Imperial Topkapi & the archaeological treasures & underground & undercover Istanbul
“7 nights in Istanbul, Turkey — Land, settle into the Old Town base and ease in with the two grandest monuments at day's end when queues thin.”
7 nights in Istanbul, Turkey, mapped out day by day through Old Town — a place to sleep and something worth doing on every one of the 7 days.
Good to know
- Best season
- 12-19 May
- Pace
- Steady, a full day out
- Where you sleep
- Boutique guesthouse, Old Town
- Getting around
- Trains, transit, and walking
- Length
- 7 days
- Budget
- €1,017
The trip, day by day
- 1
Arrival & Sultanahmet first steps
Arrive on TAP flight from AMS and check into the Old Town guesthouseLate-afternoon visit to Hagia SophiaSunset at the Blue Mosque and its courtyardDinner in Sultanahmet's backstreets - 2
Imperial Topkapi & the archaeological treasures
Morning at Topkapi Palace, including the Harem and treasuryExplore the Istanbul Archaeological Museum next doorStroll through Gülhane ParkEvening tea with a view over the Golden Horn - 3
Underground & undercover Istanbul
Visit the Basilica Cistern in the morningClimb up to the Süleymaniye Mosque and its terraceLunch of Süleymaniye-style kuru fasulyeWander the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar - 4
City walls & Byzantine mosaics
Morning at the Kariye Museum (Chora) for its Byzantine mosaicsExplore the Fatih and Balat/Fener neighbourhoodsColourful house-lined streets and cafes of BalatReturn via the Golden Horn waterfront - 5
Bosphorus & Dolmabahçe
Morning Bosphorus cruise between two continentsDisembark for Dolmabahçe Palace and its crystal staircaseWaterfront lunch in BeşiktaşEvening walk along the Bosphorus shore - 6
Escape to the Princes' Islands
Ferry across the Sea of Marmara to the Princes' IslandsExplore Büyükada, the largest islandRent a bike or walk the car-free lanes and mansionsSeafood lunch by the harbour before the ferry back - 7
Galata, Çukurcuma & farewell
Climb the Galata Tower for panoramic city viewsBrowse the antique shops of ÇukurcumaCoffee and last-minute shopping around IstiklalTransfer to airport for return TAP flight to AMS
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Arrival & Sultanahmet first steps
Land, settle into the Old Town base and ease in with the two grandest monuments at day's end when queues thin. Arrive on TAP flight from AMS and check into the Old Town guesthouse and Late-afternoon visit to Hagia Sophia.
- Flights
- €310
- Stay
- €707
- Per night
- €145
Estimates — the booking site shows the real price.
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Imperial Topkapi & the archaeological treasures
A full day inside the Ottoman palace complex and its neighbouring museum, ending with a green wind-down. Morning at Topkapi Palace, including the Harem and treasury and Explore the Istanbul Archaeological Museum next door.
Underground & undercover Istanbul
Pair the atmospheric cistern with a grand mosque, then dive into the Grand Bazaar quarter. Visit the Basilica Cistern in the morning and Climb up to the Süleymaniye Mosque and its terrace.
City walls & Byzantine mosaics
Head to the ancient land walls for Istanbul's finest mosaics and frescoes, a quieter, local-feeling day. Morning at the Kariye Museum (Chora) for its Byzantine mosaics and Explore the Fatih and Balat/Fener neighbourhoods.
Bosphorus & Dolmabahçe
Trade the peninsula for the waterway: a Bosphorus cruise followed by the opulent 19th-century palace. Morning Bosphorus cruise between two continents and Disembark for Dolmabahçe Palace and its crystal staircase.
Escape to the Princes' Islands
A full-day ferry excursion to car-free Büyükada for pine forests, sea air and slow pedaling. Ferry across the Sea of Marmara to the Princes' Islands and Explore Büyükada, the largest island.
Galata, Çukurcuma & farewell
Cross to the Galata side for the tower's panorama and antique-hunting before departure. Climb the Galata Tower for panoramic city views and Browse the antique shops of Çukurcuma.
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