Istanbul is one of my favourite cities for a city break. It’s a fascinating mix of cultures, with iconic sights and great food. Here’s my guide to the top things to see and do in Istanbul in 4 days.
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Istanbul is a really great city to explore. My guide to exploring Istanbul in 4 days will show you the best parts of the city. With 4 whole days to explore, you’ll be able to see the famous, iconic sights in Istanbul as well as take some trips to some of the less tourist-y parts of the city, where you’ll be able to get a feel for the real side of Istanbul.
When is the best time of year to visit Istanbul?
Istanbul is a great city to visit all year round. If you’re not keen on hot weather, then it’s best to avoid visiting in July and August, as the temperatures can get quite hot for exploring historical sights. My favourite times to visit Istanbul are in spring and sutumn. I visited Istanbul in September and it was perfect. The weather was warm but not too hot, with clear blue skies and no rain. It was a great time of year to explore this city.
What should I wear in Istanbul?
Istanbul is quite a relaxed city, so you can pretty much wear what you want. It’s definitely best for women to avoid wearing anything too revealing – Turkey is a Muslim country, and local Muslim women are likely to be fairly covered. So females travelling in Istanbul should dress fairly modestly, to avoid attracting attention to yourself. T-shirts are fine, and long shorts or trousers are also good. Females travelling in Istanbul don’t need to worry about being completely covered up, but wearing tank tops or super short shorts will definitely mean you’ll be conspicuous as a tourist in the city.
If you’re going to be visiting mosques in Istanbul, you’ll need to make sure you’re dressed modestly. T-shirts are ok, but both men and women will need to wear trousers that cover the knees – long, loose-fitting trousers are best. And women will need to have a headscarf as well to go inside mosques. It’s best to make sure you have long trousers and a headscarf on all your days in Istanbul, so then you can go into any mosques at any time.
What are the best things to see and do in Istanbul in 4 days?
Istanbul has so much to see and do. It’s a huge city, with over 20 million people living there. So there are endless areas you could explore. However, the main famous, historical sights in Istanbul are concentrated in a fairly small area in the old city. I recommend starting your 4 days in Istanbul by exploring the old city. And then on later days, you can head out to some of the less tourist-y parts of the city. And of course, while you’re exploring all of the top sights, make sure you make plenty of stops to try some of Turkey’s amazing food and drink.
Keep reading for my day by day itinerary for Istanbul in 4 days.
Day 1: Highlights of Istanbul’s Old City
Start your time in Istanbul in 4 days with visiting some of the most famous sights in Istanbul. Istanbul has several iconic, world famous places to visit. So you can fill your first day with ticking off these big sights.
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia, or Ayasofya in Turkish, is one of the most iconic monuments in Istanbul. It’s a stunning building from the outside – a real masterpiece of Byzantine architecture.
The history of Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia was originally constructed as a Christian basilica. It was originally built between 532 and 537 AD under Emperor Justinian I, and it was designed to be the grandest basilica of the Eastern Roman Empire. Its massive central dome is one of the largest in the world, and shows the scale of the structure.
Over the centuries, Hagia Sophia has undergone profound transformations, reflecting the shifting history. After the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, Sultan Mehmed II converted it into a mosque. Minarets and Islamic calligraphy were added, but a lot of the interior and Christian aristry inside was preserved. In 1935, under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s secular reforms, Hagia Sophia transformed again. This time, it became a museum. And most recently, in 2020, it was reconverted into a mosque.
Today, when you visit Hagia Sophia, you can clearly see it is a working mosque. But you can also see all the other layers of history.
Inside Hagia Sophia
The inside of Hagia Sophia is just stunning. Make sure you’re dressed modestly to enter, and women will also need to wear a headscarf. Inside, you can get a sense of the huge scale of this building. The golden tiles are so impressive, and the Arabic calligraphy is beautiful as well. Some of the Christian mosaics still survive as well. It’s a truly impressive and beautiful building, with a fascinating blend of cultures, religions and history within just one building.
Queues for Hagia Sophia can be long. I recommend buying a skip the line ticket to Hagia Sophia here (affiliate), or this similar skip the line ticket here (affiliate). You can also find guided tours of Hagia Sophia here (affiliate).
