Choosing the order of the four days
Three weekly closures guide the order: Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesday, the Grand Bazaar on Sunday and Dolmabahçe Palace on Monday. With four days, the simplest approach is to keep day 4 (the Golden Horn) for whichever day is left, as its stops are almost all streets and working mosques, with no awkward weekly closure. Just check the closing day of the Chora church on its page before you go.
On Friday, the main midday prayer closes mosques to visitors for longer: put the day with the most walking, such as day 4, on that day, and visit mosques early in the morning or in the late afternoon.
Days 1 to 3: the essentials of the city
The hour-by-hour programme for the first three days is in our guide Istanbul in 3 days; here is their outline.
- Day 1, Sultanahmet: Topkapı Palace in the morning, then Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Basilica Cistern in the afternoon, all on foot.
- Day 2, bazaars and Galata: the Grand Bazaar, the Süleymaniye Mosque, the Spice Bazaar, the Galata Bridge, the Galata Tower and İstiklal Avenue.
- Day 3, the Bosphorus and the Asian side: Dolmabahçe Palace, the Ortaköy Mosque, Rumeli Hisarı Fortress (closed for restoration when we last checked), then Üsküdar and Kadıköy in the evening.
With four days, you can loosen this programme: add Gülhane Park and the Istanbul Archaeology Museums to day 1, or the Rüstem Pasha Mosque to day 2.
Day 4: the Golden Horn, from Chora to Pierre Loti hill
This day follows the European shore of the Golden Horn from south-west to north-east, from the oldest districts to the quietest. It is done by bus, taxi and on foot; the slopes are steep in Balat and Fener, so wear good shoes.
Morning, the Chora church. Start with the former Byzantine church in the Edirnekapı district, famous for its 14th-century mosaics and frescoes. Arrive early: the interior is small and fills quickly. Price, hours and closing day are on our page Chora Church. The Theodosian Walls are very close: a detour of a few minutes lets you see the ramparts of Constantinople.
Late morning and lunch, Balat and Fener. Walk down to the Golden Horn to stroll the lanes of Balat (painted houses, workshops, cafés) and Fener (St George's Church of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, the iron Bulgarian St Stephen Church). The district is described in our page Balat and Fener. Have lunch in one of the cafés of Balat.
Afternoon, Eyüp. Continue north-east to Eyüp, a Muslim pilgrimage site around the Eyüp Sultan Mosque, with its cemeteries on the slope. The district is presented on the page Eyüp and Pierre Loti Hill. Visiting the mosque is free outside prayer times; respect the dress code.
End of the day, Pierre Loti hill. Go up by cable car or on foot through the cemeteries to the café overlooking the Golden Horn. The sunset there is one of the finest in the city, but terrace seats go early: arrive an hour ahead. For other spots, see our guides to sunset viewpoints and the Golden Horn.
Getting back. Late in the evening, a metered taxi to Taksim or Sultanahmet is the simplest; the journey time depends on traffic.
Summary
| Day | Theme | Main stops | Day to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sultanahmet | Topkapı, Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern | Tuesday (Topkapı closed) |
| 2 | Bazaars and Galata | Grand Bazaar, Süleymaniye, Spice Bazaar, Galata Tower | Sunday (Grand Bazaar closed) |
| 3 | Bosphorus | Dolmabahçe, Ortaköy, Rumeli Hisarı, Üsküdar, Kadıköy | Monday (Dolmabahçe closed) |
| 4 | Golden Horn | Chora, Balat, Fener, Eyüp, Pierre Loti hill | Chora's closing day (see the page) |
Going further
If you have one more day, our guide Istanbul in 5 days adds the Princes' Islands. To sleep near the stops, read where to stay in Istanbul; to get around, the guide to transport in Istanbul explains the Istanbulkart. If it rains, see what to do in Istanbul when it rains.
