Where Europe meets Asia — imperial mosques, Ottoman palaces, labyrinthine bazaars and the storied Bosphorus
✈ International🛂 Visa — Turkey e-Visa / Sticker💱 ₺
₺76,545
Est. total budget · 2 adults
4
Days
14
Attractions
10
Meals planned
💡 Recommended trip length for Istanbul: 4 days — Sultanahmet’s mosques & palaces, the Grand & Spice bazaars, a Bosphorus cruise, Beyoğlu by night, and a Princes’ Islands escape.
🗓 Prices & visa rules verified: August 2026
1
Arrival Day
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2
Day 2 — a free sample of your itinerary
Your unlocked preview day
🍳
08:00
🍳Breakfast
A lavish Turkish kahvaltı spread with çay.
₺230.77 /person (est.)
👑
09:10
👑Topkapı Palace· Sultanahmet, Istanbul
🕒 09:00–18:00 · Last entry 17:00 · Closed Tue · Add the Harem ticket — it's the highlight. Allow a good half-day.
₺1700.00⏱ 3 hoursculture
Topkapı Palace → Blue Mosque
🚶~15 min on foot · Gülhane (T1 tram) → Sultanahmet (T1 tram)
🕌
12:25
🕌Blue Mosque· Sultanahmet, Istanbul
🕒 09:00–18:00 · Last entry 17:30 · Free; closed to visitors during the five daily prayers. Modest dress required; robes and scarves provided.
Free⏱ 1 hourculture
🥙
13:25
🥙Lunch
A balık-ekmek (fish sandwich), döner, or lahmacun.
₺512.82 /person (est.)
Blue Mosque → Spice Bazaar
🚊~10 min by tram / metro · Sultanahmet (T1 tram) → Eminönü (T1 tram)
🌶
14:35
🌶Spice Bazaar & Eminönü· Eminönü, Istanbul
Part of your Day 2 — unlock to see the full description, how long to allow, opening hours and the ticket price.
🔒 Locked
Spice Bazaar → Süleymaniye Mosque
🚶~10 min on foot · Eminönü (T1 tram) → Vezneciler (M2)
🕌
16:15
🕌Süleymaniye Mosque· Fatih, Istanbul
🕒 09:00–18:00 · Last entry 17:00 · Sinan's grandest imperial mosque with sweeping Golden Horn views. Free; dress modestly, avoid prayer times.
Free⏱ 1 hourculture
Süleymaniye Mosque → Galata Tower
🚊~10 min by tram / metro · Vezneciler (M2) → Şişhane (M2)
🗼
17:25
🗼Galata Tower & Beyoğlu· Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Part of your Day 2 — unlock to see the full description, how long to allow, opening hours and the ticket price.
🔒 Locked
Galata Tower → İstiklal Avenue
🚊~10 min by tram / metro · Şişhane (M2) → Taksim (M2)
🛍
19:05
🛍İstiklal Avenue & Taksim· Beyoğlu, Istanbul
Part of your Day 2 — unlock to see the full description, how long to allow, opening hours and the ticket price.
🔒 Locked
🍢
20:50
🍢Dinner
Dinner out — a meyhane meze feast, kebabs, and raki or Turkish wine.
₺871.79 /person (est.)
3
Day 3
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4
Departure Day
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🔒 You're viewing 1 of 4 days. Unlock to open the other 3 fully-planned days.