Blue Mosque
After visiting Hagia Sophia, walk across the pedestrianised area outside, across to the Blue Mosque. The Blue Mosque is close to the Hagia Sophia, so it’s a great place to visit next. It’s another of the top things to do in Istanbul. Just make sure you check the opening times. The Blue Mosque is a working mosque so it’s closed for prayers, and is closed for a lot of the day on Fridays, the holy day in Islam.
The history of the Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque, officially known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), is one of Istanbul’s most celebrated landmarks. It’s newer than the Hagia Sophia. It was commissioned by Sultan Ahmed I and completed in 1617, but it was designed to rival the nearby Hagia Sophia. Its six tall minarets, huge cascading domes, and spacious courtyard reflect classical Ottoman architecture at its peak.
The courtyards and interior of the Blue Mosque
The first courtyard inside the Blue Mosque was my favourite place to get views of the outside of the Blue Mosque. You get a great view of the huge domes and also the minarets.
Inside the Blue Mosque is just as impressive as outside. Again, you’ll need to be dressed modestly to go inside, and women will need to wear a headscarf. And you’ll need to take off your shoes when you go inside as well.
When you go inside the Blue Mosque, you’ll understand how this place gets its name. Over 20,000 handmade Iznik tiles in shades of blue instantly give a a tranquil ambiance. It’s a truly impressive space inside, where you can stand right underneath the huge dome and marvel at the size and scale of the building. The Blue Mosque was one of my favourite places I visited in Istanbul.
Like the Hagia Sophia, the queues for the Blue Mosque can be long. So you can find skip the line tickets with a tour here (affiliate). If you’d like a guided tour to learn more about the Blue Mosque, you can book a guided tour of the Blue Mosque here (affiliate).
Basilica Cistern
The Basilica Cistern is another of Istanbul’s top sights. It’s really close to the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, and it doesn’t take too long to visit. So you can fit in a visit to Basilica Cistern before lunch.
The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul is a fascinating place, dating back to when Istanbul was part of the Byzantium Empire. It was built in the 6th century during Emperor Justinian I’s reign. It once stored up to 80,000 cubic meters of water to supply the Great Palace and surrounding buildings.
Inside, the structure is supported by 336 marble columns, many of which were repurposed from earlier Roman structures in the area. It’s a fascinating place to visit. It feels like a subterranean palace, not just part of ancient plumbing. In the dim light, you can walk along walkways and take in the eerie beauty. There are also two Medusa heads used as column bases, placed sideways and upside down.
You might recognise Basilica Cistern from films as well. It featured in the 1963 James Bond film From Russia with Love, where Sean Connery as James Bond rowed across the water in a boat to spy on the Soviet consulate. It also featured in one of the key end scenes in Inferno, the film based on Dan Brown’s novel, where Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon attempts to retrieve a dangerous bio-weapon from its underwater depths.
Again, queues can be long for the Basilica Cistern. So look out for skip the line tickets with an included audio guide here (affiliate), or skip the line tickets with a guided tour (affiliate) so you can make the most of your day in Istanbul and spend as little time as possible queuing.
Lunch at The Pudding Shop
After a full morning exploring three of the most famous sights in Istanbul, you’ll definitely be ready for lunch. I recommend going to a restaurant called The Pudding Shop. It’s really near to the historic sights in Istanbul. The Pudding Shop isn’t actually a desert restaurant – it serves a lot of main meals, and is a famous restaurant. It dates back to 1957 and gained fame as a gathering point for travellers journeying along the “hippie trail” – the overland route from Europe to India and Nepal. Its nickname came from foreign visitors who couldn’t recall the restaurant’s official name but remembered its wide selection of puddings.
The Pudding Shop sells a range of main meals and snacks. I recommend the döner kebab in pita bread. The döner meat is fresh and full of flavour, and it’s served in soft pita bread with salad. It’s a great lunch stop in the middle of a busy day.
Grand Bazaar
After lunch, head over to the Grand Bazaar for some shopping, or just to look around the shops. The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is one of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets. It dates back to the 15th century, in the early days of Ottoman rule of Constantinople. It’s a huge maze, with shops selling all sorts of different things – there are over 4000 different shops.
