# Istanbul in 5 days, from Sultanahmet to Pera Five days and four nights in Istanbul, in two neighbourhoods: the old city of Sultanahmet, with Topkapı, Hagia Sophia and the Süleymaniye, then Pera, across the Golden Horn, with Galata Tower, the Bosphorus cruise up to the mouth of the Black Sea and the Kılıç Ali Paşa hammam. Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/istanbul-5-jours/ ## How it works Istanbul is best seen in two parts. The historic peninsula, between the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara, holds the Byzantine and Ottoman monuments inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Süleymaniye and Topkapı Palace. North of the Galata Bridge, Pera and Galata were the Genoese quarter, then the district of embassies and grand 19th-century hotels; evenings are spent here, on İstiklal Avenue and in the lanes of Karaköy. So this stay spends two nights in each neighbourhood: the old city early in the morning, Pera at dusk, without crossing town by car every day. Istanbul is a few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop. ## At a glance | Day | Plan | Night | |---|---|---| | 1 | Arrival, the Hippodrome and the Blue Mosque in the late afternoon | Hotel Ibrahim Pasha | | 2 | Guided tour: Topkapı and its harem, Süleymaniye, Grand Bazaar | Hotel Ibrahim Pasha | | 3 | Hagia Sophia and the museums, then move to Pera | Pera Palace | | 4 | The Bosphorus by ferry to Anadolu Kavağı, hammam in the evening | Pera Palace | | 5 | Galata Tower, Karaköy, departure | | ## Days 1 and 2: Sultanahmet ### An Ottoman house by the Hippodrome Istanbul Airport is 46 km from Sultanahmet, about an hour's drive without traffic; a private transfer is included in the price. You stay at [Hotel Ibrahim Pasha](/en/hotels/ibrahim-pasha/), 24 rooms in two Ottoman houses on a quiet street by the old Hippodrome. Breakfast is included, and the rooftop bar looks over the Blue Mosque and the Sea of Marmara. The hotel was priced at about €245 a night for early June. On the first evening, walk across Hippodrome Square to the courtyard of the Blue Mosque. The imperial mosques are places of worship: visits are outside prayer times, with arms and legs covered, and women cover their hair. ### Topkapı, the Süleymaniye and the Grand Bazaar On day two, a seven-hour guided tour links sights that are hard to fit into one day on your own. [Topkapı Palace](/en/turkey/istanbul-historic-peninsula/), the residence of the Ottoman sultans, unfolds through its successive courtyards, its treasury and its harem; it is closed on Tuesdays. The tour then moves on to the Süleymaniye, an imperial mosque of the old city, and the Grand Bazaar, closed on Sundays. It ends in Pera and on İstiklal Avenue, which you will come back to over the next days. Lunch and entry tickets are included. ## Days 3 and 4: Pera and the Bosphorus ### Hagia Sophia, then the Pera Palace Day three starts early at Hagia Sophia, a 6th-century basilica that is once again a working mosque. Foreign visitors reach the upper gallery by a paid visitor route, with an entrance separate from the ground floor, which is kept for prayer; the route closes early on Friday afternoons. Close by, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, founded in 1869, hold the Alexander Sarcophagus and the Tiled Kiosk of 1472. The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, in the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha built in 1520 facing the Hippodrome, has one of the world's leading carpet collections. In the afternoon, cross to the other bank. The [Pera Palace Hotel](/en/hotels/pera-palace/) opened in 1895 for Orient Express passengers; the first hotel in Istanbul to have electric light, it keeps Agatha Christie's room 411 and Atatürk's room 101, now a museum. It was priced at about €350 a night for early June, room only. In the evening, İstiklal Avenue, a pedestrian street over a kilometre long with a red tram, leads to Taksim Square. The [Pera, Galata and the Golden Horn](/en/turkey/istanbul-pera-galata/) page describes the area. ### The Bosphorus to the Black Sea On day four, the municipal ferry's long route leaves Eminönü and sails the full length of the [Bosphorus](/en/turkey/istanbul-bosphorus/) to Anadolu Kavağı, at the mouth of the Black Sea. The return trip takes about six hours including the stop and costs 320 Turkish lira, about €6. You pass Dolmabahçe Palace, the fortress of Rumeli Hisarı at the narrowest point of the strait, and the yalı, wooden Ottoman mansions on the water: some 360 villas and yalı survive on both shores. In the evening, head to the Kılıç Ali Paşa hammam in Tophane, a few minutes from Karaköy, designed by the architect Sinan. The basic package costs about 3,000 Turkish lira, about €54. ## Day 5: Galata and departure Climb Galata Tower when it opens, before the crowds. Built by the Genoese in the mid-14th century as part of the Galata walls, it later served as a prison, then as a fire lookout. Then walk down to Karaköy and the Galataport promenade on the Bosphorus. A private transfer takes you to Istanbul Airport, 44 km away, about an hour without traffic. ## Good to know - **Closing days.** Topkapı is closed on Tuesdays, Dolmabahçe on Mondays, the Grand Bazaar on Sundays. The Hagia Sophia visitor route closes early on Friday afternoons for the main weekly prayer. - **Traffic.** Istanbul traffic can double driving times. Between Sultanahmet and Pera, walking across the Galata Bridge is often quicker. - **When to go.** Average highs rise from 22.2 °C in May to 26.9 °C in June and exceed 29 °C in July and August. Ramadan and religious holidays change opening hours at some places: see [Ramadan and holidays 2027 in Turkey](/en/guides/ramadan-fetes-turquie-2027/). - **Money.** The ferry and the hammam are paid in Turkish lira; on 9 October 2026, €1 was worth 55.10 Turkish lira. - **Entry requirements.** The [visa and entry requirements](/en/guides/visa-turquie/) guide covers the document required and the length of stay. The rule for your country: (Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/istanbul-5-jours/) - **Safety.** Istanbul is not among the areas advised against by the foreign ministries Sabaro follows. The [safety in Turkey](/en/guides/securite-turquie/) guide goes through the country area by area. The advice from your country: (Depends on the traveller's country: see the table on https://sabaro-travel.com/en/ideas/istanbul-5-jours/) ## Frequently asked questions ### Can we stay on the Bosphorus? Yes. The [Çırağan Palace Kempinski](/en/hotels/ciragan-palace-kempinski/), a former imperial palace, and the [Four Seasons at the Bosphorus](/en/hotels/four-seasons-bosphorus/), in the 19th-century Atik Pasha palace, are on the water in Beşiktaş. They replace the Pera Palace, at a markedly higher price. ### Should Topkapı and Hagia Sophia be booked in advance? The day-two guided tour includes priority tickets for Topkapı. For Hagia Sophia, arrive early in the morning, when the queue is shortest. ### Can the stay be extended? Yes. The [Princes' Islands](/en/turkey/princes-islands/) are about an hour and a half by ferry from Kabataş. You can also continue to Cappadocia, as in the [Istanbul and Cappadocia in 8 days](/en/ideas/istanbul-cappadoce-8-jours/) idea. ### Is this trip suitable for children? Yes, at a slower pace: the Bosphorus by boat and Galata Tower appeal to children. At Galata Tower, under-18s must be accompanied by their parents.