Are you overwhelmed with planning your trip to Istanbul? Don’t know where to stay and what things to do? This blog will help and guide you towards the best things to do in Istanbul- Turkey and even around it, that made our trip unforgettable!
I finally got to check out one of my dream destinations check list and visited Turkey. I am so happy to share the best things to do in Istanbul- Turkey!
During the past couple of years Istanbul has become one of the main tourist places people go to. I have always heard people including my husband talk about how gorgeous it is. Fast forward to 2023, we finally decided to visit Istanbul together. It was a very short trip but a memorable one, so if you’re wondering if Turkey is worth visiting? then short answer, YESSS!
I will be sharing everything from where to stay to things to do in Turkey including Istanbul and around it!
This post is all about things to do in Istanbul- Turkey and around it that will make your trip unforgettable!
Best things to do in & outside Istanbul Turkey
Where to Stay in Istanbul!
If you are wondering where to stay in Istanbul, then there is no right place. Most hotels in Istanbul are the same in my opinion. Thus, what matters is its location. It is better if it is located near the center of Istanbul where you can find plenty cafes, restaurants and shops along with easy access to transportation such as the tram, metro …
We stayed in a district called “Al Fatih” where most people stay in, and we LOVED IT! Right across our hotel was a nice cafe & restaurant which was delicious! On the other side, were many shops. We pretty much were within a walking distance from a lot of shops and restaurants along with a transportation station.
How to get Around
Buses, trams and metros scour through Istanbul! Luckily, we were 5 minutes away from the station, which made our moving around much easier. All you have to do is buy a card (Istanbulkart Card), fill it and hop on! Such an easy, accessible and more affordable way of transportation especially since there is always a map displayed weather you’re using a metro, tram… which makes tracking your route much easier. This service absolutely made it easy for us to move around.
Things to do in Istanbul-Turkey!
We are so grateful we managed to explore as much as we could from Istanbul in just 4 days! Here, I will be listing the things we did along with the things I personally haven’t experienced due to lack of time, but my husband and some family members did in their previous visits that I highly recommend!
1. Bosphorus Sightseeing Cruise
I put this at the top of the list because it is probably the most overlooked Istanbul tourist attraction. It was the very first thing we did! It is a cruise that sails on the bridge between Europe and Asia in which you get to see a lot of ancient sites that have been there over 3000 years. There are different types and different times too. There is the daytime tour and the sunset tour which usually includes dinner and then there is the private one as for the timing most cruises range from 1-9 hours. We took the 90 minutes tour, such a relaxing tour. We got to see so many famous local landmarks such as the Topkapi Palace, Galata tower, Urtakoy Mosque, Dolmabahce palace, Galata tower and much more.
Check out this Short Reel to see part of our Bosporus cruise and what I wore!
2. Beyazit Square
Beyazit Square also known as the “Freedom square” located in the district of Fatih. It is considered the Forum of Theodosius built by Constantine the Great and reformed by Cansever. Once you enter you can see many historical landmarks including Beyazit 2nd Mosque, Istanbul University and Beyazit State Library. Definitely worth seeing this beautiful place with all its landmarks.
3. SultanAhmet
Sultanahmet is the city’s historic center. It is a neighborhood in the district of Fatih surrounded by many famous landmarks and tourist attraction including Hagia Sophia which we unfortunately didn’t get the chance to get inside because the waiting line was unbelievable but at least we got the chance to take a picture while it being behind us. SultanAhmet is also surrounded with many local shops and vendors selling Turkish delights, spices and souvenirs.
we enjoyed walking there and enjoying the landmarks while having corn cobs in which they are famous for.
4. Taksim Square
Taksim is a busy area famed for its restaurants, shops and hotels. It is considered the heart of Modern Istanbul! A tram passes by it coming from Galata Tower through the street called Istiklal Street. Such a busy area! We barely were able to walk in it, so we went to a restaurant had some food and drank Turkish Tea which was on point! Afterwards we walked around a bit, stopped by a couple of shops. And of course, let’s not forget about their famous corn cob.