It’s a great place to just walk around. There are shops selling so many different things. You can find lots of jewellery shops, but also shops selling ceramics, carpets, spices, Turkish delight, Baklava, tourist souvenirs, lamps, antiques, and more.
The majority of the shops in the Grand Bazaar don’t have prices listed on any of the items. So you’ll need to haggle and negotiate the prices. This can be a bit intimidating for tourists, as there’s no real way of knowing if you’re getting a good deal or not. So it’s up to you if you want to try haggling for prices, or just walk around and look at the shops instead.
Is the Grand Bazaar safe to walk around?
I’d heard mixed reviews about the Grand Bazaar and how safe it felt to walk through. Some travellers have reported feeling harassed by the shop owners and pressured into buying things. However, I felt completely safe the whole time. If I stopped to look at something in a shop, I would usually get approached by the owner. But a simple smile and ‘no thank you’ was easily enough to feel able to walk on and not feel harassed. I was walking through the Grand Bazaar as a solo female traveller, but I didn’t feel unsafe or harassed at any point. I really enjoyed walking around the huge historic market.
If you’d rather walk around the Grand Bazaar with a guide rather than alone, then I recommend booking this Grand Bazaar guided tour (affiliate), or you can book a personal shopper to help guide you around the Grand Bazaar (affiliate).
Little Hagia Sofya
Little Hagia Sophia is a hidden gem in the historical centre of Istanbul. It’s a short walk away from the big sights, and a lot quieter and more peaceful.
Little Hagia Sophia was originally built as the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus between 527 and 536 AD. It served as a prototype for the grand Hagia Sophia, with a central dome that influenced later designs for the main Hagia Sophia. After the Ottoman conquest, Little Hagia Sophia was also converted into a mosque in the early 16th century. And today, it is used by local people as a mosque.
It’s much less grand than the main Hagia Sophia. But it’s beautiful in a different way. It’s a lot more peaceful and serene. And it feels a lot more real. It feels like a mosque where ordinary people come and pray as part of their daily lives. I really enjoyed visiting a less tourist-y mosque in Istanbul and seeing a more real side of the city.
Spice Bazaar
For a final stop on your first day of exploring Istanbul in 4 days, head over to the Spice Bazaar. The Spice Bazaar is much smaller than the Grand Bazaar – you won’t get lost in this one! I actually preferred the Spice Bazaar to the Grand Bazaar. Its smaller size made it feel more manageable to explore. It’s still an impressive historical building, with vaulted ceilings dating back to the 17th century.
As its name suggests, the Spice Bazaar is focussed on shops that sell spices, herbs, dried fruits, and sweets. Its origins date back to Ottoman times, when it was a market that focussed on selling these goods from across the Ottoman Empire. Today, the shops are really colourful, with the spices and sweet treats laid out to look at as you walk past. The smell is amazing as well, as you’re hit with wafts of the smells of various spices as you walk past.
Dinner – Ev Mantısı at Red River restaurant
Finish your first day of exploring Istanbul with a well deserved dinner. I recommend the restaurant called Red River, which serves amazing Ev Mantısı. This traditional Turkish dish is translated as Turkish pasta, or Turkish dumplings. Tiny parcels of dough are filled with seasoned minced lamb, and then boiled, and served with yoghurt sauce and fresh tomatoes. It’s a comforting, delicious meal that goes well with an Efes beer – the most popular local beer in Turkey.
Day 2: Taksim Square and the Asian side
On day 2 of my guide to exploring Istanbul in 4 days, it’s time to head away from the busy historic centre of Istanbul. On your second day in Istanbul, I recommend visiting some different areas and neighbourhoods of Istanbul so you can see the city from a different side. I love the historic area with its world famous sights, but it can get very busy with tourists. So it was nice to have a day in a different area to see a different side of Istanbul.
Taksim Square
Taksim Square is located in the heart of Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district. It’s a much more modern part of Istanbul. Taksim Square is now a focal point for cultural, political, and social life.
