In this article, we handpicked the top 10 must-see places in Istanbul for you. So if you have a little time, you won’t miss them. Actually, this is the idea behind our Istanbul Tourist Pass FREE. So, for more must-see places and things to do, check out our attractions page. We explained every detail to you for each attraction on our website.
Let’s start with our top 10 must-see places in Istanbul so you won’t miss out. We chose these top 10 attractions in or close to the historical peninsula area, for more than the 10 best, visit our website, you’ll be amazed at how rich Istanbul is. Share your experiences and photos with us on Instagram, we would love to hear from you. Here is our
1- Hagia Sophia Mosque
Ready to explore 1500 years of history with Hagia Sophia? Hagia Sophia is one of the most visited attractions in Istanbul! It will amaze you with its magnificent architecture, history, and ambience. You will feel the Christian and Islamic history lay there side-by-side while discovering Hagia Sophia!
Once the great cathedral of Constantinople and later an imperial mosque of the Ottoman Empire, this former centre of worship for Christians is now serving as a mosque for Muslims but is open to visitors from every religion.
With the incredible height of its famous dome and the amazing architecture, see the glittering remains of the original gold mosaics and icons. Without an informative guide, you may miss them all.
Visiting Hagia Sophia with Istanbul Tourist Pass’s informative guides will make everything easy for you!
2- Topkapı Palace Museum
Topkapi Palace is one of the historical places included in the UNESCO World Heritage List with its amazing structure and great history. With history, then stories and gossip come the way. Sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines, and scheming eunuchs lived in Topkapi Palace for almost 400 years! The palace's ornate corridors, jewel-filled architecture, and legendary rooms give you a fascinating glimpse into their lives.
Exploring Topkapı Palace is so uncomplicated with the Istanbul Tourist Pass since you will have an informative guide along with you! You will be amazed to hear the hidden stories, architecture, and history of Topkapı Palace with Istanbul Tourist Pass guides!
Without an informative guide, you will miss a lot and because of it, we have the best guides in town. So check out our Guided Tours Timetable today and plan your trip into history. You may have great photos while visiting its massive palace complex so share them with us with your comments! Here is our Instagram account.
3- Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar has a living history with over 4000 shopsThe Grand Bazaar is a must-see in Istanbul where you will not only witness its history but also buy amazing souvenirs to take home. Here we have a list of the most popular souvenirs we picked for you.
The Grand Bazaar was built between the years of 1455 and 1560, is Istanbul’s oldest covered market and has been fully operational ever since. While walking and shopping around Grand Bazaar you may miss a lot unless you are with a knowledgeable guide with you.
4- Galata Tower
Galata Tower is very beautiful and photogenic from the outside. But from inside it is incredible; you may be amazed by its history and architecture. So take a trip “up” to the 14th century with a tower of great functioning in history
Throughout history, some towers were built as colonial buildings, and some were as watch towers; Galata Tower has been all of these in its almost 700 years of life.
In the tower, you can see both the historical texture of an old city as well as modern people looking for entertainment. From the rooftop, you can sit and contemplate your trip, evaluating Istanbul's offerings before making a decision about what to do next.
Istanbul's Galata Tower offers a panoramic view of the whole city from its top. A symbol of the city, it is awe-inspiring in that it is the only one of its kind in the world. Also, its surroundings are worth sparing time so don’t forget to visit Galata Tower and take photos from the top. We would love to hear about your experience, share us on Instagram: @istanbultouristpass
5- Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern is the largest among the numerous underground cisterns in Istanbul. The Underground Palace, or the Yerebatan Saray as the Ottomans called it, is an amazing sight to behold.
The Istanbul Tourist Pass’s capable and well-informed guides will take you through the cistern, and they will be explaining the history behind this architectural marvel. In this amazing place, you’ll feel as though you’ve gone back in time. The Basilica Cistern includes very interesting architectural and historical features, such as Medusa head pillar bases.
After a restoration period, the Basilica Cistern reopened in 2022, and now it’s not only an extraordinary historical cistern but an art space with impressive sculptures and wonderful light shows.
Here check out our Guided Tours Timetable and add Basilica Cistern Guided Tour to your Istanbul itinerary today! After that, just wait to be amazed in this one-of-a-kind place.
6- Dolmabahçe Palace Museum
Dolmabahçe Palace was the last and likely most expensive residence of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. It has 285 rooms, 44 halls, 68 toilets and six hammams and is set along the beautiful Bosphorus.
There are many beautiful pieces of furniture, rare-to-see artworks and other priceless treasures on display but one of the most spectacular is the 4.5-tonne crystal chandelier hanging in the Grand Ceremonial Hall. It's the largest chandelier in the world!
When the Turkish Republic was formed, the Palace was used as a State Residence for visiting guests. Later, it became the Presidential Residence of Atatürk in Istanbul. Today, Dolmabahçe Palace has been completely restored as a museum and is a very popular spot in Istanbul.
