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How To Spend Five Days In Istanbul
- dylanmyers1993
- Apr 10, 2023
- 14 min read
Updated: Apr 23, 2023
Five days are the perfect amount of time to experience and explore the historic city of Istanbul.
How many days can a tourist spend in Istanbul?
The city demands your undivided attention.
The most populated city in Europe, Istanbul has almost 16 million inhabitants and receives some 14 million tourists every year. While Ankara serves as the official capital of Turkey, Istanbul won the title of Capital of European Culture. From East to West, the megapolis bridges Asia to Europe and houses several UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Spanning back to its founding by the Greeks in the fourth century B.C.E., the former Constantinople has been shared between Christians and Muslims and juggled between the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires.
When traveling, the sprawling and densely concentrated city devours you alive unless you carefully balance your time. You want to see the main sights and set aside time to take it easy before the city exhausts you.
In our experience, five days are the perfect amount of time to spend in Istanbul. We left in awe of the city, with our budget in check and on a positive note that tempts us to return.
Istanbul overflows with monuments and sights in the most unexpected places. While public transport connects almost all these corners, sightseeing in the massive city will leave you spent. Pushing yourself to see the highlights in two or even three days may leave a sour taste with the sense you couldn’t appreciate what you saw.
Five days in Istanbul leaves you wiggle room to check out another palace, get lost in the Grand Bazaar, or treat yourself to a Turkish massage.
Find below an example five-day itinerary with the flexibility to rearrange your days or add more stops.
Day 1: Bazaars & Markets
Day 2: Hagia Sofia & Blue Mosque
Day 3: Topkapi Palace
Day 4: Istiklal Avenue
Day 5: Free Day
Day 1:
Day one in Istanbul is about getting your bearings.
Settle into the hotel:
The first day in Istanbul can start with arriving at or waking up in the city. Tourists who land late at night may prefer to unwind at a hotel near the airport before taking on the city center the next day. Others will likely land earlier in the day and go directly into the city.
If exchanging money at the airport, tourists should convert only the amount they need to find their way into the city.
Tip
The Istanbul Metro opens at 6 AM and runs until midnight. Travelers arriving at night may find it just as convenient to take the metro directly to the center instead of sleeping at a hotel near the airport.
Once vacationers have unloaded suitcases and heavy backpacks into their hotel in Istanbul, the time has come to get a taste of the city–but first, coffee.
Türk kahvesi:
Türk khavesi is a popular Middle Eastern method of preparing a small cup of coffee, like an espresso shot. The türk khavesi is intense and potent.
Unlike espresso, the barista scoops finely ground coffee and pours water into a cezve (or ibrik). The preparer heats the cezve but quickly removes it before boiling over. As it settles, the barista may reheat the cezve until it froths up, once or twice more. The resulting concoction is traditionally poured into small china cups and served with a Turkish delight or cookie.
Coffee lovers should know that the grounds come with the Türk khavesi and settle at the bottom of the cup. Customarily, fortune tellers could read the future in the patterns of the remains.
Visitors can order a Türk khavesi at almost any café, restaurant, or hotel in Turkey. The barista will ask customers if they prefer sugar first since it is added directly to the grounds and water.
One of the many tourist attractions in Istanbul, a building over 400 years old, has been converted into a rooftop and café, where visitors can enjoy a Türk khavesi:
Location: Near the Grand Bazaar
Price: $
Hours: Mondays - Fridays, 6 AM - 6 PM | Saturdays, 8 AM - 6 PM | Closed Sundays
Exchange money:
With a caffeine jolt, Istanbul tourists can think more clearly about exchanging money. Travelers can find some of the best rates at exchange offices across the street from or in the alleys surrounding the Grand Bazaar. The rates constantly fluctuate, and offices abound. Wander the streets and compare prices. Vacationers should use discretion and decide whether to exchange everything at once or take it day by day.