In the middle of the square, you can see the Republic Monument, unveiled in 1928 to commemorate the founding of the Turkish Republic. There’s a statue of Atatürk in the middle of the square. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was the founder of the Republic of Turkey and its first president, leading the country through sweeping reforms after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. He abolished the sultanate and caliphate, introduced secular governance, and modernised education, law, and language to align Turkey with Western ideals. Atatürk is generally still widely respected in Turkey, and Taksim Square gives an insight into this more recent chapter of Turkey’s history.
Shopping streets and Turkish coffee
From Taksim Square, you can then walk down Istiklal Street. It’s a busy pedestrian street filled with shops, cafes, and historic buildings. Old trams still run up this street, but many of the shops here are modern chain shops that you’d find on any European high street.
Amongst the modern shops, there are still glimpses of history. Make sure you stop at Cicek Pasaji, a really pretty historic passageway between two streets.
This is a great part of Istanbul to try Turkish Coffee. Turkish coffee is super strong and rich. It’s served black, and the coffee is unfiltered so there’s always some ground coffee at the bottom of your cup. If you like coffee then you’ll love Turkish Coffee. But if you find it a bit strong, try adding some sugar.
And wherever you go in Istanbul, you won’t be far from some of the lovely cats that live here!
Church of Saint Anthony of Padua
While you’re in this part of Istanbul, it’s definitely worth visiting the nearby Church of Saint Anthony of Padua. It’s located on İstiklal Avenue in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district, and is the city’s largest Roman Catholic church. It’s a completely different architectural style to the buildings in the historic old Istanbul, with a much more Neo-Gothic look. It was constructed between 1906 and 1912, and was built to serve the Italian Catholic community. It remains under the care of Italian priests today.
Its red brick façade, pointed arches, and rose windows instantly reminded me of the grand Cathedrals you can find all across Europe. Inside the church is impressive as well. It’s a peaceful place to visit, and yet another reminder of the fascinating mix of cultures and religions in Turkey.
Mezze Lunch at Ficcin
For lunch, I recommend the restaurant Ficcin for a Mezze lunch. Mezze in Turkey refers to a mix of different small dishes. It’s a bit like Spanish tapas. Mezze can include a range of different dishes, such as haydari (garlic yogurt dip), smoky baba ghanoush, ezme (spicy tomato salad), stuffed vine leaves (sarma), octopus salad, cheese, olives, hummus and more. It’s a great option for a lunch. You can order a few mezze to yourself, but it’s definitely best shared with a group of people so you can try a small amount of a wide variety of different dishes.
Galata Tower
After lunch, head to the nearby Galata Tower. Galata Tower, still in Istanbul’s Beyoğlu district, is another of Istanbul’s iconic landmarks. It was originally built in around 500AD by Byzantine Emperor Justinian as a watchtower, but it was reconstructed in 1348 by the Genoese in Roman style as part of their fortifications in Constantinople.
As well as admiring the tower from the base, you can also climb to the top of the tower. It offers amazing panoramic views of Istanbul’s skyline, including the Golden Horn and Bosphorus river.
Make sure you get skip the line tickets here, which includes an audio guide (affiliate), as the queues for Galata Tower can get really long. Or you can book tickets for Galata Tower here, which also includes a guided tour of the Taksim area (affiliate).
Take the ferry across to Kadıköy – the Asian side of Istanbul
Next, head down to the water and take the short ferry trip across the Bosphorus strait to Kadıköy. Kadıköy is on the Asian side of Istanbul, and it instantly has a different feel to the European side.
Kadıköy is famous for its vibrant street life. It’s a great place to find a huge variety of bars and restaurants. The bustling streets are lined with busy bars. It’s the perfect place to find a spot for an Efes beer, or for an afternoon snack.
Kadıköy also has some amazing street art. Walk uphill, away from the water, and you’ll soon see some really impressive street art. There are huge murals on the side of some of the buildings. My favourite was the tiger.
After enjoying some time soaking up the atmosphere in Kadıköy, take the ferry back over to the European side of Istanbul.
