Rules and etiquette in Istanbul: dress, alcohol, water, Ramadan, tipping

To behave well in Istanbul, remember five rules: shoulders and knees covered in mosques, no alcohol sold in shops from 10 pm to 6 am, avoid drinking tap water, be discreet during Ramadan and tip as is customary in restaurants. This guide gives the essentials of each rule in a few lines and points to the detailed guide for each topic, as well as to our pages on money, safety and transport. Information found in October 2026.

Mosques: dress and hours

Shoulders and knees covered for everyone, hair covered for women, shoes removed before the prayer hall; mosques close to visitors during the five prayers and for longer around midday on Fridays. All the details, including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia rules, are in our guide to mosque dress and visiting rules.

Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque seen from the Galata Tower

Alcohol

Retail sales banned from 10 pm to 6 am and to under-18s; service in a licensed bar or restaurant remains possible at night. See alcohol in Istanbul: the rules and, for venues, nightlife in Istanbul.

Tap water

İSKİ considers the network water compliant with standards, but the state of building pipes varies: most residents drink bottled water. See tap water in Istanbul.

Ramadan

During the fasting month, sights stay open and so do most restaurants; be discreet when eating in public in conservative districts. Dates, iftar and advice in our Ramadan in Istanbul page.

Money and tipping

You pay in Turkish lira; cards are accepted almost everywhere, and tipping is customary in restaurants. See money, payment and tipping in Istanbul.

Safety and scams

The most common traps target visitors in tourist areas, including near mosques. Our guide to scams and safety in Istanbul details them.

Transport

The Istanbulkart, the tram, metro and ferry lines and the fares are presented in our guide to transport in Istanbul.

At a glance

Topic	Key point	Guide
Mosques	Shoulders and knees covered, shoes off	Mosque dress
Alcohol	No shop sales from 10 pm to 6 am	Alcohol in Istanbul
Water	Drink bottled water	Tap water
Ramadan	Sights open, discretion in public	Ramadan
Money	Turkish lira, cards accepted	Money and tipping