One exchange office we found that felt professional and offered excellent rates is the following:
Location: Near the Grand Bazaar
Hours: Mondays - Fridays, 8 AM - 7 PM | Open Saturdays, 8 AM - 4 PM | Closed Sundays
Grand Bazaar:
After exchanging money, travelers can cross the street with pockets full of Turkish Lira into the messy heart of Istanbul: Kapalı Çarşı (the Grand Bazaar). Awarded internationally as the most visited attraction in 2014, The Grand Bazaar crams over 4,000 stalls and shops into over 60 covered streets. The oldest covered market in the world dizzies and dazzles shoppers. Islamic-styled ceilings and alleys transport tourists into the labyrinth of the 15th-century Ottoman Empire.
Shopkeepers posted at storefronts politely nod, shout after, or completely ignore wandering customers. Frantic baristas weave through the crowds with loaded trays of tea and coffee, their cafés barely the size of a broom closet shoved between stalls.
Visitors can marvel, people-watch, or seriously browse and barter. The best things to buy at the Grand Bazaar include Persian rugs, lamps, jewelry, hookahs, ceramics, and more.
While some products may appear cheap, knock-offs, or manufactured, a bewitching sense suggests that any trinket discovered in the clutter at the back of a shop could be the genie's lamp.
Entrance Fee: Free
Hours: Mondays - Saturdays, 8:30 AM - 7 PM | Closed Sundays
Tip:
Tourists should wear comfortable shoes and clothing when sightseeing in Istanbul. Dress according to the weather and carry a light backpack with water. Keep wallets and keys in a secure pocket. Istanbul is generally safe, but pickpocketing does happen in crowded, touristy areas.
Journey north from the Grand Bazaar to continue your first day in Istanbul. Alleys full of markets and stalls crisscross and zigzag, leading you to the Egyptian Spice Market.
Egyptian Spice Market and New Mosque:
The Egyptian Spice Market is just as enthralling as the Grand Bazaar, albeit smaller. Constructed in the late 1600s, the Spice Bazaar has over 80 stalls selling spices, herbs, teas, and candies. It still serves as the primary trading hub for spices in Istanbul.
The building is L-shaped and in the Moorish style––high, arched ceilings with alternating colored bricks with white stones dazzle guests. Neverending heaps of bright spices give you the vertigo of peering into a kaleidoscope. A medley of aromas wafts in warm clouds surrounding the crowds. Imagine curries, coffee, and Ottoman spices.
Shopkeepers scoop the teas and spices for customers to sample or purchase. Use grams to request how much you would like. The shopkeepers weigh their products on scales and transfer them to brown paper bags or vacuum-sealed packages.
Entrance Fee: Free
Hours: Daily, 8 AM - 7:30 PM
Budget Tip:
The Spice Bazaar still serves as the primary trading hub for spices in Istanbul. However, stalls within the market have blown up their prices, likely due to heavy tourism. For visitors hoping to take something home, wander through the stalls outside the market walls. The same spice could be four to five times cheaper.
The structure for the Mısır Çarşısı (Egyptian Bazaar) is part of the larger New Mosque complex. The earnings from the stalls originally went to the upkeep of the mosque.
So to wrap up their first day in Istanbul, travelers should visit The New Mosque––uphill from the Spice Bazaar. Apart from the vast marble mosque, the complex also includes a spellbinding cemetery and some of the best views of the Galata neighborhood skyline from across the Golden Horn.
The New Mosque is an often overlooked sight in Istanbul but is a treasure shining with arches, domes, and courtyards.
Entrance Fee: Free
Hours: Daily, 24 hours | Closed during prayer times
Budget Tip:
All mosques in Istanbul are free to enter. They are stunning examples of Moorish architecture that allow you to experience and appreciate new cultures. Be respectful as you wander the courtyards or marvel inside. Men should dress modestly, and women should cover their heads with a scarf. Non-Muslims cannot enter during prayer times.
Day 2:
Charge your phone for photos. Day two takes you into Sultanahmet to experience the most beautiful mosques on Earth.
Experience the Hagia Sophia (either first or last).
Wander through the nearby streets and markets to the Little Hagia Sophia.
