CargandoCargando
Sultanahmet for the first two days, with Topkapi getting one to itself because half a morning isn't enough. Day three the two bazaars. Day four crosses the Golden Horn: Galata and a boat up the Bosphorus at dusk. And day five to Asia, to Kadıköy, where the food is best and where almost no tourist sets foot.
Tap a point to see which one it is and how to get there.
A suggestion, not a rule: once you create the trip you can split it up however you like.
8 min on foot hasta la siguiente
6 min on foot hasta la siguiente
12 min on foot hasta la siguiente
16 min on foot hasta la siguiente
💡Haggling isn't a fight, it's the conversation
In the bazaar you ask, you accept the tea they offer with no obligation, and you counter at a third of the asking price. If you don't agree, thank them and walk: half the time they call you back before the corner.
💡Buy an Istanbulkart the moment you arrive
It works on trams, metro, buses and the ferries, and one card covers several people: tap, and tap again. Without it every journey costs twice as much.
💡In mosques: shoes off, shoulders covered, hair covered for women
You leave your shoes in a bag at the entrance and there are scarves lent at the door. You don't go in during prayers, which happen five times a day and last twenty minutes. Entry costs nothing.
💡Taxis only on the meter, or through the app
It's the city's classic problem: with no meter they charge whatever they like, especially from the airport. Ask for the meter as you get in, or use the official taxi app and pay through it.
💡Turkish breakfast is a full meal
Cheeses, olives, eggs, tomato, bread and endless tea, served until mid-morning. It costs little, it's shared and it saves you lunch. Look for the word kahvaltı.
TravelMatch finds you compatible travel companions: same dates, same pace, verified profiles. Save this itinerary and find someone to do it with.