With 5 days in Istanbul you can get to know the city properly: not just the great monuments, but also the neighbourhoods most visitors never reach, the street food, the sunsets over the Bosphorus and the energy of a metropolis that has been reinventing itself for 2,700 years. This is how I would spend them, day by day.
Day 1: Sultanahmet — the imperial heart
Give your first full day to the historic peninsula: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome and the Basilica Cistern. Few places anywhere have so many monuments so close together: within a radius of 500 metres, 1,500 years of history sit layered one on top of another.
Have lunch at a traditional lokanta (a simple restaurant serving home-style dishes) or at a restaurant looking out over the Sea of Marmara. In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, right on the Hippodrome, and finish with a stroll through Gülhane Park, with views towards the Golden Horn.
Day 2: Topkapı, the bazaars and Süleymaniye
Spend the morning at Topkapı Palace: allow at least 3 hours to see it properly, including the Harem. In the afternoon, head into the Grand Bazaar (more than 3,000 shops) and the Spice Bazaar. End the day at the Süleymaniye Mosque, the masterpiece of the architect Mimar Sinan, with panoramic views over the Golden Horn from its terrace. Stay for dinner in the surrounding streets of Fatih, where locals really eat and the cooking is authentically Anatolian.
Day 3: The Bosphorus, Dolmabahçe and Ortaköy
Take a Bosphorus cruise to see Dolmabahçe Palace, the Rumeli Fortress and the Ottoman yalı (wooden waterfront mansions) from the water. The shorter cruises go as far as the Rumeli Fortress; the longer route continues to Anadolu Kavağı, a fishing village at the northern end of the strait.
Back on land, visit Dolmabahçe Palace itself, then spend the rest of the day in Ortaköy. Its neo-baroque mosque at the foot of the Bosphorus Bridge is one of the most photographed views in Istanbul. Browse the craft market and try a kumpir, a baked potato loaded with fillings, from one of the street stalls.
Day 4: The Asian side
Take the ferry across to Kadıköy for its street market, the fish market and Bahariye Street. For the big picture, go up Çamlıca, one of the highest hills in the city, for a 360° panorama. End the day in Moda, a bohemian neighbourhood with a seafront promenade, with a glass of tea as the sun goes down.
Alternative: if you would rather spend the day by the sea, take the ferry to the Princes' Islands and explore Büyükada: no cars, bike rides round the island and streets lined with 19th-century wooden mansions.
Day 5: Balat, Fener, Galata and Beyoğlu
Spend the morning in Balat and Fener, the most photogenic neighbourhoods in Istanbul: colourful streets, old Ottoman houses, vintage cafés and art galleries, the Church of St George (seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate) and the Bulgarian church of St Stephen, known as the Iron Church.
In the afternoon, head to Karaköy, the design district, for a coffee in one of its speciality coffee shops and a look around its galleries. Climb Galata Tower for the view, then follow Galip Dede Street up to İstiklal Avenue and walk its length to Taksim Square, past bookshops, historic arcades and the nostalgic tram. On the way, step inside the Church of St Anthony of Padua, the largest Catholic church in Istanbul, and leave some time for last-minute shopping.
Extras if you have time
A Turkish hammam (Çemberlitaş or Kılıç Ali Paşa), a food tour, or a walk through the Bosphorus neighbourhoods of Kuzguncuk or Arnavutköy.
Tips for 5 days in Istanbul
- İstanbulkart: get a transport card and top it up as soon as you arrive. It works on the metro, trams, buses and ferries.
- Opening days: Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays and Dolmabahçe Palace usually on Mondays, so plan those days around them. Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque are working mosques: they open every day, but visits pause during prayer times, for longer at midday on Fridays.
- Footwear: Istanbul is hilly and full of cobbled streets. Wear comfortable shoes.
- Tipping: 5–10% in restaurants; in taxis, round up the fare.
My Essential Istanbul 5 Days tour includes an English-speaking guide, private transport, a centrally located hotel and entrance tickets to the sites on the programme. If you have less time, take a look at my 3-day Istanbul itinerary, or tell me your dates and I will shape a tailor-made trip around them.
Further reading
- Istanbul: what to see, when to go and my tours
- Topkapı Palace: what to see, the Harem and how to beat the queues
- Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul: options, prices and what you'll see
- Balat, Istanbul: what to see and the best photo spots
- Kadıköy: the liveliest neighbourhood on Istanbul's Asian side
- Where to stay in Istanbul: the best neighbourhoods for your trip