Best things to do in Istanbul

Istanbul's Absolute Essentials

Istanbul’s historic peninsula preserves layers of Byzantine and Ottoman history through its most significant landmarks. This selection features iconic architectural sites like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, alongside the expansive Topkapı Palace complex. The list also highlights Roman engineering with the Column of Constantine and the Column of the Goths, as well as the city’s traditional bathing culture found in historic structures like the 16th-century Haseki Hürrem Hammam and the Baroque-style Cağaloğlu Hamam.

Myrabella / Public domain

Hagia Sophia

Historic architectural masterpiece that has served as a church, mosque, and museum, renowned for its Byzantine architecture and cultural significance.

travisreitter / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Blue Mosque

Historic Ottoman mosque known for its six minarets and intricate blue tile interior decoration. It is an active place of worship and a significant example of Ottoman architecture.

Gryffindor / Public domain

Topkapı Palace

Historic Ottoman palace and former royal residence featuring centuries-old architecture and extensive imperial collections, now functioning as a museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gryffindor / Public domain

Sultan Ahmet Square

Historic square featuring notable monuments and remnants of an ancient sports and social center. It reflects both Byzantine and Ottoman architectural influences.

Sygic Travel User / CC-BY-SA

Cistern of Philoxenos

Byzantine underground cistern featuring 224 columns and notable Byzantine architecture. It serves as an archaeological site and museum showcasing ancient water storage engineering.

Jiri Parimucha / CC-BY

New Mosque

Completed in the 17th century, this large mosque features 66 domes, a nice courtyard and two minarets.

Bollweevil / CC BY-SA 3.0

Column of Constantine

There used to be a statue of Constantine the Great atop of this Roman column.

VikiPicture / CC BY-SA 3.0

Camondo Stairs

This famous stairway was built around 1880 by a wealthy man named Abraham Salomon Camondo. It mixes Neo-Baroque and early Art Nouveau styles.

Alexxx1979 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Hagia Irene

This former Eastern Orthodox church is part of the Topkapi Palace complex. The name Hagia Irene means "Divine Peace".

Alexandr Klepikov / CC BY-SA 4.0

Column of the Goths

A 15-meter-high Roman triumphal column made of Proconnesian marble, located in Gülhane Park. Dating from the 3rd or 4th century, it commemorates a Roman victory over invading Goths and remains one of the oldest intact monuments from the Roman era in the city.