5. Historia mall, Olivium Outlet Center, Zerujport AVM & Local Shops in the Districts — Shopping
Istanbul is known for its shopping. People from all over the world buy goods from Istanbul including merchants. Whether you are shopping in a mall or any district such as Fatih, Aksaray, Taksim or even the Grand Bazaar you can always find good stuff.
We were lucky to visit Historia mall and Olivium mall along with Zerujport AVM which is also called “Hijabis Mall” because it has so many shops that offer modest wear. Luckily i bought a couple of cute pieces that i will be styling and sharing on my Instagram.
Things to do Outside Istanbul – Daily Tours!
1. Tuzla Marina, Sapanca & Masukiye Tour
Tuzla Marina
Tuzla Marina is a Marina located in the heart of Marmara Region in Turkey. You can find many restaurants, cafes, branded stores along with an aquarium and a lion zoo. It also has the fastest roller coaster in Turkey, in addition to indoor and outdoor theaters.
I’ve never heard of this place before probably because it is relatively new, being built in 2015. it is such a beautiful, fun place with a lot of activities to do. Unfortunately, it was a stop to us on our way to Sapanca and Masukiye. Yet, we were able to explore I guess part of it, took some amazing photos and drank coffee. Definitely the next time I visit Turkey I’ll be dedicating a full day to Tuzla Marina!
Check this Mini Vlog to see how gorgeous Tuzla Marina is!
Sapanca
Sapanca is a town and district in the Sakarya Province in The Marmara Region of Turkey near Lake Sapanca. Most people go there for the Teleferik (Cable Car), it is considered one of its distinctive sights since it overlooks Lake Sapanca passing through Mount Kartaba. Such a dazzling view! We really enjoyed it. Once you reach the Top you have almost 20-30 minutes to explore its nature before you head one more time to the Teleferik. Once you get to Sapanca the whole experience won’t take more than an hour.
Here are some photos for Sapanca in which you can see the beautiful nature. Bear in mind on that day the weather was so rainy and gloomy!
Masukiye
Masukiye is a town in the Kartepe district near Sapanca Lake. The word Masukiye is derived from the Arabic word ” Mashuk” which means Adoration or Love. It is known for its adventure activities such as ridding buggies through the forest and the zipline, or even easygoing nature walks. Unfortunately, because of the weather we didn’t get to do much other than ridding a Buggie while raining.
Both Sapanca and Masukiye were almost 2-2:30 hours away from Istanbul. But since we went with a group a lot of delays happened in each place not to mention the stops we had to make, a restaurant for lunch, a shop for Turkish delights & souvenirs and a supermarket on the way back to Istanbul which made our trip rather than maximum 5 hours in Total; 1 hour in each place and 2 hours’ drive, almost 10-11 hours. So typically, we lost a full day for this. Was it worth it? hum, not sure. I mean both were nice to see but not worth wasting a full day on. My Advice is if you plan on going there; just make sure the weather is nice and go on you own! DO NOT go with a group!
Here is a Mini Vlog for this experience along with a Photo Album!
2. The Princes’ Islands Tour
The Princes’ Islands is a cluster of 9 Islands Southeast of Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara. Tourists usually get to visit one of these Islands; the Buyukada Island. You will need to ride a ferry from Istanbul for around an hour and a half to get there. The island is famed for their horse-drawn carriages (Phaetons). You can explore the island and its historical landmarks, beach and forest. Such a Captivating Place!
To state the fact that this is one of places that I didn’t get the chance to see Unfortunately but my husband, my sister and some friends have visited and highly recommended. This is for sure one of the main tours I’ll be going to once I get the chance to revisit Turkey. Inshallah!
Since I didn’t get the chance to visit it. Here are some pictures for when my sister Sarah visited it.
I hope you find this guide helpful and makes your trip to Turkey Unforgettable!
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