Istanbul travel guide: what to see and do

Travelling from the UK

Plan a weekend in Istanbul from the UK

Check if your ticket says Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), then compare the journey to your accommodation before booking a room. Spend one morning around Hagia Sophia in Sultanahmet and another half day crossing by ferry to explore Kadıköy’s market streets.

Istanbul airports: IST or SAW?Compare the route from each airport to the neighbourhood where you’ll stay.
Walk from Sultanahmet to Hagia SophiaStart at the old Hippodrome and leave time for Gülhane or a tea stop.
Take the ferry to KadıköyCheck the pier and return service, then explore the market streets on foot.

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.

Join the community

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

Planning dental treatment or a hair transplant in Istanbul from the UK?

If we were talking over tea, we’d start with two questions. What’s in the written plan, and who’ll look after you when you’re back in the UK? Then we’d sit down with the itemised estimate and add travel and follow-up.

Dental implants in Istanbul from the UKLet’s unpack the written plan, including which records you could take to your dentist back home.Hair transplant in Istanbul and UK aftercareBefore you pick a date, here are the questions we’d jot down about recovery, travel and care back home.

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.