Hagia Sophia:
The must-see crown jewel of Istanbul is the Hagia Sophia. Constructed in 360 AD, the Hagia Sophia originally served as a Greek Orthodox church. After the fall of Constantinople, the stunning complex was converted into a mosque, lasting for almost 500 years. In 1935, Istanbul transformed the mosque into a museum, and finally, in 2020, bounced it back into a mosque.
The revival of the Hagia Sophia as a mosque benefits tourists because all mosques are free to visit in Istanbul.
Impervious to centuries, religions, or labels, the Hagia Sophia is more like a force of nature––a wonder that has spanned from the ancient into our modern world.
The exterior may look like a factory, but inside it is a holy cavern. Hagia Sophia comes from the Greek for Holy Wisdom. Quiet hallways lead to the main room, where a sprawling dome arches overhead. Iron chandeliers dangle from the shockingly high ceiling and hang low, almost grazing the carpet, casting a warm, yellow light. Tourists take their photos and find a spot to recline on the floor, marveling and speechless. The power of the Hagia Sophia is magnetizing.
Islam bans any representational imagery in their mosques, so you will not see any depictions of faces or animals. However, an angel peeks through in the Byzantine mosaic style, uncovered in one of the towering corners of the main room. As you exit, turn around to catch a relic of the original Orthodox church: a mosaic of the Virgen Mary holding the Christ child.
The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon when sunbeams pierce the stained glass and illuminate the sanctuary. The line outside the Hagia Sophia can look endless, but it moves fast. The line will stop during Muslim prayer times and when the mosque has reached maximum capacity.
Entrance Fee: Free
Hours: Daily, 24 hours | Closed during prayer times
Breakfast in Sultanahmet:
Before or after visiting the Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet has plenty of options for eating. One option for a quaint and traditional Turkish breakfast is:
Location: Near the Sultanahmet tram station
Price: $$
Hours: Daily, 8 AM - 10 PM
Blue Mosque:
Across the massive green courtyard from the Hagia Sophia is another magnificent historical work of art: The Blue Mosque. Unfortunately, during our visit, the mosque was closed for renovations, which should end in Spring 2023. If you are fortunate enough to visit Istanbul at a time when the Blue Mosque is open, it is another must-see.
If it is under renovation when you visit, another spellbinding activity is to stand in the expansive and lush courtyard between the behemoth mosques at prayer time. One mournful call to prayer reverberates from one mosque, and before its echo has vanished, another sorrowful prayer erupts from the opposing mosque, freezing anyone caught between in their sorcery.
Sultanahmet Square:
After visiting the mosques, travelers should continue to Sultanahmet Square. Impressive remnants of old Istanbul and gifts to the city adorn the square, like the Serpent Column and Egyptian Obelisks.
Little Hagia Sophia:
Lastly, tourists should wander and explore the streets south of the mosques, full of markets, shops, and cafes. After a comfortable walk, the narrow streets lead to a quiet but faithful replica of the Hagia Sophia: Küçük Ayasofya (Little Hagia Sophia). The tranquil mosque is a great stop to recharge before journeying to the hotel.
Entrance Fee: Free
Hours: Daily, 8 AM - 11:30 PM | Closed during prayer times
Day 3:
Wake up early and beat the crowds. Day three is your tour of the Topkapi Palace: the palace of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire.
Spend half a day at the Topkapi Palace.
Immerse yourself in the past at the Hagia Irene.
Relax at the Gülhane Park outside the palace.
Find an early dinner in Sultanahmet or across the Golden Horn in Galata.
Topkapi Palace:
Is the Topkapi Palace worth the visit?
As of January 2023, a visit to the palace cost around €32––the most we had ever paid to view a cultural site. We chose the self-guided tour without audio guides, and some of the buildings were under renovation.
However, we spent over six hours wandering the Topkapi Palace, amazed by everything we saw. The price may be exorbitant, but it is an essential stop in Istanbul. You really can not take your eyes off anything.
