The classic east-meets-west destination, Istanbul is absolutely one of the world’s most interesting and most historic cities. Famous divided by the Bosphorous Straight, Istanbul has a huge section in Asia and a smaller and more important section in Europe.
Founded around 660 BC, Istanbul has been one of the key hubs of civilization for thousands of years. It’s still a huge trading center and its Grand Bazaar market remains one of the country’s top tourist stops.
The famous religious buildings in the city are some of the most impressive in the world, and they are also top tourist attractions.
Turkey has been a bargain destination for a long time and it continues as excellent value for visitors with food and accommodation prices being quite cheap for Europe.
| Population | 12,800,000 |
| Area | 12,800,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+2 |
| Currency | Turkish lira |
The Grand Bazaar is an enormous marketplace that is mostly indoors and sells just about everything you could imagine, including Turkish rugs from high-pressure salespeople.
The Hagia Sophia mosque is one of the most impressive structures you’ll ever see, and it’s a short walk away from the almost-as-impressive Blue Mosque.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 32.98 - 44.68 |
| 55.32 - 143.62 |
| 74.47 - 359.57 |
| 127.66 - 411.70 |
| 204.26 - 691.49 |
Kupeli Hotel Doubles from €30/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central 3-star hotel in Istanbul |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 24.47 - 37.23 |
Chambers of the Boheme Beds from €6/night | |
Our pick: The best cheap and central hostel in Istanbul |
There are pretty good restaurants all over the tourist areas of Istanbul and you can get a doner sandwich or something similar at many stalls. Plan on having at least one proper Turkish breakfast, hopefully included with your hotel. They serve a large sampler of excellent and traditional items that is unlike what you’ll find almost anywhere else.
| Budget breakfast | Your hotel will likely include breakfast, but if it doesn't you'll have many options of local favorites nearby. | $3.26 - $6.51 |
| Budget lunch | Sandwiches and other Mediterranean dishes are usually good bargains in local shops. | $4.19 - $8.37 |
| Budget dinner | Avoiding the most touristy places should find you with high quality at reasonable prices. | $6.51 - $9.30 |
| Beer (pint) | Restaurants and local pubs will be cheaper than night clubs for beer in Istanbul. | $4.65 - $7.44 |
| Raki (.17L pitcher) | This anise-flavored local liquor is traditionally diluted with water. | $5.58 - $9.30 |
Istanbul is huge, but the key sights are mostly clustered in the Sultanahmet district. Walking tours of this area are highly recommended.
The hop-on, hop-off bus tours are also quite good and obviously can take you to some areas that you wouldn’t see on foot.
Boat tours on the Bosphorous are also a great way to see the highlights and learn a lot more about Istanbul.
| Month | High F | Low F | PRECIP (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 48 | 37 | 3.4 |
| February | 48 | 37 | 2.8 |
| March | 52 | 39 | 2.5 |
| April | 62 | 46 | 1.8 |
| May | 71 | 54 | 1.3 |
| June | 79 | 61 | 1.0 |
| July | 83 | 65 | 0.9 |
| August | 83 | 66 | 0.9 |
| September | 77 | 60 | 1.7 |
| October | 68 | 54 | 2.8 |
| November | 60 | 47 | 3.3 |
| December | 52 | 42 | 4.2 |
The weather in Istanbul is usually rather pleasant all summer, as long as you don’t mind a bit of humidity. There’s almost no rain between May and September, so it’s generally the best time to visit, though it’s also the most crowded time.
Things can get cool and wet from December through March so this period is not ideal for the many outdoor attractions in the city. April, October, and November are recommended for shoulder season travelers who want smaller crowds and slightly lower prices.
| 21 Mar | 6:06am | 6:17pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:32am | 8:40pm |
| 21 Sep | 6:50am | 7:04pm |
| 21 Dec | 7:26am | 4:39pm |
Hotels in Istanbul are more expensive than you might have guessed, at least during prime tourism season in the warm months. Hostel beds continue to be a great deal, as do private rooms at many of these hostels, so that’s an area where you can keep costs lower. For some great bargains with excellent central locations check out our recommended Istanbul hotels list.
The high season generally lasts from sometime in March through sometime in November, and also includes the time around the Christmas holidays. The low season starts sometime in November and goes through most of March, and during this period prices can be nearly cut in half. The peak is July and August, and outside of those months you can often find good prices on hotel-booking sites.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| 32.98 - 44.68 |
| 55.32 - 143.62 |
| 74.47 - 359.57 |
| 127.66 - 411.70 |
| 204.26 - 691.49 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 24.47 - 37.23 |
Istanbul has two huge airports that are key hubs for the region. Istanbul Airport (IST), which just opened in 2019, is the larger of the two and it is where most of the long-haul flights land.
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is also huge and it’s where many of the low-cost-carrier flights land. It’s located on the Asia side of town and it’s a longer ride if you are staying in the tourist center.
You can reach Istanbul by train from Europe, but the service is kind of slow so flying in is a better option for most people.
Most of the tourist area of Istanbul is within a pleasant walking zone, but the city also has cheap tram service and also fairly cheap taxis.
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 2.70 - 2.88 |
| Express bus from airport to city center | 0.51 |
| 3km taxi ride in Istanbul | 0.56 - 0.93 |
| Metro ride in Istanbul | 0.23 |
| Tram ride in Istanbul | 0.23 |
| Private minivan (dolmus) | 0.19 - 0.47 |