Why go
- Largest city in Turkey.
- 1 curated must-see attraction on record, including The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii).
- Served by Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ).
History
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, a megacity, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia. Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus – one of the world's busiest waterways – in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its area of 5,461 square kilometers (2,109 mi2) is coterminous with Istanbul Province.
Must-see attractions
Cankurtaran, At Meydanı Cd No:7, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye · kulturportali.gov.tr
37 more attractions in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Where to stay
Zorlu Center - Shopping Mall, Levazım, Vadi Caddesi, 34340 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · raffles.com
Cihannüma, Saray Cd No:5, 34353 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · hilton.com
No:28, Çırağan Cd., 34349 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · fourseasons.com
Sultanahmet, Tevkifhane Sk. No:1, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye · fourseasons.com
Harbiye, Taşkışla Cd. No:1, 34367 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · hyatt.com
Yıldız, Çırağan Cd. No:32, 34349 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · kempinski.com
Çengelköy, Kuleli Cd. No:43, 34684 Üsküdar/İstanbul, Türkiye · sumahan.com
Indoor
Kocatepe, Lamartin Cd. No:13, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · midtown-hotel.com
Katip Mustafa Çelebi, Billurcu Sk. No:5, 34443 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · unionotel.com
GALATA / TAKSİM / ISTIKLAL, Asmalı Mescit, General Yazgan Sk. No:6, 34430 Beyoğlu, Türkiye · ruzhotels.com
Kuloğlu, Faik Paşa Cd. No:28, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · thesoulhotel.com
Arap Cami, Bankalar Cd. No:5 D:1, 34421 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · thebankhotelistanbul.com
Kocatepe, Abdülhak Hamit Cd. No:25, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · barcelo.com
Mecidiye, 34347 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · nevvhotel.com.tr
Mah, Kocatepe, Topçu Cd. No:19, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · barcelo.com
Türkali, Mecit Ali Sk. No:17 D:15, 34357 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · rubysuit.com
Kara Mustafa Paşa Mahallesi, Erişteci Sk. No:1 Karaköy, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · fermanport.com
Pürtelaş Hasan Efendi, Meclis-i Mebusan Cd. No: 45, 34427 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · themaestrohotel.com
Kocatepe, Lamartin Cd. No:47, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · titanic.com.tr
Firuzağa, Defterdar Yokuşu Sok. No:19/1, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · fragmentshotel.com
19 Mayıs, Operatör Raifbey Sok. No: 40, 34360 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · titanic.com.tr
Müeyyetzade, Serdar-ı Ekrem Cd. No:24, 34425 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · georges.com
Orta, Kaptanıderya Cd. No: 37, 34880 Kartal/İstanbul, Türkiye · titanic.com.tr
Ataköy 1. Kısım, Fişekhane Cd. No: 7/3, 34140 Bakırköy/İstanbul, Türkiye · titanic.com.tr
Esentepe, Büyükdere Cd. No:161, 34394 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · avantgardecollection.com
Kocatepe, Feridiye Cd. No:95, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · ottopera.com
Bozkurt, Dolapdere Cd. No:127, 34360 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · thehubihotel.com
Pürtelaş Hasan Efendi, Meclis-i Mebusan Cd. N 39, 34427 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · tonighthotelport.com.tr
Cihannüma, Barbaros Blv. No:59/1, 34365 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · serenityhotel.com.tr
Cumhuriyet, 2255. Sk. No:3, 41400 Gebze/Kocaeli, Türkiye · titanic.com.tr
Harbiye, Teşvikiye Cd. No:39, 34367 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · nisantasi.massuites.com