The Topkapi Palace Museum lies at the northeastern tip of Sultanahmet, invisibly watching over the city. Home to the Sultans for almost 400 years, the palace was constructed in 1460 and served as the epicenter of the Ottoman Empire.
Today, visitors can meander through the palace grounds and courtyards to take in intricate tile work and stunning Ottoman, Baroque, and Byzantine-style architecture. It is seriously opulent.
The palace comprises several buildings, rooms, and exhibits surrounding the central courtyard. Guests can enter mosques, a throne room, a library, the Royal Stables, the Imperial Council, the Medical Pavilion, and the Sultan's Room. There is also the Circumcision Room which, sadly, was closed during our visit.
Exhibits within the palace include:
The Imperial Treasury, home to the Topkapi dagger: emerald-studded and made of gold, with a clock built into its head. Additionally home to the Spoonmaker's Diamond: the fourth-largest diamond in the world and the most valuable item at the Topkapi Palace. Lastly, home to gold and diamond-studded thrones.
The Arms Collection.
A portrait collection.
The Kitchens and Porcelain collection (one of our favorites): visitors can view several kitchens, including a confectionary kitchen, with authentic utensils and extensive Chinese porcelain collections.
The Holy Relics: a collection of objects deemed holy by Muslims, including the staff of Noah and objects belonging to Muhammad.
The most impressive sight within the palace, however, is the Harem. Meaning private, the Harem is the secluded and opulent inner courtyards and dormitories of the mother and concubines of the Sultans. The tiled walls are thick, and silence falls over anyone passing through the gilded baths and rooms. Fewer tourists pass through the hushed halls of the Harem, but it is the most remarkable section of the palace and can make an entire visit worth it.
Note: do not forget to purchase the ticket that includes the entrance to the Harem, as the most basic pass does not let you in.
Our advice when visiting Topkapi Palace is to go early and beat the mad rush of crowds.
Travelers pass through security at the outer gates and can purchase tickets inside.
There are card machines to the right, or you can pay with cash at the ticket windows just beyond. With your tickets in hand, there are more windows just to the right of the entrance for audio guides. You must leave a passport or €100 deposit to use the audio guides, so we opted out. (Pssst. Most of the info is online.)
After entering, head straight to the Holy Relics exhibit.
The line gets longer throughout the day, and you may find it is not worth the wait. We waited 45 minutes in the queue and were a bit underwhelmed.
After the Holy Relics exhibit, you have the rest of the day to explore the marvelous Topkapi Palace.
Ticket prices: From €25 ($26) per adult
Hours of Operation: Daily, 9 AM - 6 PM (varies seasonally)
Note: Arrive early!
Hagia Irene
All tickets to the Topkapi Palace include entrance to the Hagia Irene.
Situated between the Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace, the Hagia Irene is an Eastern Orthodox church over 1,500 years old. It believably stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple.
A walk through the Hagia Irene is mystifying and arresting. The yawning structure feels like the entrance to ancient times and rituals. Greek letters line the arches of high walls. Nets hang from the ceiling, and pigeons swoop in and out from above. The church presently serves as a concert hall due to its outstanding acoustics.
Location: Between Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5:30 PM | Saturdays & Sundays, 9 AM - 7 PM
Ticket price: Included with entrance to Topkapi Palace | €9 ($10) individual ticket
Gülhane Park
Your neck will probably be stiff after hours of staring up agape at church, mosque, and palace ceilings. Relax and stroll through Gülhane Park, immediately surrounding the Topkapi Palace. Once part of the palace grounds, it is now a sprawling, green, and well-maintained public park. The park has tall trees, shaded trails, and ponds.
Dinner In Sultanahmet Or Golden Horn:
Location: Small street connecting Topkapi Palace and Gülhane Park
Hours: Daily, noon-midnight
Prices: $$$
Note: Even if not to eat, stop in to view this incredible historic cistern converted into a fine-dining restaurant
Location: Near Galata Tower
Hours: Daily, 11:30 AM - 10 PM | Closed Sundays
Prices: $
Recommended: Vegetarian, vegan, Turkish cuisine
Day 4:
Double-check your spending limit. Day four transports you through the shopping district and the famous European-style Istiklal Avenue.
