Tourist attractions in Turkey, Istanbul places to visit, Historical places in Istanbul, Things to do in Istanbul, İstanbul sightseeing culture Tour Tripadvisor, Istanbul travel guide
Discover what to see in Istanbul, the city between Europe and Asia and one of the world’s great metropolises. In addition to its main monuments such as the Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Topkapi Palace or the Blue Mosque, the city has incredible places of interest. We tell you everything you can do in Istanbul, and we leave you at the end of this article some good tips that will surely help you if you are thinking of visiting the city.
What to See in Istanbul 2022
Hagia Sophia Mosque
An essential place to see in Istanbul that was the pretentious declaration of the emperor to the world of the wealth and technical capacity of his empire. Undoubtedly a symbol of the city that you have to visit. After serving as a church for more than 900 years, in 1453 it was taken over by the Ottoman Empire and converted into a mosque. In 1935, Atatürk transformed the temple into a museum, until in 2020 it was converted back into a mosque.
Topkapi Palace
It is the best reflection of the imperial era in Istanbul and symbolizes the power that Constantinople achieved as the seat of the Ottoman Empire. You can buy the ticket at the ticket offices, right at the entrance of the palace for a price of 285 TL (€18.80) if you choose the Palace + Harem ticket. We went in the morning, to avoid meeting too many people, around 09:00.
Gulhane Park
It is the oldest park in the city and is located at the foot of the Topkapi Palace, of which it was part during its golden age. In recent years the park has been restored and now houses several museums, and today it is a beautiful and safe place to rest. You can get there by tram if you take the T1 line.
Blue Mosque
It is a mosque to see in Istanbul that you cannot miss. It is a great architectural gift from Sultan Ahmet I to his capital, known today as the Blue Mosque. It was built between 1609 and 1616 and caused a sensation throughout the Muslim world when it was completed. The mosque gets its nickname from the interior decoration of tens of thousands of Iznik tiles.
Istanbul Archaeological Museum
It is one of the most important in its field and was founded by the Turkish painter and archaeologist Osman Hamdi in 1891. The origins of the museum go back to a small collection of antiquities that was installed in 1846 in the Topkapi Palace. In 1869 it became the court museum. In 1891 it opened its doors, becoming the first museum in Turkey and is located between the first courtyard of the Topkapi Palace and Gulhane Park. A museum to see in Istanbul that only costs 50 TL (€3.30).
Grand Bazaar
One part of the city that we really liked to visit was its Grand Bazaar (Kapalicarsi), which is also one of the largest and oldest markets in the world. Here you will be able to buy jewelry, crafts and clothes. It is a huge place that has more than 3,600 stores that are distributed in 64 streets. Reminiscent of the souks of Marrakech with many shops and vendors waiting to haggle. It is located between Nuruosmaniye, Mercan and Beyazit, you can get there by tram: Beyazit (line T1) and on Sundays it is closed.