✈️Flights₺41,026
Per person · return from India₺20,513
Total · 2 adults₺41,026
🏨Accommodation₺7,692
3-Star hotel · per night (per room)₺2,564
3 nights × 1 room₺7,692
🎭Attractions & Activities₺11,500
Hagia Sophia₺3,000
Topkapı Palace₺3,400
Basilica Cistern₺1,400
Galata Tower & Beyoğlu₺1,300
Dolmabahçe Palace₺2,400
Total (all pax)₺11,500
🍽️Food & Dining₺10,718
🌅 Breakfast × 3d × 2 pax₺1,385
☀ Lunch × 4d × 2 pax₺4,103
🌙 Dinner × 3d × 2 pax₺5,231
Total food & dining₺10,718
🚇Airport Transfer₺480.00
M11 + M2 metro · per person, one way (cheaper than a cab at ₺4,440 for this group)₺120.00
Airport ⇄ hotel · 2 legs × 2 pax₺480.00
🚇Local Transport₺960.00
Per person · per day (public transit)₺120.00
4 days × 2 pax₺960.00
🛂Visa — Turkey e-Visa / Sticker₺4,169
Entry typee-Visa if you hold a valid Schengen/US/UK/Ireland visa
OtherwiseApply for a sticker visa at a Turkish consulate
Fee~US$43 e-Visa (varies)
ProcessApply online at evisa.gov.tr (instant if eligible)
StayUp to 30 days
TipThe e-Visa route needs a still-valid Schengen/US/UK visa — check eligibility first.
Estimated Grand Total
Istanbul · 4 days · 2 adults
₺76,545
Your dates, group & final plan set inside the full itinerary.
In your Itinerary
14 attractions
✓ All 14 attractions with descriptions, opening hours & ticket prices. Your personalised day-by-day plan unlocks with the full itinerary.
✓ Day 2
01 / 14
🕌 Blue Mosque
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
culture
1 hour
🕒 09:00–18:00
The Sultanahmet Mosque, famed for the 20,000 blue İznik tiles lining its cascading domes and its six minarets. Still an active mosque, free to enter between prayers, facing Hagia Sophia across a garden.
✓ Day 2
02 / 14
👑 Topkapı Palace
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
culture
3 hours
🕒 09:00–18:00
The opulent court of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years — jewelled treasury, sacred relics, tiled pavilions and the Harem (separate ticket), set in courtyards above the Golden Horn. Closed Tuesdays.
✓ Day 2
03 / 14
🕌 Süleymaniye Mosque
Fatih, Istanbul
culture
1 hour
🕒 09:00–18:00
The magnificent 16th-century imperial mosque by the great architect Sinan, crowning a hill with sweeping views over the Golden Horn — grander and far calmer than the tourist-packed mosques below.
✓ Day 2
04 / 14
🗼 Galata Tower & Beyoğlu
Beyoğlu, Istanbul
leisure
1.5 hours
🕒 08:30–23:00
The medieval Genoese tower crowning the Galata hill, with a 360° balcony over the old city, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Below it, buzzing İstiklal Avenue, the nostalgic tram, meyhanes and rooftop bars.
✓ Day 2
05 / 14
🛍 İstiklal Avenue & Taksim
Beyoğlu, Istanbul
leisure
1.5 hours
Istanbul's liveliest pedestrian boulevard, from Taksim Square down to Galata — shops, music, street food and the historic red tram, buzzing late into the night.
✓ Day 2
06 / 14
🌶 Spice Bazaar & Eminönü
Eminönü, Istanbul
leisure
1.5 hours
🕒 08:00–19:30
The fragrant Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar — pyramids of spices, Turkish delight, dried fruit, tea and saffron — beside the New Mosque and the Galata Bridge fishermen. Taste freely and stock up on lokum.
07 / 14
🕌 Hagia Sophia
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
culture
1.5 hours
🕒 09:00–19:00
The 1,500-year-old wonder — a Byzantine cathedral, then an Ottoman mosque, now a working mosque again — its colossal dome 'floating' above golden mosaics. The upper gallery (ticketed for visitors) holds the finest mosaics.
08 / 14
🏛 Basilica Cistern
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
culture
1 hour
🕒 09:00–22:00
A vast, eerie 6th-century underground water cistern — 336 columns rising from dark water, lit dramatically, with the famous upside-down Medusa heads at its base. Atmospheric and cool; open late into the evening.
09 / 14
🛍 Grand Bazaar
Beyazıt, Istanbul
leisure
2 hours
🕒 09:00–19:00
One of the world's oldest and largest covered markets — 4,000 shops of carpets, lamps, gold, ceramics and leather under painted vaults. A sensory overload; bargain hard and enjoy a çay. Closed Sundays.
