Istanbul Essentials, Time to be a Tourist - Galata, Hagia Sophia and More.
Istanbul is an ancient, continent spanning, history-defining city. Studded with world famous mosques, markets, museums and galleries the city is packed with amazing places to visit.
There comes a time in any holiday, be it city break, or more extended travel, where you can no longer avoid your destination's most famous attractions. For us, this occurred near to the end of our time in Istanbul. We had eaten the food, drunk the wine and wandered the streets of this amazing city, but now was the time for us to hit up its most iconic landmarks it was time to tackle Sultanahmet and the tourist hotspots of Istanbul.
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The Galata Tower
Glancing across Istanbul's skyline you can’t fail but to be impressed by its myriad clusters of pointed minarets, and elegant mosque domes. We wanted a better vantage point of the city, so we decided to make for the closest main attraction to our little flat in Beyoğlu: the Galata Tower.
The Galata Tower dominates the Beyoğlu district. It’s prominently visible for miles and miles around. Indeed, on our day trip to the Princes Islands it was a good hour plus on the ferry before we had lost sight of it! Making our way to the tram carriage turned ticket office, we handed over the 175 Turkish Lira each and got in line for the tower.
2026 Galata Tower Price Update
Ticket prices have increased substantially (one could even say insanely) since our visit! A single entrance ticket to the Galata tower will now set you back 35€! There are some discounted rates for various package tours - check out GetYourGuide for some ideas!
Many of Istanbul’s attractions now post their entrance fee in Euros but will still give change in Lira.
It is a little difficult to get the whole of the Galata Tower in shot from up close!
The Galata Tower seemed to always be busy. We have heard that it's less crowded when it opens (8:30am) in the morning, but we were too lazy to test this theory. The queue spiralled around the bottom of the tower but moved quickly. If you want to skip the line check out fast track tickets. Once inside, there is a lift to take you up to the top floors. The lift was very welcome as, up to this point, Istanbul had been a constant leg workout climbing hills, stairs, and steep cobbled streets. Disembarking from the lift we were greeted by a huge model panorama of Istanbul. The city's highlights picked out and floating above the rest of the diorama.
Up a final set of stairs (Istanbul will always make you work for it) waited the main event.
At the top of the tower the 360 degree balcony affords unrivalled views of the city. You may have to jostle for space amongst the throng of selfie snapping tourists (no judgement here we were also snapping selfies), but the views were well worth it. We had a clear day and could see all across the city's rooftops, right out across the Bosphorus. Pictures taken and selfies snapped, we descended the tower. The way down is via stairs (optional, you could ride the lift down), and contains a history of the district and its Venetian influences, as well as ever-changing temporary exhibitions. We don’t want to just repeat Wikipedia so we won’t go into the history here, but can report that the small exhibitions were interesting without ever being overwhelming.
Ride One of the Oldest Undergrounds in the World.
Nearby to the Galata Tower is an unexpected little piece of history thats well worth the train fair. The Tünel line (or more boringly the F2 line) links Beyoğlu and Karaköy via a steep underground tunnel. This historic line is a great way to avoid the sweaty stairs that would otherwise be your path beween the two areas. This little funicular line is apparently the 2nd oldest underground only beaten by London! There are only two stops on the line and a ticket costs 10TL for a single ride. If you are going in either direction its well worth it and saves a steep walk!
We now move away from the districts of Beyoğlu and Galata.
The Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar and Blue Mosque (as well as the Cisterns, Harem and many other historic buildings) are all across the Galata bridge, clustered in and around the ancient and amazing areas of Sultanahmet and the Faith District.
The Hagia Sophia
Crossing the Galata Bridge, we moved on. Next up was the big one. If you think of Istanbul, the defining image in many people's minds will be the Hagia Sophia.
