Straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus, Istanbul stacks Byzantine cathedrals, Ottoman palaces and dizzying bazaars into one thrilling, chaotic whole. Ferry horns, seagulls and the call to prayer form its constant soundtrack.
Spend your days losing the map in tiled mosques and spice-scented markets, then watch the strait turn gold at dusk from a rooftop terrace. It is a city best taken slowly, one glass of tea at a time.
Start at Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, tour Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern, then lose an afternoon bartering through the Grand Bazaar. End with dinner in Sultanahmet or a stroll to the Süleymaniye Mosque for sunset.
Cross the Galata Bridge, climb Galata Tower for the view, then wander İstiklal Street and Karaköy's cafés. Board a public Bosphorus ferry in the afternoon and finish with meze and rakı in a Beyoğlu meyhane.
Ferry to Kadıköy for its food market and lively lanes, then loop back to explore the colourful houses and antique shops of Balat and Fener. Watch your last sunset from a rooftop over the Golden Horn.
Emperor Justinian's 6th-century masterpiece has been a cathedral, a mosque and a museum, and is once again a working mosque crowned by a dome that seems to float on light. Come early to catch the Byzantine gold mosaics before the crowds fill the vast nave.
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque rises with six slender minarets and a cascade of domes, its prayer hall lined with more than 20,000 hand-painted Iznik tiles that give it its nickname. Dress modestly and time your visit around the five daily prayers, when it briefly closes to tourists.
For four centuries this sprawling palace was the beating heart of the Ottoman Empire, its courtyards opening onto the treasury, the tiled Harem and sweeping views over the Golden Horn. Buy the separate Harem ticket in advance; it is the palace's most atmospheric quarter.
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets sprawls across 60-odd vaulted lanes packed with more than 4,000 stalls of carpets, lamps, gold and spices. Haggling is expected and half the fun, so start low and accept the offered glass of tea.
Boarding a public ferry across the Bosphorus is the cheapest and best cruise in town, gliding past Ottoman palaces, wooden waterfront mansions and the fortress at Rumeli Hisarı. Grab a glass of tea on deck and cross to the Asian side for the price of a bus ticket.
This stout medieval Genoese tower has watched over the Golden Horn since the 14th century, and its top-floor gallery serves up the classic 360-degree panorama of the old city, the water and the domes beyond. Come at dusk when the call to prayer rolls across the rooftops.
The historic peninsula packs Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı within a short walk, making it the easy base for a first visit. Stay just off the main squares to dodge the coach crowds.
Around İstiklal Street and Galata Tower you find the city's densest run of bars, meyhanes, galleries and rooftop terraces. It is the best base for nightlife and long, late dinners.
Across the water on the Asian side, this buzzing, unpretentious district is all food markets, craft-beer bars and local energy. Ride the ferry over for the day and stay for dinner.
A steep tangle of rainbow-coloured Ottoman houses along the Golden Horn, Balat is quieter, artier and gloriously photogenic. Best for a second trip or anyone wanting a residential, lived-in feel.
The classic grilled-fish sandwich sold from bobbing boats by the Galata Bridge, dressed simply with onion, lettuce and a squeeze of lemon. Eat it standing at the waterfront with a glass of pickle juice.
From spice-rubbed Adana kebabs to paper-thin lahmacun folded around herbs and lemon, grilled meat is a religion here. Look for a busy ocakbaşı where the coals are the centrepiece.
A meyhane evening means a table crowded with cold and hot meze, shared slowly over the aniseed spirit rakı. Order a few, keep them coming, and let dinner stretch for hours.
Layered pistachio baklava and rose-scented lokum are Istanbul's sweet finale, best from a long-established pastane. Chase them with a tiny cup of thick Turkish coffee.
Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) bring mild weather, softer light and the most manageable crowds. Summer is hot and busy, while winter is cheap, quiet and often misty, with the occasional dusting of snow on the domes.
Buy an Istanbulkart and tap onto trams, metros, buses and ferries; transfers within two hours are discounted. The T1 tram links the old-city sights, while public ferries double as the best-value Bosphorus cruise for hopping to the Asian side.
A realistic daily budget per person, in three styles.
Istanbul offers a range of options to suit various budgets.
