Istanbul is a city full of history, scenery and lots to do. This is the itinerary I took on my first-time visit, covering the city’s historic landmarks, mosques, markets, neighborhoods and food, all from one hotel base.
I’m a traveler who usually prefers to see a couple cities and/or countries so I was a little worried 9 nights would be too much time in one city.
Traveling with my husband and father (who has visited Istanbul before), we used it as our home base for exploring the city, including both the European and Asian side plus day trips beyond it.
10-Day Istanbul Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1 — Arrival and Blue Mosque at Night
Sultanahmet and Fatih Neighborhoods | European side
Day 2 — Dolmabahçe Sarayı + Büyükada Island
Beşiktaş → Büyükada / Princes’ Islands
Day 3 — Süleymaniye Mosque (Camii) + Eyüp Sultan Mosque
Fatih and Eyüp / Golden Horn | European side
Day 4 — Day Trip to Yalova for Turkish Hamam
Yalova
Day 5 — Çamlıca Camii + Üsküdar
Üsküdar / Çamlıca | Asian side
Day 6 – Day trip to Sapanca
Day 7 – Yeni Camii (New Mosque) + Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)
Eminönü / Fatih | European side
Day 8 – Day trip to Bursa and Uludag Mountain
Day 9 – Grand Bazaar Shopping + Hagia Sophia + Florya Mall
Beyazıt / Sultanahmet → Florya — European side
Day 10 – Departure!
START & END: Istanbul, Turkey
TRANSPORTATION: Walking + public transport + organized tours
– Public transport: Grab an Istanbulkart while you’re wandering around. Public transportation is insanely easy to use around Istanbul and this will make it even easier. Grab one at the airport or metro stations, scan it at the turnstiles before getting on the metro, and refill it at the kiosks at the metro stations.
HOTEL BASES: 1
TRAVEL DAYS: 2 (arrival + departure) and 3 organized day trips
PACE: Slow sightseeing
📍Where we stayed: Armada Hotel in Sultanahmet
➡️ Check out current rates at Armada Hotel
Why did we stay in Istanbul for our entire time in Turkey?
This itinerary is optimized for the traveler who wants to truly experience Istanbul, a city with a population of nearly 16 million people and more than that in visitors each year.
We were able to see everything Istanbul has to offer; but would I do the same route again or sneak in another city on a repeat itinerary?
In a rush? My favorite hotels in Istanbul
Armada Hotel (Sultanahmet) – check rates and availability
Dossi Dosso Hotels & Spa Downtown (Fatih) – check rates and availability
10-Day Istanbul Daily Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival + Blue Mosque at night
Morning/Afternoon: Istanbul International Airport (IST) to Sultanahmet
We arrived at the airport early in the morning, grabbed a pre-booked transfer to our hotel and dropped of our bags at Armada Hotel in the Sultanahmet district.
After helping ourselves to their breakfast buffet and wandering around Gulhane Park while waiting for our rooms to be ready, we needed a power nap.
Evening: A “power nap” turned into 2 hours for all of us before we were ready to head out again.
We strolled from Armada Hotel down the Sea of Marmara, where we watched dolphins swimming on our way to a close by dinner with my cousin.
Walking back to our hotel, we stopped to take in the nighttime views of the Blue Mosque. This might have been even more beautiful at night with its quieter visitors, glowing minarets and call to prayer filling the outside square.
❌SKIP:
Do NOT schedule anything for the day of your arrival, regardless of how early you arrive. We arrived just past 8am and am still so glad we didn’t have to rush or worry about any time commitment. Istanbul is such a huge city, you’re going to want to get your bearings a bit on arrival day.
Day 2: Dolmabahçe Sarayı + Büyükada Island
Morning: Breakfast and Dolmabahçe Sarayı
Enjoy a traditional Turkish breakfast at your hotel. This part is not to be rushed; Armada Hotel had a gorgeous terrace with a view of the Bosphorus to one side and the Blue Mosque to the other.
We then took the tram to the Beşiktaş neighborhood to visit Dolmabahçe Sarayı, a 19-the century castle perched along the European side of the Bosphorus. Take a tour through the castle and see where the Ottomans ran their empire from.
Afternoon/Evening: Büyükada Island
After the castle, spend the afternoon on Büyükada Island, the largest of the Princes’ Islands. You can head there via ferry from your closest ferry stop.
We didn’t spend too much time on the island, but the ferry ride there is part of the experience too. I snagged a strawberry matcha, walked the hills of the island and strolled the waterfront.
