The only city in the world to span across two continents (Europe and Asia), Istanbul is an absolutely ginormous city. Home to over 3000 mosques, world-famous markets, and incredible food, this is a city you could never get bored in.
You could easily spend 4-5 days in Istanbul. However, many travellers flying with Turkish Airlines may find themselves with less than 24 hours to explore the city, due to Istanbul being the most common layover stop with this airline. Although you won’t be able to cram everything into this time, you can still fit in some amazing highlights and get a feel for this magical city.
On my flight from Mozambique to Mexico, I found myself in this position. I was lucky enough to have a 20-hour layover in Istanbul. Not only could I discover the city, I could also reunite with my boyfriend after three months of long-distance, so it was a much-appreciated opportunity! I arrived at the airport at 6 am and had to be back by 11 pm, so I had a full day to fit in as much as possible.
How to get from the airport to the city centre.
One important thing to remember if you are planning a trip to Istanbul is that the airport is pretty far from the city! If you want to take public transport, it can take more than 2 hours.
My journey included 3 metro’s, one funicular and one tram! On the way back I took an Uber which took half an hour and cost £25. If you have a layover in Istanbul of fewer than 10 hours, I would recommend getting an Uber to and from the airport to make the most of your day.
However, if you have the time, don’t be put off from taking public transport into the city. Although it takes a while it is very easy and will save you a lot of money. Follow the red metro signs in the terminal to get to the airport metro line, the M11. It is a 5-minute walk from the airport but it is well signposted. At the station buy an Istanbulkart transport card from the yellow and black machines for £2. Then top up with about another £2 of credit which will be enough if you are just staying for one day.
No matter where you want to head towards, you will need to take the M11 line, 5 stops, to Kağıthane. From here you will exit the station, and walk directly across a park to the building in front of you which is Kağıthane station. Now take the M7 line, 2 stops, to Şişli-Mecidiyeköy station.
Your next steps will depend on which area of the city you are trying to get to. You will most likely will want to head towards Sultanahmet if you have a single day as this is where a lot of the top attractions are located.
In this case, you will ride the M2 line to Taksim. This is where you leave the metro behind and take your second mode of transport, the funicular! Take the F1 to Kabatas, then finally, take the tram using the T1 line to Sultanahmet. Easy right?
*TIP: If you have large bags on you, use the app Bounce to drop your bags for around £5 a day. Most European cities will have many locations spotted around and Istanbul is no exception. I have used this app numerous times and have only had positive experiences.
Where to stay
My layover in Istanbul did not include an overnight stay, and Turkish Airlines will normally give a free hotel stay to those that do. However, in case you do find yourself looking for an area to stay, I will provide the small amount of information that I do have!
My boyfriend stayed in the Sultanahmet area and had mixed reviews. The area is very close to a lot of the main tourist attractions such as the Hagia Sophie Mosque, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar. However, this area does get very quiet at night, he said he struggled to even find one place open to grab a beer, and this was a Friday night!
If you wanted to stay somewhere a bit livelier in the evenings, I have heard that it is best to stay in the Kadıköy area. It is still walking distance from the top sights, and apparently has more going on in the evenings.
What to do
There is such a huge abundance of things to do that I didn’t even scratch the surface in one day. I will definitely be coming back for at least three days to see everything I have missed. However, I did manage to see some of the main highlights on the European side of the city.
1. Visit a Mosque
Even if you are on a short layover in Istanbul, this is an easy activity to fit into your schedule. Istanbul is home to more than 3000 mosques so you really can’t walk more than a few minutes without seeing one. There is a huge number of mosques to choose from but the two most famous are the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque which are in the Sultanahmet area.
My first stop of the day was the Hagia Sophia mosque. This once church, then mosque, then museum, and then mosque again, is one of the top things to do in Istanbul.
When we arrived at about 10 am there was already a huge line which nearly put us off, we couldn’t even see the mosque when we joined the back! We decided to join the queue to see if we moved and luckily we did quite quickly. We entered the mosque within half an hour, so don’t let a large queue put you off! The mosque is open till 10 pm so you could choose to visit later in the day if you would prefer to avoid the lines.
