Istanbul, the historic peninsula

The historic peninsula is Istanbul's old city: a hill bounded by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara and, on the landward side, the Byzantine walls. It was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and then of the Ottoman Empire, and UNESCO inscribed it on the World Heritage List in 1985 as the "Historic Areas of Istanbul". Around Sultanahmet square, Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Archaeological Museums are all a few minutes' walk apart. Further west, the Süleymaniye Mosque rises above the Golden Horn, over the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar.

This page follows the peninsula the way most visitors see it in two or three days: Sultanahmet square first, then the palace and the museums, and finally the Süleymaniye and the bazaars.

Day one: Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome

Hagia Sophia

Built as a basilica in the 6th century, Hagia Sophia is once again a working mosque. The ground floor is open free of charge for prayer, through a separate entrance. Foreign visitors follow a paid route up to the upper gallery: €25 since 15 January 2024. The route closes on Friday early afternoon for the main weekly prayer, so plan another visit for that slot.

Next door, on the Hippodrome square, the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum tells the story of the building's fifteen centuries. It opens daily from 9 am to 8 pm local time (ticket office until 7 pm). Tickets cost €25 today and will rise to €30 on 1 April 2027 under the new price list of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome

Opposite stands the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, known as the Blue Mosque, also a working mosque: entry is free outside prayer times, with arms and legs covered and a headscarf for women. The former Byzantine Hippodrome, now a long square, links the two.

On its western side, the palace of Ibrahim Pasha, built in 1520 for Suleiman the Magnificent's grand vizier, has housed the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts since 1983. Its carpet collection, with rare 13th-century Seljuk rugs, is one of the finest in the world. It opens daily from 9 am to 6:30 pm local time (ticket office until 5:30 pm), for €19 from 1 April 2027, audio guide included.

The Basilica Cistern

Beneath the square, the Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan) is a vast vaulted Byzantine reservoir. Its management passed in June 2026 from the municipality to the General Directorate of Foundations; opening hours and prices changed with it, so check them before you go.

Day two: Topkapı Palace and the Archaeological Museums

Topkapı

Topkapı Palace was the residence of the Ottoman sultans. A succession of courtyards leads to the treasury, the pavilions overlooking the Bosphorus and the harem. It is run by the National Palaces administration (Milli Saraylar), which publishes its prices in Turkish lira:

• ticket offices open 9 am to 5 pm local time;
• closed on Tuesdays;
• combined ticket for the palace, the harem and the church of Hagia Irene: 2,750 Turkish lira, about €50, valid for one day;
• harem only: 1,050 lira, about €19.

Allow half a day. In high season, arriving at opening time avoids most of the queue.

The Archaeological Museums

Below the palace, in Gülhane Park, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums are the country's first museum, founded in 1869. Three buildings hold nearly one million objects: the Archaeological Museum, with the so-called Alexander Sarcophagus and the Sarcophagus of the Mourning Women; the Museum of the Ancient Orient; and the Tiled Pavilion, built in 1472 and the oldest building of the complex. The museums open daily from 9 am to 6:30 pm local time, with the ticket office closing at 5:30 pm. Tickets will cost €16 from 1 April 2027, audio guide included.

Day three: the Süleymaniye and the bazaars

The second half of the peninsula is best explored walking down towards the Golden Horn. The Süleymaniye, the imperial mosque built for Suleiman the Magnificent, is part of the UNESCO-listed area together with its neighbourhood. As in the other mosques, visitors are welcome outside prayer times.

Between Beyazıt and Eminönü lie the old city's two great covered markets: the Grand Bazaar, a maze of vaulted lanes, and the Spice Bazaar, near Eminönü pier. Ferries for the Bosphorus and the Asian shore leave from Eminönü: the Bosphorus page covers the long cruise.

Where to stay in the old city

Sabaro has selected four hotels on the peninsula, all within a few minutes' walk of Hagia Sophia.

• Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet: 65 rooms in a former 1918-1919 prison, set around a garden courtyard. It is the only hotel in Türkiye with three Michelin Keys in 2026.
• AJWA Sultanahmet: 61 rooms and suites with handmade Ottoman furniture, a spa with hammam and indoor pool, and an Azerbaijani rooftop restaurant facing the Sea of Marmara.
• Hagia Sofia Mansions: a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel spread over 17 historic mansions, with a spa next to a 1,500-year-old cistern.
• Hotel Ibrahim Pasha: 24 rooms in two Ottoman houses on the edge of the Hippodrome, with a rooftop terrace facing the Blue Mosque.

Staying on the peninsula lets you visit early in the morning and late in the day, once the tour groups have gone. In the evening the area is quieter than Galata and Beyoğlu, described on the Pera, Galata and the Golden Horn page.

Getting there and around

Istanbul has two airports. Istanbul Airport (IST), on the European side, is 46 km from Sultanahmet, about an hour's drive without traffic. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), on the Asian side, is 41 km away, about 45 minutes. At busy times, traffic can double these times. Istanbul is a few hours' flight from Europe's main cities, direct or with one stop.

On the peninsula itself, everything is on foot. Galata is 4 km away, across the Galata Bridge or eight minutes by car without traffic.

What the foreign ministries say

None of the European foreign ministries followed by Sabaro advises against Istanbul. Several call for heightened vigilance: the risk of attack remains high throughout the country, and tourist sites and places of worship are among the places where they ask visitors to stay alert. Pickpockets are reported around the main monuments, and visitors are advised to keep away from demonstrations. The Safety table on this page gives the advice for your country.

When to go

In Istanbul, average highs climb from 17 °C in April to 27 °C in June, then approach 30 °C in July and August. September and October are back to 21-26 °C. Winter is mild but wet, with 70 to 90 mm of rain a month from November to February. The best months for walking the old city are April to June and September to October.