💡SMART TIP:
The metro card (Istanbulkart) will cover buses, trams, trains and ferries within the city limits. Istanbul is huge and you will want a metro card like this to get around.
Day 3: Süleymaniye Mosque (Camii) + Eyüp Sultan Mosque
Morning/Afternoon: Süleymaniye Mosque
After another slow morning enjoying breakfast and Turkish coffee in a ceramic cup on the terrace, we made our way to Süleymaniye Mosque in the Fatih district. This Ottoman imperial mosque features cascading domes overlooking the Golden Horn. Its interior featured the traditional red carpet and stain glassed windows.
Evening: Eyüp Sultan Mosque + Dinner and Lounge
Next up, hop on the tram and head to an Eyüp Sultan neighborhood stop. Ride the cable car to the top of Pierre Loti Hill, take in the views and then walk uphill to the mosque.
We finished with dinner at a local restaurant and enjoyed dessert, tea and hookah at a rooftop lounge in the Sultanahmet district.
💰SAVE:
We went to Queb Rooftop Restaurant. This was a modern restaurant and lounge with an enclosed terrace, but I wouldn’t eat dinner here. Prices are high and food’s not great in these really touristy spots, so I’d go for an after-dinner dessert and nightcap.
Day 4: Yalova and Turkish Bath
Morning/Afternoon: Yalova and Turkish hamam
We took a fast ferry (not included in the standard metro card rates) to Yalova, which is just ~1 hour by ferry on the European side of the Sea of Marmara.
Yalova is a quieter, greener escape from Istanbul.
Take a minibus to the Yalova Thermal Baths and enjoy your afternoon of relaxation. There is a hot (boiling might be a better word) sauna, a hot tub and an outdoor pool.
Evening: Lunch or Dinner and Shopping in Yalova
Once you’re done in the hamam, grab lunch or dinner on the water after picking out a piece of fish on the restaurant’s ice display.
Do some shopping at the local Central Market near the ferry station before taking an evening ferry back – and probably falling asleep on the way back.
Day 5: Çamlıca Mosque (Camii) + Üsküdar
Morning/Afternoon: Çamlıca Mosque
After another slow breakfast, we headed out to the Asian side of Istanbul to see one of the newer mosques in the city. Situated in the Üsküdar district, it’s perched on the Çamlıca Hill, so grab your good walking shoes and begin your trek.
✨STEAL:
Do not miss this mosque on an Istanbul itinerary. It’s absolutely stunning on the inside and outside. It’s very different from the other mosques in Istanbul, unsurprisingly. It is much newer, but still retains the classic Ottoman inspired architecture.
After we finished our visit, we walked down the road to the Çamlıca Park, where we had our pick from a lunch spot or sitting and enjoying the outdoors.
Day 6: Day trip to Sapanca
Morning/Afternoon/Evening: Organized Day Trip
We started our day at 9am when we were picked up at our hotel with a day trip to Sapanca, which is 2 hours outside of Istanbul.
Our first stop as a Turkish delight gift stop, before we continued onto the Tuzla Marina with commercialized shops and a lion park option.
❌SKIP:
Skip the lion park. Short, expensive and seeing lions caged up was not my idea of a fun escape out of the city.
The subsequent stops included river, lake and cable car views with additional optional activities like ATV riding and ziplining.
Lunch was also included, although it was definitely mid and nothing that stood out.
💰SAVE
Don’t buy anything from the organized gift shop stops on these day trips. The salespeople will try to rush you into making decisions during your short 20 minute stop. Again, any goods will be much cheaper other places.
Day 7: Yeni Camii (New Mosque) + Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)
Morning/Afternoon: New Mosque
After another slow breakfast, we walked towards the Fatih neighboorhood to see the New Mosque.
For some reference, the “New” Mosque was built in 1597 and the Fatih Mosque in 1463. One of the coolest things was seeing how there was literally a divot in the stone step of these mosques due to how many people have come in over the years.
Afternoon/Evening: Lunch and Spice Bazaar and Fatih Mosque
Before heading to Fatih Mosque, we stopped to grab some Turkish manti (stuffed beef “ravioli”).
✨STEAL:
Make sure you try manti! There are tons of options throughout the city, and while Mr. Dumpling is probably touristy, we did really enjoy it.
