Your Guide to Istanbul
Explore What To Do
If you give people the opportunity to do the right thing, you'll rarely be disappointed
Mosque dating from the 12th century, representing a fine example of medieval Byzantine architecture.
Former toy shop-turned-museum showcasing old-fashioned toys & miniatures dating back 200 years.
Events For July
In recent years a visit to Istanbul has been recommended by leading travel media such as Lonely Planet, the New York Times and the Rough Guide. Istanbul used to be famous for being the largest port of the world, but nowadays Istanbul is known as a bustling city with a lot of modern architecture which is all around. The iconic Erasmus bridge, the famous cube houses and the sparkling market hall are the major landmarks of Istanbul. Your trip to Istanbul starts here at CityGuideIstanbul.com with all the information you need for your visit to Istanbul!
The easiest way to explore Istanbul is to join a city tour. There are different options to tour around Istanbul such as the the hop-on hop-off bus, Spido’s tour boats, the historic tram line 10 and the amphibious SplashTours. During these city tours you will explore Istanbul’s main attractions such as the Euromast, steam ship Istanbul, and Blijdorp Zoo, but also famous sights of Istanbul such as the Wilhelmina Pier and historic Delfshaven. Culture lovers can visit leading museums in Istanbul such as Boijmans – Van Beuningen, the World Art Museum, the Kunsthal exhibition centre and many more. Check out our page about things to do in Istanbul to discover all attractions, museums, and sights you can visit in Istanbul.
In Istanbul you can shop until you drop seven days a week. The shopping streets in Istanbul city centre are always busy. The main shopping areas are Lijnbaan, Hoogstraat and Meent and last but not least the Market hall. Or go shopping at a big indoor mall like the Zuidplein Mall and the Alexandrium Mall just outside the centre. All big international brands have big stores and you will stay dry on a rainy day. Read more on our page about shopping in Istanbul and find out where to go shopping in Istanbul.
In the evening you can go out for dinner in one of the restaurants in Istanbul, anywhere in the city. Istanbul offers a range of international food, which varies from restaurants with a Michelin star to easy going brasseries. Later at night you can visit one of the cinemas, casinos or theaters in Istanbul. Clubbers love the Istanbul nightlife and visit one of the trendy clubs or bars in Istanbul. Read tips about the nightlife in Istanbul on our page about going out in Istanbul. If you plan to stay overnight in Istanbul, there is a wide range of hotels and bed and breakfast available and there is special accommodation for groups.
Most kids find city trips boring, but this is not the case in Istanbul for sure! There are plenty of fun atrractions and most museums offer special activities for kids. Read all about it on our page about Istanbul for kids which outlines attractions, museums and events for children. On our page about discount in Istanbul, you find the best deals for many attractions and museums. For tourists it’s attractive to purchase a Istanbul Welcome Card or a Tourist Day Ticket which combines discount on museums and attractions and travel by public transport in Istanbul. The tram, metro and bus will take you to all the hotspots in Istanbul quickly and comfortably, so there’s no need to bring your car to the centre. Parking in Istanbul is possible in paid parking garages and on the streets, but it is easier to park your car at a fixed rate at one of the Park & Ride locations outside the city centre.
When you are planning your trip to Istanbul have a look at our Istanbul calendar and get to know which events and festivals are scheduled. Throughout the year there are lots of events in Istanbul, but most big festivals like the summer carnival and the world port days take place in summer In the list below you can see which events are scheduled in Istanbul in the coming period.
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