Where to stay in Istanbul — and what to see

For a first trip, stay in Sultanahmet if you want the big sights on your doorstep, or in Galata, Karaköy or Beyoğlu if you want cafés, nightlife and a short tram or walk to the old city. Repeat visitors and anyone who wants the city without the tour groups should look at Kadıköy on the Asian side.

Where to stay in Istanbul: the areas compared

Istanbul is split by the Bosphorus into a European and an Asian side, and the European side is split again by the Golden Horn into the historic peninsula and the "new" city around Galata. Where you sleep decides how much time you spend in traffic, so pick by what you plan to do most.

Sultanahmet: closest to the sights

This is the historic heart, and it does feel like a museum: domes and minarets in every direction. The upside is that you can walk to Hagia Sophia before the queues form. The downside is that evenings are quiet and restaurants lean touristy. Good for two or three nights if sightseeing is the point.

Galata, Beyoğlu and Karaköy: the best all-rounder

Narrow streets climb up to Galata Tower; Istiklal Avenue is all crowds, street musicians and the red nostalgic tram, and the side alleys hide jazz bars. Karaköy, just below, is the creative waterfront with third-wave coffee and street art. From here you cross the Galata Bridge or take the tram to the old city in minutes, and ferries leave from the docks nearby. If you only book one area, book here.

Kadıköy and Moda: the Asian side

Crossing the Bosphorus really does feel like arriving in another city. Kadıköy is laid-back and lived-in: a food market that locals actually use, tattoo parlors, record shops, and Moda's seafront where people sit on the rocks with tea at sunset. The ferry to Eminönü or Karaköy is short and scenic, so staying here is less of a compromise than it looks on the map.

Top things to do in Istanbul

• Hagia Sophia — first a church, then a mosque, a museum and now a mosque again. The ground floor is a working mosque; the mosaics are seen from the upper gallery, which has a separate entrance and ticket for visitors. Go early: midday queues are long.
• Blue Mosque — six minarets and tens of thousands of blue Iznik tiles. Visits pause during prayers.
• Basilica Cistern — an underground forest of marble columns with the famous upside-down Medusa heads.
• Topkapi Palace — the Ottoman sultans' residence: the Harem, the treasury and gardens over the meeting of the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn.
• Süleymaniye Mosque — architect Sinan's masterpiece, calmer than the Blue Mosque, with one of the best views of the Golden Horn from its garden.
• Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar — thousands of shops, carpets, lamps, Turkish delight and spices. Haggling is expected.
• Galata Tower — the classic 360° view of the skyline.
• Dolmabahçe Palace — gold, crystal chandeliers and the late Ottoman taste for excess on the Bosphorus shore.
• Chora (Kariye) — some of the finest Byzantine mosaics anywhere. It is a working mosque again, so check visiting rules and dress modestly; women need a headscarf.
• Balat and Fener — colorful houses, laundry lines, old synagogues and Greek schools; the most photogenic walk in the city.
• A Bosphorus ferry — the cheapest cruise you will ever take: sit outside with a tea and watch two continents slide past.

Lesser-known spots worth a detour: Pierre Loti Hill by cable car for coffee over the Golden Horn, Rumeli Fortress on the Bosphorus, the Çukurcuma antique shops, SALT Galata in a former Ottoman bank, and the Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı, a beautifully restored 16th-century bath by Sinan.

The Asian side: what to see

Many visitors never cross, which is exactly why it is worth it. Start at the Kadıköy market for cheeses, olives and fish, walk to Moda for the seafront, then head north to Üsküdar — traditional and conservative, with the best view of the Maiden's Tower and sunsets behind the Sultanahmet skyline. The huge Çamlıca Mosque on the city's highest hill has a panorama over the whole Bosphorus. On a free day, take the ferry to the car-free Princes' Islands for bikes, wooden mansions and sea air.

What to eat

• Simit — the sesame bread ring sold from street carts; best warm in the morning.
• Balık ekmek — a grilled fish sandwich from the boats at the Eminönü docks.
• Baklava — thin pastry, syrup, pistachios; Karaköy is the classic place to try it.
• Turkish breakfast — olives, cheeses, honey, eggs and endless tea; the breakfast street in Beşiktaş turns it into a social event.
• Meyhane dinner — mezze and rakı with live music around Nevizade Street in Beyoğlu.

Getting around and practical tips

• Get an Istanbulkart. One rechargeable card for metro, trams, buses, funiculars and ferries — much cheaper than single tickets.
• Use ferries. They beat traffic, cost little and double as sightseeing.
• From the airport. Istanbul Airport (IST) on the European side has a metro line and airport buses into the city; Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is on the Asian side, which matters if you are staying in Kadıköy. Taxis work too, but agree on the meter.
• Mosque etiquette. Shoulders and knees covered, shoes off, a headscarf for women; avoid prayer times.
• When to go. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the most comfortable; summer is hot and crowded, winter is grey but cheap and quiet.

Scams to skip

The classic one is the dropped shoe brush: a shoeshiner walks past and drops his brush, you pick it up, he "thanks" you with a shine and then demands a hefty fee. Just keep walking. Also watch for overly friendly strangers who suggest a bar (the bill can be outrageous) and for taxis without a running meter. More patterns from other cities are in common tourist scams and how to avoid them.

Istanbul itinerary: 1, 3 or 5 days

1 day. Morning in Sultanahmet: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern. Lunch, then the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, a balık ekmek at Eminönü, and walk across the Galata Bridge to Galata Tower and Istiklal for the evening.

3 days. Day 1 as above. Day 2: Topkapi Palace, Süleymaniye Mosque, then Balat and Fener. Day 3: ferry to Kadıköy, the market and Moda, Üsküdar for sunset, dinner back in Beyoğlu.

5 days. Add Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy Mosque under the Bosphorus Bridge and Rumeli Fortress; a day on the Princes' Islands; and a slow day for Chora, Pierre Loti Hill, a hamam and Karaköy galleries.

Istanbul in TripGist

TripGist has all of this for Istanbul in one place: eleven neighborhoods on the map with a short take on each, the main sights and local finds, food to try, tips like the Istanbulkart and ferries, and the scams to watch for. It is free, with no ads. If Istanbul is the start of a longer Turkish trip, see where to stay on the Antalya coast.