Having been built by the Eastern Roman Empire, this colossal monument to faith, started as a Christian cathedral, and is now a grand mosque. The Hagia Sophia is one of the most iconic destinations of the city. Entry is free (Sadly this is no longer the case - see later), but there was a long line. Luckily the queue moved very quickly and with a swift purchase of a head shawl for Ellie (as a girl you need to cover your hair and not be wearing shorts or short skirts, men need to have covered shoulders and again no shorts) costing 10 Turkish Lira (47p or $0.56) we were soon inside this mammoth building. Upon entry you are asked to remove your shoes, this is done inside an impressive cavernous corridor with a huge vaulted ceiling. Shoes stowed, we crossed the threshold and entered the central dome of the mosque.
2026 Hagia Sophia Price Update
Sadly the Hagia Sophia is now much more expensive to visit. Entrance to this amazing building now costs 25 Euros for tourists (free for under 8’s with a passport). Muslims can enter and worship for free on the ground floor but tourists must now pay view the building from the upper galleries. The dress code is still strictly enforced but the cover ups now cost 1 Euro for a headscarf and 3 Euros for body covers. The queues for entry can also get quite long now, to skip the line and get a tour guide (and sometimes save some money on the entrance fee!) book a fast track ticket in advance.
Pictures really don’t give you a sense of scale. The rich blue, black and gold dome soars overhead, reaching up to 180 feet high at its peak. Old paintings and frescoes from when the mosque was a Christian cathedral sit alongside stunning Islamic calligraphy. Layers of chandeliers drop down like bejewelled halos casting a golden light throughout the space. The plush carpet, atmospheric light and overall scale lent the Hagia Sophia an air of tranquil serenity brought about by sheer awe. Again, you’ve seen pictures of the place and our photos alongside this, but you really cannot get a sense of the scale and beauty of the building. We hate to use the phrase but it really is a “must see” whilst in Istanbul.
The Blue Mosque
Across the square from the Hagia Sophia lies the Blue Mosque.We visited whilst it was still being heavily renovated. This had the advantage that there was no line to get in, but the disadvantage of most of the interior being screened away behind scaffolding. Again, this is a place of worship so entry is free, but you will need to dress appropriately and remove your shoes.
The glimpses between scaffolding offered hints of what an impressive building this is, or at least will be when the renovation is completed. If we find ourselves in Istanbul in future, we will definitely be giving this another go. We’d still recommend having a look as it’s not far from the Hagia Sophia (literally 5 minutes from the entrance) and, again, it was free.
Even despite the scaffolding, you can see that the Blue Mosque is an incredible building.
2026 Blue Mosque Update
A happy update this time - The Blue Mosque has finished its restoration and is now fully open and viewable in all its splendor! There is still no entrance fee for visiting the Blue Mosque but it is closed to non-worshippers at prayer times.
The Grand Bazaar
After the Blue Mosque we headed to the Grand Bazaar.
John has very fond childhood memories of the Grand Bazaar. He visited as a gobby little 10 year old and clearly remembers “haggling” over a Nike tracksuit of questionable authenticity (I’m not saying it was fake but it did fall apart three days later). Older, but not necessarily much wiser (and not in pursuit of a Nike tracksuit) we entered the maze-like warren that is the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. With over 4000 shops, the Grand Bazaar truly lives up to its name. One of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, the Grand Bazaar sprawls out in all directions. Corridors of shops interconnecting with each other. Tea shops, water fountains and every variety of jewellers and souvenir shops vie for space amongst the ancient arches. We feel that no matter what you set out for, you’d probably be able to find it for sale somewhere within the labyrinth. We however were at the start of our backpacking trip and, as previously mentioned, had no spare space in our bags, therefore there would be no room for impulse purchases. The evil eye charms, mosaic tiles and spices would all have to wait. Even if you’re like us and not there to buy anything, the Grand Bazaar really should not be missed. If you are into the history and want a guided tour to show you all the hidden nooks and crannies of this ancient market, there are plenty available, we would not recommend going with a tout you find at the market, but you can book a guide to the bazaar in advance here.
