Istanbul trip guide: walks and where to stay

Travelling from Canada

Your landing day in Istanbul

Whether you’re leaving from eastern or western Canada, plan around the date and local time on your final flight into Istanbul. Arrange your trip from the airport, then give yourself one easy outing before making plans across town.

Check the final leg of your itineraryMatch the Istanbul airport code to your onward route before you book your first night.
Find breakfast close to home baseStart with a bakery or café in the neighbourhood and keep the rest of the morning flexible.
Choose a neighbourhood around your plansDecide whether your first full day starts among historic sights or with a walk by the water.

01 / Where first?

Historic places to visit in Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

Walk from the old Hippodrome to Hagia Sophia, then leave time for Gülhane or a tea stop.

Grand Bazaar

Start at the Beyazıt side and look for the vaulted passageways between the market halls.

Galata Tower

Walk uphill from Karaköy or start near Tünel for a gentler approach through the side streets.

Stone fortifications of Istanbul’s historic land walls

Istanbul Land Walls

Choose an open stretch around Yedikule and leave time to explore the neighbourhood.

02 / Along for the ride

Getting around Istanbul by ferry, metro and tram

Make the Bosphorus crossing part of your day. Check your departure pier and the return service before heading to Kadıköy, and pick metro or tram connections to suit your route.

On get-togethers when we take the club minibus, the ride is free. We decide together where to stop.

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The T1 tram at Eminönü with a ferry approaching the pier behind it

03 / City notebook

Explore both sides of Istanbul

Pick a base close to your first morning’s plans. Stay in Sultanahmet for the historic sights, in Karaköy for the walk up to Galata, or in Kadıköy for the market and Moda waterfront.

Istanbul walks

Routes through Kadıköy and Moda, Karaköy and Galata, or Üsküdar and Salacak.

Where to stay in Istanbul

Compare Sultanahmet, Karaköy and Kadıköy by walking distance and transport.

Where and what to eat

Find neighbourhood bakeries, Turkish breakfasts and lunch spots.

Historic places

Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower and the Land Walls.

Istanbul shopping tips

What to check when comparing materials, prices and packing at the bazaar.

Dental care guides

Independent reading on written treatment plans, implants and follow-up.

Hair transplant guides

Questions about methods, who carries out the procedure and aftercare.

City notebook

Dental care and hair transplants in Istanbul for Canadians

We’d bring the written plan to a conversation with a health professional in Canada. If you’re comparing estimates, it helps to give treatment, connecting flights, somewhere to stay and possible follow-up their own lines.

Dental implants in Istanbul from CanadaHere’s what we’d look for in the plan, from the visits involved to who could check the work once you’re home.Hair transplant in Istanbul and follow-up in CanadaLet’s go over what to ask about aftercare, copies of your records and whom to call after you return.

Glasses of Turkish tea at a waterfront tea garden in Çengelköy

04 / The club on camera

Come along for a day.

Did we miss the ferry? Who laughed loudest at lunch? Find a seat at the table in our club videos.

Two shores / One club

See you on the next ferry.

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