Çatma Mescit, Akarca Sk. No:47, 34430 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · thecentralhousegroup.com
Pürtelaş Hasan Efendi, Meclis-i Mebusan Cd. No:61, 34427 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · zimmerhotels.com.tr
Bozkurt Mahallesi Dolapdere Caddesi, Dere 2 Sok. No:7, 34375 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · regardhotel.com
Fulya, Bahçeler Sokağı No:16 Kat:1, 34387 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · thecraton.com.tr
Meşrutiyet, Melek Sk. No:6, 34363 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · concepthotels.com.tr
Vişnezade, Şair Nedim Cd. No:29, 34349 Beşiktaş/İstanbul, Türkiye · the-capitalsuites.com
Merkez, İskenderoğlu Sk. No:28, 34381 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · stylehotelsisli.com
Gümüşsuyu, Sıraselviler Cd. No:5, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · taximhill.com
Kanlıca Ahmet Rasim Paşa Yalısı, Halide Edip Adıvar Cd., 34810 Beykoz/İstanbul, Türkiye · ajiahotel.com
Kocatepe, Feridiye Cd. No: 80, 34437 Beyoğlu/İstanbul, Türkiye · villaperasuite.com
Meşrutiyet, Madalyon Sk. No:10, 34363 Şişli/İstanbul, Türkiye · berlinotel.com
Rauf Orbay Caddesi, Kennedy Cad. No:10, 34158 Bakırköy/İstanbul, Türkiye · marriott.com
Demirtaş, Hayriye Hanım Sk. No:19, 34421 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye · hhkhotel.com
8 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Restaurants & places to go
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
Indoor
111 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST) 34 km to the centre
Istanbul, 34, TR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 68 airlines (Turkish Airlines, Maldivian Air Taxi, Atlasjet, US Airways…) · direct flights to 227 destinations incl. Tehran, Izmir, Kiev, Munich, Odessa… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 68 airlines, 227 direct destinations
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-800, A321, A320, A319, 737-900, 330…) · 218 routes: Aalborg, Abu Dhabi, Accra, Adana, Addis Ababa, Adiyaman, Agri, Alexandria, Algier, Alma-ata, Amman, Amsterdam, Ankara, Antalya, Aqaba, Ashkhabad, Athens, Baghdad, Bahrain, Bakhtaran, Baku, Bangkok, Barcelona, Basrah, Batman, Batumi, Beijing, Beirut, Belgrade, Benghazi, Berlin, Bilbao, Billund, Bingol, Birmingham, Bishkek, Bodrum, Bologna, Bremen, Brussels … +178 more
- Maldivian Air Taxi 8Q (A320) · 16 routes: Adana, Alanya, Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Diyabakir, Elazig, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Izmir, Malatya, Nicosia, Odessa, Paris, Sanliurfa, Trabzon
- Atlasjet KK (A320) · 12 routes: Adana, Antalya, Bodrum, Erbil, Gaziantep, Izmir, London, Nicosia, Nizhnekamsk, Sulaymaniyah, Tbilisi, Tehran
- US Airways US (330, A321, 777-300ER, A320, 737-800, A330-200…) · 8 routes: Chicago*, Frankfurt*, Houston, Los Angeles*, Munich*, New York*, Washington*, Zurich*
- Scandinavian Airlines System SK (A321, 737-800, A319, 737-900) · 6 routes: Aalborg, Copenhagen, Gothenborg, Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm
- Asiana Airlines OZ (A321, A320, A330-300, 737-800) · 5 routes: Munich, Nairobi*, Seoul, Vienna, Zurich
- Egyptair MS (737-800, A319, A320, A321, 737-700, Embraer 170) · 5 routes: Alexandria*, Cairo, Hurghada, Kiev, Sharm El Sheikh
- Aeroflot Russian Airlines SU (A319, A320) · 4 routes: Moscow, Rostov, Sochi, St. Petersburg
- Air Algerie AH (737-800, 736) · 4 routes: Algier, Annaba, Constantine, Oran
- Air Astana KC (A320, 737-800) · 4 routes: Aktau, Alma-ata, Atyrau, Tselinograd
- Saudi Arabian Airlines SV (A320, A330-300) · 4 routes: Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh
- Ukraine International Airlines PS (737-800, A320, 734, 735, 73R) · 4 routes: Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kiev, Odessa
- Afriqiyah Airways 8U (A320, A319, A330-200) · 3 routes: Benghazi, MRA, Tripoli
- Air China CA (777-300ER, 330, A340-300) · 3 routes: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai
