Istanbul hotels and tours

Istanbul Destination Guide

How exotic can a European city be, you ask? We have one word: Istanbul ! The Turkish city of Istanbul is a dizzying kaleidoscope of mosques and mosaics, gypsies and spice markets, colourful bazaars and succulent kebabs. Sultanahmet, or the Old City, thronging with loud street vendors, lures tourists from across the world with its famous Topkapi Palace and Blue Mosque. Chaotic, yes, but when you find that wonderful rug, all that bargaining will be worth it!

You'll find daily life in Istanbul a whirl of colour and action. After all, the city is Turkey's hub for commerce, entertainment, culture, education, and shopping.

This Istanbul destination guide and our Istanbul Istanbul tour suggestions will tell you all you need to know about the best places to visit during your Istanbul holiday. Our Turkey country guide gives some general Turkey travel information to help you plan your Istanbul holiday. Be sure to check out the local highlights of Turkey's European neighbours Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Things to See & Do in Istanbul

Istanbul is the place where tourists flock to before travelling elsewhere in Europe. There are two sides to the city – the Anatolian side and the European side. More than fifty percent of the city's inhabitants live in the European half of Istanbul.

This Turkish metropolis has been known as Istanbul since the 10th century. The origin of the name Istanbul can be traced to a Greek phrase which means 'in the city' or 'to the city'. Istanbul was first known as Byzantium, and the name instantly calls to mind spices, rugs, and exotic fragrances. In 330 A.D., the city's name was changed to the more widely known Constantinople when the Roman emperor Constantine the Great turned it into the eastern capital of the Roman Empire. After that, throughout the Byzantine period, and right up to the 20th century, the city's official name of Constantinople remained the same.

Istanbul was also known as the 'City on Seven Hills' because just like Rome, the Old City was built on seven hills. The City of the Seven Hills lives on in the city's coat of arms, which depicts seven mosques on top of seven hills. However, Istanbul is the name we know the city by today. In accordance with the Turkish Postal Service Law drawn up on March 28, 1930, foreigners were requested to refer to the city solely by its modern name of Istanbul.

Below we have details some of the many exciting Istanbul hightlights to explore along with the many exciting things to see & do in Istanbul.

Istanbul Architecture

In Istanbul you will find many significant monuments. This is due to its history that goes back far into the mists of time, and which brought into this exotic city many cultures and ethnic groups. There are many mosques, churches, synagogues, castles, towers, and palaces that are worth visiting here.  

Sultanahmet, the oldest part of the city, is situated in the heart of Istanbul. Here are the most well known monuments such as the Byzantine Hippodrome, which was once an arena for sports, riots, and politics, and today is a peaceful park. The best way to explore Istanbul is by foot since the most interesting tourist sights are pretty close to each other. And if you get tired and need some refreshment, there's always a cav bahce - a tea garden - close by.

Live Music in Istanbul

If it's a live show or concert you're looking for, you'll find them easily in Istanbul. The most internationally famous pop stars perform in the stadiums of Istanbul. Many historical places such as the Hagia Irene, Rumeli Fortress, Yedikule Castle, and the Topkapı Palace host such events. And of course, these events are also held at the Atatürk Cultural Centre, and the Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall. If you're wondering about night life in Istanbul, be reassured. There are lots of bars, pubs, nightclubs, taverns, and restaurants with live music. In the summer the entertainment moves into open air spaces and you can party under the stars. You can find all types of cafes, and restaurants around Istiklal Avenue and Nişantaşı, as well as pubs, clubs, art galleries, theatres and cinemas.

Istanbul Museums

The Istanbul Modern Museum which is situated on the Bosphorus reminds travellers of the Tate Modern, and offers a wonderful vista of the Seraglio Point. The museum often exhibits the works of famous Turkish as well as foreign artists. Among the important private museums in the city, Pera Museum and Sakıp Sabancı Museum are worth mentioning. They enjoy the distinction of having housed the works of Picasso, Rodin, Rembrandt, and many other renowned artists. The Rahmi M. Koç Museum draws its inspiration from the American Henry Ford Museum. Located on the Golden Horn, this museum has on display industrial equipment that made history, such as automobiles and locomotives dating from the 1800s and 1900s, as well as other vintage machines like aircraft, boats, submarines, etc.

The Archaeology Museum, which is one of the most famous of such museums in the world, houses over 1,000,000 artefacts from places such as the Middle East, the Balkans, the Mediterranean basin, Central Asia and North Africa. You can see the Roman and Byzantine floor mosaics of the Great Palace of Constantinople in the Istanbul Mosaic Museum; a huge array of items from different Islamic civilisations in the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum; and pieces from the earliest Anatolian and Ottoman civilisations in the Sadberk Museum which stands on the river Bosporus.

Turkish Baths

The Hamams or Turkish baths have played a significant role in the culture of Istanbul. Inspired by the Roman bath, which was part of the lifestyle of the Turkish people in the Byzantine period, the hamam was initially built as an annexe to a mosque. It later evolved into a monumental complex of which a fine example is the Çemberlitaş Hamam built in 1584 in the Çemberlitaş Square.

Money Tips for Travel in Turkey

It's easy to get more for less in Turkey. If you travel by bus or train, stay in pensions, and eat one meal in a restaurant per day, you can get by at just €20.00 to €35.00. If you can spend €35.00 to €50.00 per day, you can ride on luxury buses, sleep comfortably in sleeper train compartments, stay in one and two star Istanbul hotels, and indulge in restaurants meals most of the time. But if you are looking at spending more than €50.00 a day, you can stay in three and four star Istanbul hotels, fly occasionally, and have restaurant meals all the time.

Remember that things are more expensive in Istanbul and the coast than in Cappadocia and other places inland.

Sample price guide

Small bottle of beer - € 1.30
Movie ticket - € 2.50-6.00
Night club entry - € 6.00-16.00
Open air seat at first league soccer game - € 7.00
Hamam bath and massage - € 6.00-25.00
Bosphorus ferry ride - € 2.00 (one way)
Basic meal from lokanta - € 3.00

Tipping

While it's not necessary to leave a tip in cheaper restaurants, it is customary in plush restaurants - around 5% to the waiter, and also to the maitre d', even if your bill includes a service charge of 10-15%. Give a dollar to a porter, and round up the bill in a taxi. Offer a tip to a helpful tourist guide at an archaeological site. If he politely declines the money, make sure you offer the tip twice again before you settle for a "No, thank you". Tip the masseur in a hamam 10 to 20% of the price you pay for admission.

When to go to Istanbul

Spring hits Istanbul in June, and autumn in September to October. These are the best times to be in the city. Temperatures at these times are at a mild constant of 16-25°C (61-77°F), with less humidity. What's more, the tourist crowds of summer are absent. The worst time to visit Istanbul is in the winter months from November to February which see the year's highest rainfall - 80-100 mm/30-40 in per month.





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Your Local Connection

Merhaba! Welcome to Istanbul.

Istanbul hotels team

Merhaba! Meet Mehmet and the team from Adelphia Tours, your local connection in Istanbul. We know the "must-see" places and "must do" things in Istanbul because we live here! We are proud to be partnered with whl.travel, the travel company dedicated to sustainable tourism. Adelphia Tours always supports communities that need help or donations. Our main contribution is cultural though as want to support historical sites that are lesser known and raise their awareness. We help the local economy by getting services from local businesses and letting our customers interact with the local people.

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