Dinner – eggplant kebab
For dinner at the end of your second day in Istanbul, I recommend trying another of Turkey’s famous dishes. Eggplant kebab was one of my favourite meals in Istanbul. Eggplant kebab, or patlıcan kebabı, features alternating slices of eggplant (aubergine) and seasoned ground lamb, cooked on skewers. It’s really delicious, with the eggplant absorbing some of the spices from the meat as it’s cooked. The kebab is served with rice, flatbread, and grilled peppers. You can find a great eggplant kebab at Salute restaurant in the centre of Istanbul.
Day 3: Topkapi Palace, Turkish Baths and Street Food
On day 3 of my itinerary for exploring Istanbul in 4 days, it’s time to spend a bit more time in Istanbul’s historic centre. There’s so much to see and do here, so it’s definitely worth spending another day in this part of the city. There are so many big, world-class sights here that you’ll need another full day to explore them.
Topkapi Palace
Topkapi Palace is another of the best places to visit in Istanbul. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. And it’s a huge place. You’ll need a minimum of 2-3 hours here, but you could easily spend the majority of the day.
Topkapı Palace gives a glimpse into the lives of Ottoman sultans during the time when Turkey was ruled by the Ottomans. The palace was the imperial heart of the Ottoman Empire for nearly four centuries. It was commissioned by Sultan Mehmed II shortly after the conquest of Constantinople (now Istanbul) in 1453. From then, it served as the administrative centre and royal residence until the mid-19th century.
Topkapı was designed as a sprawling complex of courtyards, pavilions, and gardens, reflecting Islamic and Ottoman architecture. Even before you go inside any of the buildings, you can already get a sense of the size and grandeur of the place. The gates to the palace, and the courtyards, are impressive from the start.
Inside the Topkapi Palace
When you go inside various sections of the palace, it gets even more impressive. My favourite part of the Topkapi Palace was the Harem. The Harem was a secluded part of the palace where the sultan’s family lived. It’s so impressive, with many rooms that just get more beautiful and impressive as you go through.
The Imperial Council is another highlight of the Topkapi Palace. The Imperial Council chamber hosted meetings of the viziers, and again you can see the scale and grandeur of the place. The Treasury is also a must-vist, with priceless jewels and religious relics, including the Prophet Muhammad’s cloak and sword.
You’ll need several hours to look around the main highlights of the Topkapi Palace. It’s a truly impressive place, giving a glimpse into the opulence and complexity of the life of Ottoman rulers. There are also great views from the palace terrace across the Bosphorus Strait.
Again, like with many attractions in Istanbul, the queues can be really long. So make sure you book skip the line tickets here, which also includes an optional audio guide (affiliate). Or you can book skip the line tickets that also includes a small group guided tour (affiliate).
Baklava and Turkish Delight at Hafiz Mustafa
After exploring the Topkapi Palace, you’ll definitely want the chance to sit down somewhere for something to eat and drink. I recommend heading to the nearby cafe at Hafiz Mustafa. It’s a famous baklava shop, dating back to 1864.
The shop itself is impressive, and you can see trays of baklava and Turkish delight in the shop. Head through the shop to the cute cafe. Here, you can sit down and order from the menu. There’s a huge range of different desserts and drinks available. I had a plate of mixed of baklava, which included two walnut and two pistachio. It was so good.
Turkish tea is a perfect accompaniment to baklava. Turkish tea, or çay, is hugely popular all across Turkey, at all times of the day. It’s a strong black tea, traditionally served in hourglass shaped glasses. You drink it black, although you can add sugar if you want. At Hafiz Mustafa is also came with a piece of fresh Turkish Delight.
Turkish Bath at Cağaloğlu Hamamı
For the next activity of your time in Istanbul in 4 days, head to one of Istanbul’s most famous spots. Turkish Baths are famous across the world, and there’s no better place to try one than in one of Istanbul’s historic bath houses.
Cağaloğlu Hamamı is located in Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet district, and is one of the city’s most famous Turkish baths. It dates back to 1741 during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I, and was built in the impressive Ottoman style.
Today, Cağaloğlu Hamamı is one of the most famous Turkish Baths. At the entrance, there’s a wall with photos of all the famous people who have visited the Turkish Bath. I’d never been to a Turkish Bath, and I’m not usually a big fan of spas, but I decided to give this one a go. And I enjoyed it – it was a good experience.