- AlMasria Universal Airlines UJ (A320) · 3 routes: Donetsk, Kiev, Odessa
- Air Florida QH (A319, 737-800) · 2 routes: Bishkek, Osh
- Air France AF (A320, A319, A321) · 2 routes: Marseille, Paris
- Air India Limited AI (330) · 2 routes: Delhi*, Mumbai*
- All Nippon Airways NH (A330-200, 777-300ER) · 2 routes: Osaka*, Tokyo*
- Libyan Arab Airlines LN (A320, 330) · 2 routes: Benghazi, Tripoli
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A321, A320) · 2 routes: Frankfurt, Munich
- Adria Airways JP (A319, CRJ-900) · 1 route: Ljubljana
- Aegean Airlines A3 (A320) · 1 route: Athens
- Air Bosna JA (ATR 72) · 1 route: Sarajevo
- Air Canada AC (767-300, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Toronto
- Air Malta KM (A319, 737) · 1 route: Malta
- Air Moldova 9U (A320, Embraer 190) · 1 route: Chisinau
- Alitalia AZ (A320, A321, 32S) · 1 route: Rome
- American Airlines AA (A320) · 1 route: London*
- Austrian Airlines OS (Fokker 100, A319, A320) · 1 route: Vienna*
- Azerbaijan Airlines J2 (767) · 1 route: Baku
- Belavia Belarusian Airlines B2 (737-300, Embraer 175) · 1 route: Minsk 2
- British Airways BA (A320, 767) · 1 route: London
- China Southern Airlines CZ (330) · 1 route: Urumqi
- Croatia Airlines OU (A319) · 1 route: Zagreb
- Emirates EK (777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai
- Etihad Airways EY (A320, A330-200, A330-300, 737) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi
- Garuda Indonesia GA (A330-300) · 1 route: Singapore*
- Gulf Air Bahrain GF (A320) · 1 route: Bahrain
- Iran Air IR (A320) · 1 route: Tehran
- Iran Aseman Airlines EP (340) · 1 route: Tehran
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (737) · 1 route: Amsterdam
- Korean Air KE (777-200) · 1 route: Seoul
- Kuwait Airways KU (A321) · 1 route: Kuwait
- LOT Polish Airlines LO (734, Embraer 195) · 1 route: Warsaw
- Mahan Air W5 (AB6) · 1 route: Tehran
- Malaysia Airlines MH (330, 777-200) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- Middle East Airlines ME (A320, A321, A330-200) · 1 route: Beirut
- Olympic Airlines OA (A320) · 1 route: Athens
- Oman Air WY (A321) · 1 route: Muscat
- Pegasus Airlines PC (737-800) · 1 route: Izmir
- Qantas QF (777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai*
- Qatar Airways QR (A330-200, A330-300) · 1 route: Doha
- Royal Air Maroc AT (737-800) · 1 route: Casablanca
- Royal Jordanian RJ (A319, A320, Embraer 175, Embraer 195) · 1 route: Amman
- Rwandair Express WB (737-900) · 1 route: Kigali
- Salzburg arrows SZ (737) · 1 route: Dushanbe
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (777-200) · 1 route: Singapore
- Swiss International Air Lines LX (A320, A320) · 1 route: Zurich
- Tajik Air 7J (735) · 1 route: Dushanbe
- TAP Portugal TP (A321) · 1 route: Lisbon
- Tarom RO (318) · 1 route: Bucharest
- Thai Airways International TG (330, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Bangkok*
- Transaero Airlines UN (737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Moscow
- Tunisair TU (A320, 736, A320) · 1 route: Tunis
- Turkmenistan Airlines T5 (737-800, 757-200) · 1 route: Ashkhabad
- Uzbekistan Airways HY (767) · 1 route: Tashkent
- ZABAIKAL AIRLINES Z6 (ERJ-145) · 1 route: Dnepropetrovsk*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) 31 km to the centre
Pendik, Istanbul, 34, TR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 20 airlines (Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air Berlin, Germanwings…) · direct flights to 98 destinations incl. Kuwait, Amsterdam, Antalya, Cologne, Duesseldorf… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 20 airlines, 98 direct destinations
- Pegasus Airlines PC (737-800, A320) · 75 routes: Adana, Alanya, Alma-ata, Amsterdam, Ankara, Antalya, Athens, Baku, Balikesir Korfez, Barcelona, Batman, Beirut, Belgrade, Bergamo, Berlin, Bishkek, Bodrum, Bologna, Bucharest, Charleroi, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dalaman, Denizli, Diyabakir, Doha, Donetsk, Dubai, Duesseldorf, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Frankfurt, Gaziantep, Hatay, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Kayseri, Kharkov, Konya … +35 more