Sleep in.
Take the Metro (M2) to Taksim Square.
Walk down and marvel at all the shops and people on Grand Avenue.
Grab lunch, drinks, or snacks from street vendors along the way.
Visit the Galata Tower.
Enjoy the waterfront in Karaköy.
Istiklal Avenue
Istiklal Avenue is the backbone of Istanbul.
The Avenue stretches almost a mile from Taksim Square to Tünel Square in northern Galata. Walking out onto the street, you will feel like you are in Paris. A wide cobblestone street leads you past imposing buildings and impressive architecture decorated with styles like Neo-Classical, Neo-Gothic, and Beaux-Arts. Istiklal cuts through the neighborhood like a spine, with several enticing alleyways branching off like a ribcage.
Istiklal, independence in Turkish, was named in honor of Turkey's victory after the 1924 War of Independence. While the street is technically pedestrian, this is Istanbul, so taxis and other cars still manage to beat the crowds and occasionally cross. When we visited over New Year's, Grand Avenue was packed shoulder to shoulder with shoppers, gawkers, and tourists.
A charming red and white tram transports riders through the avenue every 15 minutes.
The street is at a gentle incline, so the best way to experience it is to start at Taksim Square and walk down towards Tünel Square and Galata. Apart from that, you only need to take your time and let the street guide you.
Window-shop past boutiques, clothing stores, music shops, and art galleries. Explore alleyways to find pubs, bars, nightclubs, urban murals, and street art. A trip to Istanbul isn't complete without trying pistachio baklava, künefe, or other Turkish desserts at one of the many patisseries and chocolateries on Grand Avenue.
Eating On Grand Avenue
Istiklal Avenue brims with carts and vendors selling traditional Turkish street food. There are hundreds of delicious restaurants if you prefer to sit down. We recommend:
Mavi Melek Restaurant
Location: Off of Istiklal Avenue, near Sishane Metro
Hours: Daily, 11 AM - 3 AM
Prices: $$
Recommended: Traditional Turkish cuisine, Shrimp with butter, Chicken casserole
Other attractions along Istiklal Avenue include:
The Flower Passage (a historic French building full of lively restaurants and bars)
The Fish Market
The Church of St Anthony of Padua (the oldest Roman Catholic church in Istanbul)
Hagia Triada (a mystifying Greek Orthodox church)
Galata Tower
Once you reach the end of Independence Avenue, navigate the steep, labyrinthian alleys until you find the Galata Tower. An iconic centerpiece of Istanbul, the brick tower soars over a bustling square full of cafés, restaurants, and historical monuments.
The Galata Tower was once the highest building in Istanbul, a lookout tower built over 700 years ago. A Genoese community once surrounded the tower and held markets in the square. It also served as a prison for hundreds of years.
Today, travelers can climb the tower for 360° panoramic views of the rooftops and skyline of Istanbul. Situated on a hill, the beloved sights from the Galata Tower observation deck are breathtaking. We, unfortunately, did not visit as the line was tremendous, but you can pre-order your tickets online:
Galata Tower Museum
Location: Galalta neighborhood
Hours: Daily, 8:30 AM - 11 PM
Prices: 350TL (March 2023) €16.5 ($18)
Finally, end the day by meandering to the Karaköy Waterfront. There are food courts, boutiques, and benches to admire bridges, the skyline, and the Strait busy with boats.
Day 5:
Go through your list. Have you accomplished and seen everything? Day five is your free day.
Istanbul never tires of providing travelers with activities and sights. This neverending city offers much more to experience than everything mentioned above. The best way is to delve into it at your own pace, discovering new historical monuments, buildings, and attractions around every corner.
Other Popular Attractions in Istanbul:
Cisterna Basilica
Hamams (Turkish bath and spa)
Palaces
Mosques
Parks
Teahouses
Shopping
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