Remember that women need to be almost fully covered, with no knees, shoulders or hair showing when inside the mosque. Don’t worry if you realise in the queue that you aren’t dressed appropriately. Once you are inside the gates there is a booth on your left-hand side. This provides cover-ups for a small fee (£1.50).
However, since COVID, these cover-ups are single-use and get thrown away after you use them. By bringing your own cover-up, uou are helping to reduce the amount of waste being created.
I thought they were going to give me a head scarf as I was wearing a long dress. Instead, they handed over a full body cover-up that looked like a rain poncho!
The inside of the mosque, with the second-largest dome in the world, is absolutely beautiful and well worth the queue to see it from the inside.
2. Get lost in the Grand Bazaar
After grabbing a Turkish Pide for lunch, we regained some energy and walked towards the Grand Bazaar. This is another must do, even if you only have a short layover in Istanbul. The Bazaar is only about a 15-minute walk from Hagia Sophia. One thing I love about Istanbul is that despite its size, most of the main things to see are close together. It is a very walkable city, although surprisingly hilly!
The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest markets in the world, experiencing it should be a must-do on any tourist’s itinerary. Absolutely everything is sold in here, from Turkish Delight, rugs and lamps, to knock-off trainers, spices and tech.
I walked around for hours, tasting all the delicacies that were offered, getting lost in the maze, and taking in all the sights, smells and tastes. After half an hour we stopped at a little café inside the market. We ordered a traditional Turkish tea and coffee, and people watched for half an hour before moving on. My tea cost £1.40.
3. See the city from above at the Galata Tower
After finding the exit of the Grand Bazaar we wandered across the bridge to find the Galata Tower. An impressive stone tower with a view over the city. I didn’t research this beforehand and was surprised at how expensive it was to go up to the top, about £20 each! We discussed whether to do it for a few minutes but in the end, we decided to see the city from above.
A nice thing about the Galata Tower is that the way to the top is by elevator and not by taking the stairs! The view from the top is beautiful. You can see how many mosques fill the city and how the Bosphorus strait runs through the middle. You can also see across to the Asian side of the city.
Almost at the base of the tower is Viyana Kahvesi. This is a café that has gone viral on TikTok for the San Sebastian cheesecake, a vanilla cheesecake covered in melted chocolate. We shared one of these and it was very good but definitely a bit hyped up and pricey!
4. Eat at one of the many rooftop restaurants.
At the end of our day sightseeing we went for a romantic dinner at one of the many rooftop restaurants that are dotted around the city. If your layover in Istanbul includes an evening, this is the type of restaurant you should look for! We chose Ararat Terrace Restaurant and I would really recommend this experience.
The restaurant is on a rooftop terrace overlooking the Blue Mosque and the water and the view is truly stunning. The food was also exceptional and not too expensive considering the location, I got Chicken Shish which cost me £14. The service was incredible and they even gave us free baklava which was delicious.
As it got dark the mosque lit up, we could see the twinkling light of the city across the water. The call to prayer sounded across the city, it was one of my favourite places that I’ve ever eaten. There are many rooftop restaurants to choose from in this area but I couldn’t recommend Ararat Terrace Restaurant more.
More
- Experience a Turkish breakfast, a selection of many foods including freshly baked breads, jams, eggs, olives, cheeses, pastries, dips and sauces.
- Topkapi Palace
- Go underground into the Basilica Cistern
- Get a full body scrub at a Turkish Bath
- Gülhane Park
If you have more than 24 hours, you could also go further afield…
- Visit the area of Balat, a beautiful district with colourful buildings.
- Get the ferry across the water to experience the Asian side of the city.
- Ortaköy Mosque
Istanbul is a fantastic city with something for everyone. No matter if you are on a layover in Istanbul, or have a whole week, I am sure you will love your time in this city that feels so different to everywhere else I’ve visited in Europe.
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