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-800, 737-700, A320, 737-700) · 36 routes: Adana*, Amsterdam, Ankara, Antalya, Astrakhan, Bodrum, Brussels, Diyabakir*, Duesseldorf, Elazig*, Erzurum*, Frankfurt, Gaziantep*, Hatay*, Izmir, Kars*, Kayseri*, Kiev, Konya*, Kuwait, London, Malta*, Mardin*, Milano, Munich, Nicosia, Paris, Sarajevo, Sivas*, Stavropol, Tbilisi, Tehran, Tel-aviv, Trabzon*, Van*, Vienna
- Air Berlin AB (737-800, A320) · 6 routes: Berlin, Cologne, Duesseldorf, Munich, Nuernberg, Stuttgart
- Germanwings 4U (A319, A320) · 6 routes: Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Hamburg, Hannover, Stuttgart
- Nas Air XY (A320) · 3 routes: Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh
- SunExpress XQ (737-800) · 3 routes: Antalya, Dortmund, Izmir
- Transavia Holland HV (737-800, 737-700) · 3 routes: Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rotterdam
- Air Arabia G9 (A320) · 1 route: Sharjah
- Air Arabia Maroc 3O (A320) · 1 route: Casablanca
- Air Baltic BT (735) · 1 route: Riga
- Air Malta KM (A320) · 1 route: Malta
- Air Serbia JU (737-300) · 1 route: Belgrade
- Azerbaijan Airlines J2 (A319) · 1 route: Baku
- Fly Dubai FZ (737-800) · 1 route: Dubai
- Jazeera Airways J9 (A320) · 1 route: Kuwait
- Kuwait Airways KU (737-800) · 1 route: Kuwait
- Svyaz Rossiya 7R (CRJ-200) · 1 route: Mineralnye Vody
- Transavia France TO (737-800) · 1 route: Paris
- Ukraine International Airlines PS (737-800) · 1 route: Kiev
- Wizz Air W6 (A320) · 1 route: Budapest
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
İstanbul Atatürk Airport (ISL) 17 km to the centre
Istanbul(Bakırköy), 34, TR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather.
Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ) 91 km to the centre
Çorlu, 59, TR — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 1 airline (Turkish Airlines) · direct flights to 1 destination incl. Ankara (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 1 direct destination
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-700) · 1 route: Ankara*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
İstanbul Hezarfen Airfield 38 km to the centre
Çatalca, 34, TR
Getting there by ferry
Besiktas
Ferry terminal · 0.8 km from the centre
Beşiktaş
Ferry terminal · 0.8 km from the centre · Şehir Hatları
Beşiktaş Motor İskelesi
Ferry terminal · 0.8 km from the centre · Turyol, Avrasya Dentur
Kabataş
Ferry terminal · 1 km from the centre · Dentur Avrasya
Kabatas - Kadıkoy Boat Port
Ferry terminal · 1 km from the centre
BUDO
Ferry terminal · 1.3 km from the centre
Kabataş - Beşiktaş
Ferry route
Üsküdar - Beşiktaş (Dentur Avrasya)
Ferry route · Dentur
Beşiktaş - Ortaköy
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Kuzguncuk - Beşiktaş (Boğaz Hattı)
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Üsküdar - Kabataş (Dentur Avrasya)
Ferry route · Dentur
Kabataş-Üsküdar
Ferry route
Üsküdar - Ortaköy
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Eminönü - Üsküdar
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ); 5 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: IST has direct flights to 227 destinations on 68 airlines (incl. Tehran, Izmir, Kiev, Munich, Odessa…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Besiktas, 0.8 km); routes include Kabataş - Beşiktaş, Üsküdar - Beşiktaş (Dentur Avrasya), Beşiktaş - Ortaköy.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for İstanbul, Turkey. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Bus, Metrobüs · Istanbul's buses and the Metrobüs; Metro Istanbul runs the rail lines. · Fares: Istanbulkart · Airport: Havaist buses and the M11 metro from Istanbul
Metro, tram, funicular · The metro, tram and funicular lines on both sides of the Bosphorus. · Fares: Istanbulkart · Airport: M11 metro from Istanbul Airport
Trains & rail
National rail
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Food & Wine