The Süleymaniye Mosque, your starting point
Commissioned by Suleiman the Magnificent from Sinan and completed in 1557, the Süleymaniye Mosque is the largest imperial mosque in the old city. Visit it first, early in the morning and outside prayer times: the page details the entrance, the garden tombs and the terrace overlooking the Golden Horn. Around the mosque, the complex also includes madrasas, a hammam and former hospices, now partly cafés and restaurants.
To the south: Beyazıt and the Sahaflar
Ten minutes on foot away, Beyazıt Square gathers the Beyazıt II Mosque, the university's monumental gate and the small Sahaflar book market, set in the mosque's courtyard. A little further south, the Baroque Nuruosmaniye Mosque opens onto one of the gates of the Grand Bazaar. The bazaar is open Monday to Saturday: allow an extra hour if you want to cross it.
To the west: Şehzade, the aqueduct and Vefa
To the west, the Şehzade Mosque is Sinan's first great imperial work, 10 minutes on foot away. Just behind it, the Valens Aqueduct spans Atatürk Boulevard. The Vefa district, north of the aqueduct, is an old Ottoman neighbourhood with local shops and the boza shop Vefa Bozacısı, open since 1876: try boza in winter, a thick fermented drink often served with roasted chickpeas (leblebi).
To the north: Zeyrek and the Golden Horn
Heading north, the lanes of Zeyrek preserve Ottoman wooden houses and the former Byzantine Pantocrator monastery, now the Zeyrek Mosque. The streets are steep and cobbled. The guide to the Fatih and Zeyrek district offers a fuller route through this area, with the Çinili Hamam and the Kadınlar Pazarı.
To the east and the Golden Horn: Rüstem Pasha and Eminönü
Going down the hill to the east, you reach in 10 to 15 minutes the small Rüstem Pasha Mosque, famous for its İznik tiles, then the Spice Bazaar and the Galata Bridge. The streets between the Süleymaniye and Eminönü are very steep: go up rather than down if you are short of time.
Where to eat around the Süleymaniye
- The kuru fasulyeci on Süleymaniye Street: several restaurants face each other near the mosque and serve slow-cooked white beans, rice and pickles. Choose one that displays its menu; the dishes are simple and quick.
- Vefa Bozacısı, in Vefa: for a boza or a snack rather than a meal.
- The cafés on the Süleymaniye terrace: in the complex's former buildings, they offer a view over the Golden Horn; they suit a tea rather than a real lunch.
For eating near the bazaar, see our guide where to eat near the Grand Bazaar; for dishes to try, our guide what to eat in Istanbul.
Summary of visits
| Place | What to see | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Süleymaniye Mosque | Sinan's masterpiece, tombs, view | Daily, outside prayers | Free |
| Beyazıt II Mosque and Sahaflar | Courtyard, book market | Daytime, outside prayers | Free |
| Nuruosmaniye Mosque | Ottoman Baroque, semicircular courtyard | Daytime, outside prayers | Free |
| Şehzade Mosque | Sinan's first imperial work | Daily, outside prayers | Free |
| Valens Aqueduct | 4th-century Roman aqueduct | Open access, outdoors | Free |
| Zeyrek Mosque | Former Pantocrator monastery | Daily, outside prayers | Free |
| Rüstem Pasha Mosque | İznik tiles | Daily, outside prayers | Free |
Mosques close to visitors during the five daily prayers; hours noted in October 2026, to be confirmed on site.
Getting there and around
The T1 tram stops at Beyazıt-Kapalıçarşı and Çemberlitaş, and the M2 metro at Vezneciler, at the foot of the hill: from there the Süleymaniye is 10 minutes on foot. From the Golden Horn, the M2 metro goes down to Haliç, at the foot of Zeyrek. How the lines and the transport card work is explained in our guide to transport in Istanbul.
Dress and respect
This area is devout: shoulders and knees covered, hair covered for women in mosques, shoes removed. On Fridays, the big midday prayer fills the courtyards: plan your visits for the morning. For the detailed rules, see our guide to visiting a mosque in Istanbul.
Half-day walking route
- Start at Vezneciler station and climb to the Süleymaniye Mosque (garden, tombs, terrace).
- Go back down to Beyazıt Square and the Beyazıt II Mosque; wander among the Sahaflar stalls.
- Continue to the Nuruosmaniye Mosque and, if you have time, to the Grand Bazaar.
- Head back west: the Şehzade Mosque, then the Valens Aqueduct.
- Have lunch in the Vefa or Süleymaniye area.
- Finish at Zeyrek and its view of the Golden Horn, or go down towards Rüstem Pasha and Eminönü.
Allow about four hours, visits included.
Going further
Our guide to Sinan's works in Istanbul links the Süleymaniye with the architect's other monuments. For the Golden Horn shore, see our Golden Horn guide; to choose among the great mosques, our most beautiful mosques in Istanbul.
