Istanbul Walking Tours: Two Continents, Three Empires, One City
Istanbul has been the capital of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and all three are still standing within a few streets of each other. The city spans two continents across the Bosphorus, and although it is vast, the historic peninsula is compact and made for walking — Hagia Sophia to the Grand Bazaar takes about fifteen minutes.
Why Visit Istanbul
- Hagia Sophia: a cathedral, then a mosque, then a museum, then a mosque again, standing since 537
- The Blue Mosque and Topkapı Palace inside the same short walk
- The Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar, both roofed markets running for centuries
- The Bosphorus, where a commuter ferry crosses between Europe and Asia for the price of a bus fare
- A layered food culture: meyhane, kebab, börek, and one of the oldest coffee traditions anywhere
Best Walking Areas in Istanbul
Sultanahmet
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı and the Basilica Cistern inside one square kilometre
Grand Bazaar & Eminönü
Roofed markets, the Spice Bazaar, and the ferry piers at the bottom of the hill
Beyoğlu & İstiklal
A nineteenth-century boulevard, the Galata Tower, and the arcades leading off it
Balat & Fener
Coloured houses, Greek and Jewish heritage, and steep quiet streets above the Golden Horn
Kadıköy
Markets, bars and a completely different pace on the Asian side, twenty minutes by ferry
Top Attractions in Istanbul
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Topkapı Palace
- Grand Bazaar
- Basilica Cistern
- Galata Tower
- Spice Bazaar
- Süleymaniye Mosque
- Dolmabahçe Palace
- Bosphorus ferry
Local Tips for Istanbul
- Mosques are working places of worship: cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes, and avoid prayer times
- Get an İstanbulkart — it covers ferries, trams, buses and the metro, and costs far less than single tickets
- The commuter ferry across the Bosphorus shows the same shoreline as a tourist cruise for a fraction of the price
- Anyone who approaches you on the street offering to show you a carpet shop is working on commission
- The historic peninsula is hilly; the tram along the main axis removes the worst of the climbing
Best Time to Visit Istanbul
April to May and September to October are warm without the summer heat, with lighter crowds. July and August are hot and humid. Winter is cool and grey, but the mosques and bazaars are indoors and prices drop.
Walking Tour Highlights
Istanbul divides by empire and by neighbourhood: a Byzantine route through Hagia Sophia and the Cistern, an Ottoman walk through Topkapı and Süleymaniye, a bazaar route down from the Grand Bazaar to Eminönü, and a Beyoğlu walk from Galata up İstiklal. Two to four hours each.