The bath has separate areas for men and women. Obviously, I only saw the women’s area, but I imagine the men’s would be similar. I booked the 45 minute package.
The Turkish Bath experience
When you go in, you’re led to a private room with a lock. You can leave your bag and get changed here. They provide disposable underwear. However, I took a swimming costume and changed into that. Out of the 12-ish women in the area at that time, I’d say about a quarter were wearing swimsuits and the rest wearing the disposable underwear – so it was ok to do both. But once the full Turkish Bath experience started, everyone who was wearing a swimsuit pulled it down so it was just bikini bottoms – the experience wouldn’t really work if you were fully covered.
The experience starts with 15 minutes in the sauna. It’s quite hot, so 15 minutes felt like a lot. I was very relieved when the ladies who work there started coming in and taking each woman individually out. They led us to an area with a table each, and asked each person to lay on the table. It was all open, so technically you could see everyone else. But everyone was so focussed on their own experience, so it felt fairly private. But I was extremely pleased that the whole area was strictly women only, as there weren’t many clothes around.
Scrubbing and massage
The experience then includes the scrubbing, which is the most famous part of a Turkish bath. After getting briefly washed, the attendant (the ‘Natir’) then scrubs your skin using a special rough glove. I’d heard mixed things about how painful the scrubbing was, but I didn’t find it as bad as I was expecting. I wouldn’t call it relaxing, but it definitely wasn’t too painful.
Next, was the foam massage. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this either. And it was a lot more foam-y than I was expecting. I couldn’t quite work out how they created so much foam – it was almost like they were using a pillow case, that just magically created foam. And there was a lot of foam. The massage was quite nice and relaxing, and the foam meant it was a fairly gentle massage. But there were times it was difficult to relax in the massage because there was a lot of foam going up my nose as I breathed.
And then they wash you off. Again, this was on the edge of relaxing. They just throw big bowls of water over you. Luckily the water is nice and warm. But there’s a lot of water. And it comes quite quickly. I found I needed to keep my eyes closed because the water and foam was everywhere. But then I couldn’t see when the next bucket load of water was coming, so I didn’t know when it was safe to breathe. That did slightly ruin the relaxing nature of the experience, as I felt like I was slightly drowning in foam and water and couldn’t quite breathe. My hairband was washed right out of my hair, just to give an indication of what it was like.
Tea to finish
But then it was over. You get wrapped in a towel, and led out to the entrance hall (still in the woman’s only area). Here, you can sit at a table and you’re served tea and Turkish Delight. It’s a nice way to end the experience. And then, once you’ve finished, you can go back to your private room to get changed.
I’m really glad I tried the Turkish Bath. It was definitely a memorable experience. But overall I think it was pleasant and relaxing, and you come out feeling cleaner.
If you want to try a Turkish Bath, you should definitely book in advance. You can book this famous Turkish Bath here through Get Your Guide (affiliate), or book the famous historic Turkish Bath through Viator here (affiliate).
Street food walking tour around Istanbul
In the evening, I recommend doing a street food walking tour. It’s a great way of getting to know Istanbul’s famous street food. When you walk around the city, there are lots of stalls selling street food. But it’s difficult to know which are the best places to go. So joining a guided tour is the best option. The guides will be able to show you all the best places to try some amazing food.
You can find a great range of street food tours to book. To make the most of your time in Istanbul and try lots of different food and drink, I recommend taking this street food tour of Istanbul through Get Your Guide (affiliate), or this food tour that focuses on the Asian side of the city (affiliate). You can also take this similar street food tour through Viator (affiliate). These tours will show you the best places to try some of Istanbul’s best food.
The street food of Istanbul
I really enjoyed the street food tour. There were lots of delicious stops. One of my favourites was the mackerel sandwich.
There was also a stop where we could try Gözleme. It’s a pancake/flatbread that’s cooked on a griddle, with fillings including feta cheese, spinach, meat or potatoes.
And a more adventurous option to try is Kokoreç. This one is often known as Turkey’s boldest street food. It’s popular among locals as a late-night snack after a night of drinking. Kokoreç is made from seasoned lamb intestines, that are slow roasted and then served on bread with tomatoes, pepper and oregano. The ingredients don’t sound the nicest, but it tasted nice. But I was still slightly put off by the knowledge of what I was eating.
