3 days in Istanbul: itinerary

Build the three days around districts, not individual sights. Traffic on the bridges and the Eminönü–Beşiktaş road eats an hour at a time, so a day that hops between the old city and Beyoğlu wastes the morning.

Day 1, Sultanahmet: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern, all within a 15-minute walk of each other. Start at opening, because the courtyards and the mosque queue build from about 10:00. Finish at the Grand Bazaar or the Spice Bazaar before they close in the evening.

Day 2, Beyoğlu and the water: Galata Tower early, then İstiklal Caddesi down to Taksim, and an afternoon Bosphorus ferry from Eminönü or Karaköy. The short public ferry to Kadıköy on the Asian side is cheaper than the tourist boats and gives you the same skyline.

Day 3, pick one: a half-day Princes' Islands ferry from Kabataş or Bostancı, the Chora Church and the city walls, or a full day out to a day-trip target. Keep the last afternoon light for a rooftop or a hamam.

Book timed entries for the big sites in peak season and buy the İstanbulkart on day one. If you have four nights, add the Asian side or a day trip rather than a fourth museum.

Prices below are 2026 estimates in lira for one adult. State museums have raised ticket prices sharply in recent years, so treat the figures as a band and confirm at the gate or online. Many sites take card, but carry small notes for ferries, simit and tea.

Opening hours shift with season and with prayer times at working mosques. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are active places of worship: tourists enter outside prayer times, and women cover their heads. Friday midday is the busiest and most restricted window.

The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar close on Sunday and on public holidays; the Egyptian Bazaar area stays livelier. During Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı some shops and restaurants shut for several days — check the dates before booking.

Most long-haul arrivals land at İstanbul Airport (IST) on the European side; some European and low-cost flights use Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side. From IST, the M11 metro links to the city network, then tram or metro to Sultanahmet — allow 60–90 minutes door to door. From SAW, the M4 metro plus a Marmaray or ferry crossing takes longer; a taxi or transfer is the faster option if you land late.

Within the city, the T1 tram is the workhorse for Sultanahmet, Eminönü, Karaköy and Kabataş. The F1 funicular links Kabataş to Taksim, and Marmaray runs under the Bosphorus between the European and Asian sides. Ferries from Eminönü, Karaköy and Kabataş cover the Bosphorus and the islands.

Flight times from home countries vary too much to generalise; check your own route. If you are arriving from North America or Australia, a same-day arrival usually means a lost afternoon — plan the light first day and put the big sites on day two.

Buy the İstanbulkart at a machine on arrival and top it up; it covers almost everything except taxis and the tourist Bosphorus cruises. Keep small lira notes for tea, simit and tips.

Dress for mosques: shoulders and knees covered, women carry a scarf. Shoes come off at the door; carry a bag for them. Visit working mosques outside prayer times and stay quiet.

Ignore unsolicited offers of help near Sultanahmet and the bazaars — the dropped-shoe-shine and 'your hotel is closed' routines are common. Agree taxi fares or insist on the meter, and use a ride app where you can.

Eat where the menu is short and the room is full: a lokanta at lunch, a meyhane in Beyoğlu at night. Book popular dinner spots for Friday and Saturday.

If you are weighing a city pass against paying per site, do the arithmetic on the three or four museums you will actually enter — a pass only pays off if you use it daily.