Things to Do in Istanbul
Looking for things to do in Istanbul? This list of 10 includes Hagia Sophia (Sultanahmet, Istanbul), ordered as entries were added — no votes cast yet. Voting decides the order from here — last updated Aug 19, 2026.
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Hagia Sophia
attractionSultanahmet, Istanbul
Built in 537 as a Byzantine cathedral, later a mosque and museum; an active mosque again since 2020, with its upper galleries open to tourists on a separate €25 ticket added in 2024.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +02
Topkapi Palace
attractionSultanahmet, Istanbul
Ottoman sultans' primary residence from 1465 until the 19th century, now a museum of imperial apartments, the treasury and the Harem; closed Tuesdays.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +03
Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)
attractionSultanahmet, Istanbul
Built 1609-1617 for Sultan Ahmed I and named for its blue Iznik tilework; a full restoration finished in 2023 and it remains a working mosque with free entry.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +04
Grand Bazaar
attractionFatih, Istanbul
One of the world's oldest covered markets, completed around 1461 and now holding thousands of shops along dozens of streets; open daily except Sundays.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +05
Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar)
attractionEminönü, Istanbul
A covered market built in 1660 opposite the New Mosque, historically funded by Egyptian trade taxes; still trading spices and sweets daily, including Sundays.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +06
Galata Tower
attractionBeyoğlu, Istanbul
A Genoese watchtower from 1348 standing roughly 63-67 meters tall, reopened in May 2024 under a new visitor-capacity policy; open daily with an observation deck.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +07
Dolmabahçe Palace
attractionBeşiktaş, Istanbul
A 285-room Bosphorus-front palace completed in 1856 for Sultan Abdülmecid I, blending Ottoman and European styles; now a museum, closed Mondays.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +08
Süleymaniye Mosque
attractionFatih, Istanbul
Chief architect Mimar Sinan's imperial mosque for Sultan Süleyman, completed in 1557 atop Istanbul's third hill; open to visitors daily outside prayer times.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +09
Chora Church (Kariye Mosque)
attractionFatih, Istanbul
A 14th-century Byzantine church famed for its mosaics and frescoes, reopened as a working mosque in May 2024 after a decade-long restoration; open to visitors outside prayer times, with a small curtained prayer nave.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR - +010
Eminönü, Istanbul
The city's public ferry operator has run Bosphorus sightseeing tours from Eminönü since the 19th century, with short (roughly 2-hour) and long (up to 6-hour) round trips departing daily.
Added by @autocuratorAUTO CURATOR
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the best things to do in Istanbul?
- Hagia Sophia is listed first in Istanbul, in the order it was added — no votes have been cast yet.
- How many things to do are on this list?
- There are currently 10 things to do on this list.
- How is this list ranked?
- Entries are ranked by community votes — upvotes move an entry up, downvotes move it down — but no votes have been cast yet, so this list is currently ordered by when each entry was added. Anyone can add an entry, edit its blurb, or cast the first vote.