Day 8 – Day trip to Bursa, Turkey and Uludağ Mountain
Morning/Afternoon/Evening: Organized Day Trip
This day we headed west to Bursa, Turkey to see the famous Green Mosque and 2,500 meter high Uludağ Mountain. The tour was organized, with pickup directly from our hotel.
We rode the open-air cable car to the top of the mountain, took in the snowy views and pine trees before heading to the Silk Market and Green Mosque in the city center of Bursa.
The Koza Han (Silk Market) in Bursa, Turkey, is a historic two-story Ottoman-era inn built in 1491 that remains the vibrant center of the city’s legendary silk trade.
Day 9 – Grand Bazaar Shopping + Hagia Sophia + Florya Mall
Morning: Hagia Sophia
Arguably the most famous attraction in Istanbul, we saw the Hagia Sophia on the final day of our trip. It was a clear melting pot of all three historical empires of the city.
It is conveniently located right next to the Blue Mosque, where you can grab a Turkish bagel (simit) from a vendor and take relax on a bench in the center square.
Afternoon/Evening: Grand Bazaar + Florya Mall
The final afternoon was spent grabbing last minute stuff at the Grand Bazaar (surprisingly, this was the only place we could find collectible souvenir spoons for a family member) and relaxing at Florya Mall, watching the transport ships waiting their turn to enter the Strait of Bosphorus crossing.
Was Staying in Istanbul for 10 Days the Right Choice?
There’s no right or wrong answer here, as it completely depends on what the priorities are.
For me, I would have personally loved to have a mix of city history in Istanbul plus the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea in April that surrounds the Turkish coast.
Pros:
– Slow pace getting to see many different neighborhoods and areas
– One hotel base so no moving luggage and belongings
Cons:
– No coastal Mediterranean experience
If I retook this trip, here’s what I’d change:
- Spend 5 nights in Istanbul before heading south to the coastal city of Antalya for 4-5 nights
- Chosen an efficient multi-city itinerary with the following route:
- Kansas City to Istanbul
- Istanbul to Antalya
- Antalya to Kansas City
- I would have cut out day trips to Yalova, Sapanca and Bursa to allow for relaxation on the Mediterranean after the busy sightseeing of Istanbul
How Much Does a 10-Day Istanbul Trip Cost?
Total for 2 people: $5,850 (or $2,925 per person)
| Flights (MCI – ORD – IST, roundtrip) | $2,400 |
| Accommodations (9 nights) | $1,500 (avg. $160/night) |
| Activities | $600 |
| Food | $850 |
| Shopping/misc. | $500 |
| Total cost (2 people) | $5,850 |
| Total cost (per person) | $2,925 |
My Final Istanbul, Turkey Verdicts: What to Steal, Skip, Splurge & Save
STEALS ✨
- Foods you can’t miss
Make sure you try a few Turkish staples, including:
– Manti (beef-filled “ravioli” with yogurt sauce)
– Pide (boat shaped dough with cheese and toppings inside)
– Lahmacun (thin flatbread with seasoned beef, lemon and parsley)
– LOTS of yellow lentil soup
SKIPS ❌
- Yalova
This was a nice escape from the city, but I didn’t love the Turkish bath experience here. I would choose a more “tourist” bath experience in Istanbul. - Sapanca Day Trip
This was a nice escape from the city sightseeing, but honestly only 1 or 2 spots were worth it. It was an inexpensive tour, so I don’t regret it, but I would probably choose something else next time.
SAVES💰
- Choose a hotel with breakfast.
This may seem like a splurge, but it will actually save a visitor some coin in the long run.
A full Turkish breakfast is mandatory on any visit to Turkey, so what is even better? Rolling out of bed, enjoying a full spread of options and drinking Turkish tea on a terrace. - Go to the Grand Bazaar, but don’t purchase much there.
Unsurprisingly, the Grand Bazaar is a huge attraction in Istanbul.
It’s a seemingly never-ending maze of shops selling anything you could think of from huge Turkish rugs to spices named “mother-in-law poison” (it’s just red pepper flakes).
Also unsurprisingly, the prices here are much higher than what you might find in the Fatih neighborhood or stores in Uskudar. The bazaar is great for browsing, but for spending the shopping budget, I’d recommend you go elsewhere.
SURPRISES‼️
- Despite it’s huge population of residents and visitors, Istanbul never quite felt unbearably crowded.
In a sprawling city of 15 million people, I thought everything might feel jam packed and overstimulating. Yes, it felt busy and certain narrow alleyways and areas felt crammed, but the overall city did not feel as busy as I thought.
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