WELCOME TO THE GOOD LIFE IN
ISTANBUL
M E E T Y O U R G U I D E
All of our guides can offer you a spectacular experience. As each person has a slightly different look at the world, due to their own unique interests and specialties, we'd encourage you to read a few profiles.
PLANNING
The historical peninsula, anchored by Sultanahmet, holds many of the city’s most famous sites, but crossing the Bosphorus or the Golden Horn reveals neighbourhoods with their own character and rhythm.
You’ll want private transport for at least some of your time here — not because Istanbul is difficult to navigate, but because its scale, hills, and traffic can eat away at your energy and time.
Ferries are not only practical but romantic — we strongly recommend taking at least one Bosphorus ferry, either for transit or pleasure. Walkable districts like Karaköy, Balat, and Kadıköy reward a slower pace, while the larger palaces and hillside mosques are best visited with a guide and car.
The best seasons are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October), when the air is crisp, skies are clear, and temperatures are manageable.
Summers can be stifling and crowded, especially in tourist hotspots.
Winter is often overlooked — but for those willing to face the cold, Istanbul in January or February can be remarkably atmospheric.
Stay in or near Sultanahmet if you want to be close to the big monuments, or consider Beyoğlu (around Galata and Cihangir) for a more modern, lived-in feel. Kadıköy, on the Asian side, offers a younger, hipper pace of life, with excellent markets and vibrant nightlife.
MUSEUM & SITEBOOKING
Hagia Sophia – Entry is free, but long queues are normal. Non-Muslim visitors can enter outside prayer times. A private guide is essential for understanding the building’s Christian and Islamic histories. Modest attire required (women should bring a scarf to cover their hair).
Blue Mosque – Open to visitors outside of prayer hours. Free entry, but it sometimes closed during major religious holidays. Modest dress required. Restoration works are sometimes underway — check with your guide in advance.
Topkapi Palace – Book tickets in advance to avoid queues, especially in high season. The Harem section requires a separate ticket and is well worth it. A good guide here brings the Ottoman court to life with stories of intrigue, power, and poetry.
Basilica Cistern – Ticketed and often crowded; best visited early. The cool subterranean space is refreshingly quiet in summer. Advance tickets are now available online, but walk-ins are still common.
Grand Bazaar – No ticket required, but open only during the day (closed Sundays). Best experienced with a guide who knows the hidden corners and caravanserais, alone due to the sheer and overwhelming scale of it. Haggling is expected, but a local can soften the process considerably.
Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) – No ticket required, but peak times can be overwhelming. Early mornings are best. This is also a good time for tasting and conversation with stall owners before the crowds arrive.
Dolmabahçe Palace – One of the most opulent buildings in the city. Guided tours only (available on-site in timed slots), and strict rules apply (no photography in some rooms). Closed Mondays.
Süleymaniye Mosque – Open to visitors outside of prayer hours, often quieter than the Blue Mosque. Entry is free. Its hilltop position makes for a lovely walk and wide city views.
Bosphorus Ferries – The city ferries require no booking — just tap in and go. For a longer cruise, there are half-day and full-day options that can be arranged with or without meals. Booking is recommended in high season.
ITINERARY SUGGESTIONS
Imperial Foundations & the Old City
DAY I
Morning: Begin your visit in Sultanahmet. Start with Hagia Sophia, ideally with a private guide who can walk you through the transformation from Byzantine church to imperial mosque. Then continue to the Blue Mosque across the square. From there, descend into the Basilica Cistern — it’s an atmospheric shift that provides a cooling pause from the surface heat.
Lunch: Dine nearby in a shaded courtyard café or meyhane offering light meze and grilled fish. Something with yoghurt and aubergine, plus a glass of cold ayran or white wine, is the order of the day.
Afternoon: Visit Topkapi Palace, including the Harem. It’s a vast complex, so leave plenty of time. Later, wander the gardens or take a tea on the terrace overlooking the Bosphorus.
Evening: Head to Karaköy or Galata for dinner. Try an updated take on Ottoman cuisine or something more modern — the area is known for its creative culinary scene. End the night with a view of the illuminated mosques across the water.
Markets, Ferries & Neighbourhood Stories
DAY II
Morning: Start at the Grand Bazaar — early is better. Let your guide lead you through the quieter inner courtyards, artisan workshops, and perhaps a tea stop in a caravanserai. Continue to the Spice Bazaar and enjoy the scent of cardamom, rose, and smoke all mingling in the light.
Try not to get cheated in your nearly inevitable purchase of some saffron along the way. Your guide should be able to sort this, and in future we may post our own guide on knowing how to actually tell the difference between the real thing, and dyed corn husks, because it's truly shocking not only how often this happens, but how few people can tell the difference.
By the way: we personally love the work of Soy Turkiye copper cookware. This is a bit more of an adventure and something to plan in advance, but old-world hand-hammered copper cookware with a true silver (as opposed to tin or stainless steel) lining, is truly a great tool in the kitchen for those who will put up with its weight.
Lunch: Try a fish sandwich by the Galata Bridge, or take the ferry over to Kadıköy and eat near the market — there are excellent lokantası (canteens) and simple grills serving fabulous home-style Turkish cooking.
Afternoon: Stroll through Kadıköy’s streets or return to the European side for a visit to the Süleymaniye Mosque. If you still have time and energy, take a sunset ferry cruise along the Bosphorus, passing Ottoman mansions, palaces, and the two continents in evening light.
Evening: Finish with dinner at a classic meyhane — small plates, strong rakı, and music in the air. If you’re staying longer, this is a perfect way to toast the city.
You Might Also Want to Stay Longer, and Here’s Why We Think You Should:
DAY III PLUS
The Princes’ Islands – Just an hour by ferry, these car-free islands offer horse-drawn carriages, quiet walks, and nostalgic wooden villas. Büyükada is the largest and easiest to explore in a day.
Chora Church (Kariye Mosque) – Home to some of the finest Byzantine mosaics in the world. The building has recently reopened for religious use, so access to the art is somewhat limited — check before visiting.
Bosphorus Villages – Explore places like Arnavutköy, Ortaköy, or Bebek — each with their own style. Waterfront cafés, elegant 19th-century mansions, and quiet corners abound.
Rüstem Pasha Mosque – Often overlooked but decorated with some of the most exquisite Iznik tiles in Istanbul. A small gem tucked above the market streets.
Eyüp & Pierre Loti Hill – A pilgrimage district with an Ottoman cemetery climbing the hill. A cable car takes you to the café where Pierre Loti, the French novelist, once wrote about the city.
The views are magnificent.
Further Afield – If Istanbul has given you a taste for Turkey’s deeper layers, consider extending to Cappadocia, Ephesus, or the southern coast. But give Istanbul its due first — this is not a city to rush.