Walking around Istanbul on a night time food tour is also a great way to see the city at night. It’s a beautiful city at night, with the mosques and bridges lit up in the darkness. It’s a great way to end your third day of your trip to Istanbul in 4 days.
Day 4: Bosphorus Cruise and the colourful side of Istanbul
On the final day of your trip to Istanbul in 4 days, it’s time to spend another day outside of Istanbul’s historic centre. Start off with a relaxing boat cruise, and then head over to one of Istanbul’s lesser known neighbourhoods that’s full of colourful buildings.
Bosphorus Cruise
A great way to see Istanbul’s skyline, without needing to walk, is by taking a boat trip on the Bosphorus Strait. You can find a great Bosphorus cruise boat trip here (affiliate), or a this tour on a smaller yacht that includes snacks (affiliate).
The ferries are large and comfortable. It’s best to sit on the left for the best views, although both sides of the boat will give you lovely views across the water. It’s really relaxing to sit on the boat as you glide along the strait that separates Europe and Asia.
If you’re sat on the left of the boat, you’ll first be looking at the European side of the city, and then the Asian side on the way back. From the water, you can see some of the Ottoman and Byzantine buildings, including some impressive palaces and mansions. You also get an idea of the size and scale of Istanbul – it really is a huge city.
The boat takes you up to the second bridge, where it turns around to come back. On a sunny day, the blue water is lovely, and the views from the boat are great. It’s a great way to spend your final morning in Istanbul.
Lunch – pide
For lunch, I recommend trying pide. It’s also known as Turkish pizza. There are so many restaurants around Istanbul that serve pide, with a variety of different toppings to choose from. Pide is known for its signature boat shape, cooked in a wood-fired oven with a variety of savoury toppings. Toppings can include ground meat, cheese, spinach, peppers, mushrooms, and more, with some pide also having an egg and cheese on top. It’s a great lunch option, and fun to watch being cooked as well.
Colourful Istanbul – the Balat region
After lunch, take the tram to the stop called Fener. This part of Istanbul is a little way from the busy, tourist-y centre. But it’s definitely worth a visit. This region of Istanbul is called the Balat region. And it’s known as the colourful part of Istanbul. It’s known for its vibrantly painted, centuries-old wooden houses that reflect its past as a centre for Jewish, Greek, and Armenian communities.
During the Ottoman period, Balat became home to a significant Jewish population, alongside Greek Orthodox and Armenian communities. Each of these communities left architectural and cultural footprints that give this region such a unique atmosphere today.
The best way to explore the Balat region is just by walking around on foot. The streets are steep, with some steep hills. But each corner reveals a whole new view, with new colours. You can find many of these distinctive homes along streets like Kiremit Street, but the whole area is worth exploring.
There are also lots of cute cafes, so you can find one to stop for a Turkish tea or coffee as you explore the area. It’s so colourful, and feels a world away from the historic centre of Istanbul with its grand mosques and palaces.
Dinner at rooftop restraurant – Roof Mezze 360
Finally, finish your time exploring Istanbul in 4 days with a celebratory dinner at one of my favourite restaurants in Istanbul. The Roof Mezze 360 restaurant is an amazing rooftop restaurant that gives great views across the city. Make sure you get there for sunset, so you can get amazing views across Istanbul’s skyline at sunset.
The food at this restaurant is lovely as well. I recommend a meal called Sultan’s Delight, or Hünkar Beğendi. This meal dates back to the Ottoman palace kitchens. It features rich, slow cooked lamb that’s served on top a velvety bed of smoked eggplant purée, blended with béchamel sauce and cheese. It’s a delicious meal, and goes perfectly with a glass of Turkish red wine.
It’s the perfect way to end your time exploring the magical city of Istanbul.
Hope you enjoyed my guide to exploring Istanbul in 4 days, with the top things to see and do! Make sure you also check out my ultimate itinerary for one week in Turkey, and also my guide to what to eat in Turkey and the best local food and drink. If you’re keen to explore more of the Middle East, check out my guide to spending one week in Jordan, and also the best things to eat in Jordan.