To see this amazing place with our great tour guides, check out our Guided Tours Timetable. As with most of Istanbul, a guide makes all the history behind it understandable for you. No cameras are allowed in Palace but share your comments after seeing this amazing place. Here is our Instagram: @istanbultouristpass.
7- Blue Mosque
A world-famous mosque and one of the oldest in the world, the Blue Mosque is sure to mesmerize you. With this amazing structure, you can explore the heritage of the once-great Ottoman Empire and Istanbul's spiritual side. Any visitor to Istanbul will be awestruck by the Blue Mosque, probably the most recognizable landmark in the city.
To experience the spiritual side of Istanbul and soak up the culture of the Islamic Ottoman Empire, all you need is a capable guide to inform you about the history behind it.
We are aware of the fact that it is not possible to understand the city's rich history without a well-informed guide, so with many years of experience we have our own guides in Istanbul Tourist Pass and they are the best ones in town so far.
It is located in the heart of Sultanahmet, very close to many other attractions that are included in your Istanbul Tourist Pass, so start the morning there and spend the rest of the day exploring other great places.
8- Suleymaniye Mosque
The Suleymaniye Mosque is located atop one of the seven hills that Istanbul was built on. As such not only is it a very important landmark of the city, but it's also one of the landmarks that offer its visitors the best views possible.
Suleymaniye Mosque wasn't just built as a place of worship, but it is a massive complex that once housed a soup kitchen, a library, a madrasa, a preparatory school, a garden where one could take leisurely strolls and more. The mosque is still used for worship, but many parts are still open for visitors.
The tombs of Suleyman the Magnificent and his wife Hurrem Sultan are located on the grounds of the mosque. The four minarets of the mosque serve to signify the fact that Suleyman was the fourth sultan to rule over the Ottoman Empire.
With the Istanbul Tourist Pass, there will be a FREE audio guide prepared for you so you won’t miss out on any details while you are visiting there. This audio guide is very easy to use in our app, you’ll love it.
9- Istanbul Archeological Museum
The Istanbul Archeological Museum is among the largest museums in the world, with over one million artefacts from various cultures. You can see many objects from the pre-Islamic periods of the Greek, Egyptian, and Arabian Peninsula of Anatolia and Mesopotamia, this museum is one of the best places to visit in Istanbul.
The museum was established as the Imperial Museum at the end of the 19th century. Istanbul Archeological Museum's collection includes artefacts from civilizations within the borders of the Ottoman Empire, from the Balkans to Africa, from Anatolia and Mesopotamia to the Arabian Peninsula and Afghanistan.
Exploring Archeological Museum is so painless with the Istanbul Tourist Pass because there will be an informative guide with you who can answer all your questions. Don’t miss it, you will be amazed to see Kadesh Peace Treaty Tablets or the Sarcophagus of Alexander.
There is also a really nice cafe in the museum’s garden, you can have a coffee among historical artefacts. Tell us your impressions and share your photos with you; here is our Instagram: @istanbultouristpass
10- Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
The Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum has a great collection that includes notable examples of Islamic calligraphy, handmade tiles, ancient handwritten Qurans and incredible rugs as well as ethnographic displays on various cultures in Turkey, particularly nomad groups.
The museum houses over 40,000 works of art that range from carpet art, wooden works, and stone art collections The museum is one of the largest museums in Turkey, located across from the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
The Museum also has the world's largest carpet collection. There are carpets from the Seljuk Empire, Iran, and the Caucasus. With Istanbul Tourist Pass, you will be accompanied by an informative audio guide so you’ll be enjoying hearing the hidden stories, architecture, and history of the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum.
In this article, we picked the 10 Best Must-see places in Istanbul but there are many more! For a carefully selected list with other advantages check out the Istanbul Tourist Pass today. And don’t forget to follow us on social media, you may be inspired by our posts!
FAQ
What should you not miss in Turkey?
Istanbul and Cappadocia are both must-sees in Turkey. There are many more places but if you are a first-time traveller, then one of these trips would be a perfect start. For you to enjoy the most in less we have created two sister passes: Istanbul Tourist Pass and Cappadocia Travel Pass.
What should you not miss in Istanbul?
1- Topkapi Palace Museum
2- Hagia Sophia Mosque
3- Dolmabahce Palace Museum
4- Blue Mosque
5- Galata Tower
6- Basilica Cistern
7- Suleymaniye Mosque
8- Istanbul Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum
9- Istanbul Archeological Museum
10-Grand Bazaar
What is the most beautiful part of Istanbul?
Istanbul is amazingly beautiful in many senses, with the richness of history and culture together with the vibrant life among colourful streets. But for a visitor, the old town known as the historical peninsula is the most beautiful part of Istanbul.
What can you do in Istanbul in 3 days?
In 3 days you can visit many historical places in the historical peninsula and then enjoy the vibrant contemporary life of the city. Here are 100+ attractions and advantages for you to plan your trip.
What's Istanbul famous for?
Istanbul is famous for its amazing history, culture and incredibly vibrant city life.
How much does it cost to see these 10 attractions?
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