As a bonus, if you exit the Grand Bazaar to the north and head down the hill towards the Galata Bridge, you will find yourself in a fascinating outdoor market district. Groups of sellers, each specialising in one trade or goods, ply their wares on the street. Make sure you have read our Istanbul street food guide so you don’t miss any deliciousness! Despite lacking the impressive architecture of the Grand Bazaar, we found this area outside the market to be almost as fascinating, to wander through.
Other Sights and Things to Do in Istanbul
There are a huge amount of other amazing things to see and do in Istanbul, we simply did not have the time. If you want to explore further have a look at":
The Cisterns of Istanbul: These vast underground palaces of water are incredible and well worth your time, they were closed on our trip but John had been before as a young and unappreciative whelp. Even a young and stroppy pre-teen thought they were amazing! There are two sets of Cisterns:
The Basilica Cistern -The largest of the two. Massive and more costly, you can find it on a map here.
The Cistern of Theodosius - The smaller of the two with the lower cost of entry. Find the Theodosius cistern here on a map.
Topkai Palace Museum (The Seraglio) - A huge palace and treasure trove of history, artifacts and beautiful Ottoman relics. It is also famously home to the Harem of Istanbul and many tickets will combine the two attractions. Find the Seraglio on a map here.
Take a historic tram ride. On both the european and Asian sides of Istanbul there are historic tram lines with super cute vintage cars, well worth an investigation!
Take a trip to the Princess Islands. Just off of the coast of Istanbul are some absolutely beautiful islands with loads of history and things to explore, check out our guide to visiting the Princess Islands here.
Eat yourself silly! From baklava to simit, Kebabs to Gözleme the city is a buffet of deliciousness. Check out our guide to the best of Istanbul’s street food or read about (and salivate over) some of the best kebabs in the world.
There is (obviously!) so much more to Istanbul than we have given here: there are baths, more palaces than you can tip a turban at and history is around every corner. We had an absolute blast of a time exploring from our little flat in Beyoğlu and have written a few guides as to what to eat, see and do around town:
Combined Tickets - Get Your Guide, the Istanbul Museum Pass, the Istanbul Welcome Card and Combined Tours.
As you can tell from all our updates in this article, it has gotten a little pricier to visit Istanbul’s main tourist attractions! There are some ways of mitigating this extra cost however. If you know where you want to visit you can combine tickets and tours with a few different services:
Get Your Guide offers several tours that hit up the cities main highlights and. Have a look at the Istanbul Tour offerings here (check your tour includes entrance fee’s some will, some won’t!). Many of the tours will combine attractions but cost less than the entry to both.
The Istanbul Museum Pass allows entrance to lots of museums, sites and attractions (including the Galata Tower) over a period of 5 days. Have a look what it offers or buy a ticket from the official Museum Pass site here.
The Istanbul Welcome Card offers passes that combine public transport and attraction entry (and sometimes e-sim access!), If you know where you want to go they can be a very cost effective solution to the multiple entrance fee’s. There are loads of combinations, durations and levels of cost and access,have a look at the different Istanbul Welcome Card options here.
Conclusion - Being A Tourist in Istanbul
This article was called “Time to be a Tourist”, but this is not meant sneeringly; we are tourists after all! Sometimes places become popular with tourists for a reason. The Hagia Sophia, The Blue Mosque, The Grand Bazaar and the Galata Tower are all “touristy”, with the usual trappings of touts, unwanted offers of tour guides and the ever present tourist tat shops. However, the sights of Istanbul are simply spectacular they are ancient but still in use, their history proud and on display, they are living proof of the cities incredible past. The hassle did not override the wonder of each place.
Sometimes it is worth spending the money to see what all the fuss is about!
As we mentioned previously, we don’t like the term “must see” but, at the same time, these places are so important, beautiful and rooted in the identity of Istanbul that no visit to the city would be complete without a trip to admire them.
Thanks for reading.
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Obligatory Galata Tower selfie!
For more ideas on what to do in Istanbul:
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Our guide to the beautiful Island of Büyükada the largest of the Princes Islands. Only a day trip from Istanbul, read all about our walk around the island, thoughts about it and the costs of the trip!