Locals call it “the city the Bosporus runs through.” Istanbul is a stunning, cosmopolitan place, uniquely set between two continents and two seas. It carries over 2,700 years of history, shaped by the Ionians, Ancient Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, and modern Turkey.

The city offers a bit of everything: the Bosporus lined with wooden mansions, Taksim’s lively cultural scene, Hagia Sophia’s groundbreaking architecture, the Blue Mosque’s İznik tiles, and Topkapi Palace with the treasures of the Ottoman sultans. The Grand Bazaar is a maze of shops, while the Spice Market fills the air with the scents of the Silk Road. Istanbul is also known for its vibrant nightlife and outstanding food scene, a city that lives day and night.

Istanbul Highlights

Roman & Byzantine Heritage (325–1453)

• ⁠ ⁠Hagia Sophia (537)
• ⁠ ⁠Basilica Cistern (532)
• ⁠ ⁠Walls of Constantinople (413–1453)
• ⁠ ⁠Chora Museum and its mosaics (1321)
• ⁠ ⁠Church of the Pantocrator, now Zeyrek Mosque (1136)
• ⁠ ⁠Fener district and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate
• ⁠ ⁠Great Palace Mosaics (532)
• ⁠ ⁠Roman Hippodrome (200)

Ottoman Landmarks (1453–1922)

• ⁠ ⁠Topkapi Palace Museum (1465)
• ⁠ ⁠Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) (1616)
• ⁠ ⁠Suleymaniye Mosque by Sinan (1557)
• ⁠ ⁠Dolmabahce Palace on the Bosphorus (1856)
• ⁠ ⁠Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (1524)
• ⁠ ⁠Military Museum with Mehter Band concert

Modern Istanbul

• ⁠ ⁠Istanbul Modern Art Museum
• ⁠ ⁠Pera Museum
• ⁠ ⁠Sabanci Museum
• ⁠ ⁠Taksim Square and cultural venues

Shopping & Markets

• ⁠ ⁠Grand Bazaar
• ⁠ ⁠Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Market)
• ⁠ ⁠Nisantasi upscale shopping district

Neighborhoods & Local Character

• ⁠ ⁠Ortakoy
• ⁠ ⁠Uskudar
• ⁠ ⁠Mahmutpasa
• ⁠ ⁠Galata Bridge and surrounding neighborhoods
• ⁠ ⁠The Bosphorus, lined with kiosks, pavilions, and yali waterfront homes
• ⁠ ⁠Princes’ Islands