Please sign in to post.

First time in Turkey – Travel tips and must-see places?

Posted by on

Hi everyone,
I’m planning my first trip to Turkey soon and would love to hear recommendations from those who’ve been before. What are the must-see places? I’ll be starting my trip in Istanbul and I’m really excited—there’s so much history and culture packed into this city.

I’ve booked a few nights at a small boutique hotel in Sultanahmet. The location looks great—close to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.

If you have any tips on food, hidden spots, or day trips, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!

Posted by
2 posts

Thanks for the link - this post looks very useful!

I will only be staying in Istanbul and plan to stay for about 2-3 weeks. I really want to take my time to explore the city without rushing.

Posted by
5767 posts

I took the Best of Istanbul tour in 2022, and spent a few extra days. I went back to Istanbul for 8 nights this past summer. You'll find a few of my highlights in my trip report:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/8-nights-in-istanbul-solo-this-time

Standout days for me were the food tour I took and visiting Üsküdar and the Çamlica Mosque. Those are all detailed in my report.

I recommend you get comfortable taking the ferries. It's a beautiful and fun way to sightsee outside Old Town. Use your credit card to tap to pay to ride. Pick a ferry stop and explore!

Posted by
848 posts

Ooh, I am jealous.

A few things that come to mind if I had plenty of time:

  • Go to Süleymaniye Mosque at sunrise. The view over the Golden Horn is spectacular early in the morning. The mosque itself has been renovated recently, and it's definitely worth going inside as well.

  • Visit a classic hamam. My two picks would be Cagloglu or Hurrem Sultan. They are not cheap, but they are worth every penny. You will need to make a reservation.

  • Although I have never done this, I have always thought it would be interesting to go inside the Rumeli Fortress.

  • Fener and Balat have a vibe that reminds me of Haight Ashbury in San Francisco. There are also some small mosques and Greek Orthodox churches in the area. You will need to do some homework (and possibly hire a guide) to get access to some of the churches. The Chora mosque has some of the best Byzantine frescoes anywhere, and it has recently re-opened. Gul Mosque was a very early church that is now a mosque and also has some interesting Byzantine art.

  • I have never had bad food in Istanbul. Period. Some things that are worth trying include Iskender kebab (available just about anywhere), pide (pizza, usually very cheap), balik ekmek (fish sandwiches) by the Galata Bridge, and honey-soaked chestnuts on Istiklal Street. Also, the ice cream vendors on Istiklal Street put on quite a show.

  • If time is not an issue, it might be interesting to explore Roman/Byzantine Istanbul. Although one drives under the Aqueduct of Valens as one enters the city, I have always wanted to explore it up close. I think there may be some other place of a similar ilk that would be worth exploring. You would definitely need to do some homework on that.

  • As mentioned in a recent post, Princes' Island would make a good day trip.

    • The Kamondo stairs are worth checking out if you are in the Karakoy area. (Unfortunately, a lot of Instagram influencers thought the same when I was there.)

Add Reply

Please do not reply to violations of our Community Guidelines.