fatma in particular and Sinan). Too much food for breakfast until we realised we could choose and not have it all. In addition to didn't like (above) the lift to our 3rd floor didn't work sometimes and there was a nasty smell when we entered the room ..."

Reviewed on 14 Aug 2025

Seven Hills Hotel - Special Class
Seven Hills Palace & Spa

Seven Hills Palace & Spa

Sultanahmet Mahallesi Kadi Cikmazi Sok., No 11 1 Fatih, Istanbul
The price is Rp2.279.974 per night from 23 Aug to 24 Aug
Rp2.279.974
Rp2.553.570 total
23 Aug - 24 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Istanbul. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and an outdoor pool. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their reviews. ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (874 reviews)
"All round a decent place to stay with mostly families / older couples staying as guests during our time of visit. Location is close enough that the blue mosque / hagia sophia were only ~10 minutes away by walk. No problems with the actual hotel - was generally clean from what we could tell, albeit ..."

Reviewed on 18 Aug 2025

Seven Hills Palace & Spa
Legacy Ottoman Hotel

Legacy Ottoman Hotel

5 out of 5
Hobyar Mahallesi Hamidiye Cad. No: 16, Sirkeci, Istanbul, Istanbul
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Istanbul. Enjoy a full-service spa, 2 restaurants and 2 bars/lounges. Popular attractions Grand Bazaar and Topkapi Palace ...
7.2/10 Good! (932 reviews)
"I’m not going to share too much about my own experience since everyone’s will be different. The hotel is in a fantastic location—less than five minutes from a beautiful grand masjid, right next to the spice bazaar, with the Bosporus river and tram connection just around the corner (5/10 mins), plus ..."

Reviewed on 20 Aug 2025

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Legacy Ottoman Hotel
AJWA Sultanahmet

AJWA Sultanahmet

5 out of 5
Emin Sinan Mah Piyerloti Cad No: 30, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is Rp5.253.060 per night from 28 Aug to 29 Aug
Rp5.253.060
Rp5.883.427 total
28 Aug - 29 Aug
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Istanbul. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the property condition ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (832 reviews)
"Unfortuantely I only stayed 2 nights of my booked 6 nights for unplanned circumstances From what I experienced it is a great hotel with very professional attentive staff Next time i will explore facilites better"

Reviewed on 16 Aug 2025

AJWA Sultanahmet
See all 1,059 properties in Old City
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around Old City

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Sirkeci

Travellers choose Sirkeci for its ample dining options. Hop aboard the metro at Sirkeci Station or Eminonu Station and check out top sights like Topkapi Palace.

Sirkeci
Blue Mosque which includes a fountain, a mosque and a pond

Sultanahmet

Gourmet restaurants interesting history and top sights from Blue Mosque to Hagia Sophia – discover Sultanahmet, a destination also famous for its shopping.

Sultanahmet
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Eminönü

Known for its breathtaking beach views and popular shops, there's plenty to explore in Eminönü. Check out top attractions like Grand Bazaar and Eminönü Square, and jump on the metro at Eminonu Station or Beyazit Station to see more of the city.

Eminönü
Galata Tower featuring a bay or harbour, night scenes and a ferry

Karaköy

Spend some time visiting places like Galata Tower while getting to know Karaköy, and be sure to check out the abundant dining options. You can hop aboard the metro at Karakoy Station or Karakoy Tünel Station to see more of the area.

Karaköy
Galata Tower featuring cruising, general coastal views and a city

Galata

Travellers choose Galata for its abundant dining options. Hop aboard the metro at Sishane-Zemin Metro Station or Karakoy Tünel Station and check out top sights like Galata Tower.

Galata
Galata Tower featuring a bay or harbour, night scenes and a ferry

Beyoğlu

Enjoy the popular shops in Beyoğlu. Taksim Square is a worthwhile stop, and you can jump on the metro at Sishane-Zemin Metro Station or Tophane Station to see more of Istanbul.

Beyoğlu

Old City Travel Guide