10 / 14
⛴ Bosphorus Cruise
Eminönü, Istanbul
leisure
2 hours
🕒 10:00–20:00
A sail up the strait that divides two continents — Ottoman palaces, the Rumeli fortress, waterside yalı mansions and the bridges linking Europe and Asia. The classic Istanbul experience; sunset cruises are the loveliest.
11 / 14
🏛 Dolmabahçe Palace
Beşiktaş, Istanbul
culture
2 hours
🕒 09:00–16:00
The dazzling 19th-century European-style palace on the Bosphorus where the late Ottoman sultans ruled — crystal staircases, the world's largest Bohemian chandelier, and the room where Atatürk died. Closed Mondays.
12 / 14
🌉 Ortaköy & Bosphorus Bridge
Beşiktaş, Istanbul
leisure
1 hour
A charming Bosphorus-side neighbourhood with a photogenic waterfront mosque framed by the suspension bridge, weekend craft stalls and the famous loaded baked potatoes (kumpir).
13 / 14
🏘 Balat & Fener
Fatih, Istanbul
leisure
1.5 hours
The colourful old Greek and Jewish quarters along the Golden Horn — steep streets of rainbow-painted houses, antique shops, churches and trendy cafés. One of Istanbul's most photogenic walks.
14 / 14
🏝 Princes' Islands
Büyükada (day trip)
leisure
3 hours
🕒 08:00–19:00
A ferry escape to the car-free Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara — Büyükada's Victorian mansions, pine woods, horse-and-cart (now electric) lanes, beaches and seafood lunches. A breezy, slow-paced day away from the bustle.
✓ All 6 stops on your Day 2 route. Unlock to see all 14 attractions mapped across your full itinerary.
✓ All 12 tips — visa, airport transfer & ways to spend less.
🛬
Airport → your hotel
Istanbul Airport (IST) is about 40 km from the city centre. The M11 metro links the airport to Gayrettepe (~42 TL), then transfer to M2 for the old city (~120 TL total to Sultanahmet, 75–85 min). Havaist shuttle buses run to Taksim and Sultanahmet (~275 TL, 60–90 min). A taxi is roughly ₺950–1,200 to Taksim, ₺2,300–2,500 to Sultanahmet (with tolls). Add your hotel on the Day-by-Day tab for an exact distance and fare. Verified Jul 2026.
💰
Ways to spend less
Istanbul Museum Pass — €105 for 5 days across 13 museums; worth it only if you are doing most of them. On a 3–5 day trip a bundled pass typically saves €40–€120 against paying at each gate.
Hagia Sophia's upper gallery and Topkapı's Harem are ticketed separately from the main entry — check what your pass actually covers before you buy.
🆘
Emergencies
112 — single emergency number for police, ambulance and fire. Free, 24/7.
📱
SIM & data
Carriers: Turkcell, Vodafone, Turk Telekom — SIMs need your passport (pricier); an eSIM (Airalo) avoids the hassle.
🌤
Best time to visit
April–May and September–October have the most pleasant weather. Summer is hot and very busy; winter is cold, grey and atmospheric (and cheaper). Spring tulips fill the parks in April.
🚋
Getting around
Get an Istanbulkart for trams, metro, funiculars and the ferries. The historic T1 tram links Sultanahmet to the Galata Bridge and Kabataş. Ferries across the Bosphorus are cheap, scenic transport. Traffic is heavy — avoid taxis at rush hour. Tap a rechargeable <strong>İstanbulkart</strong> for the metro, trams, buses and ferries (rides ~35 TL with cheaper transfers) — there is no day pass, but the card is by far the cheapest way to ride.
🚌
Hop-on-hop-off buses
<strong>Big Bus Istanbul</strong> runs open-top hop-on-hop-off loops past Sultanahmet (the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia), Taksim and the Bosphorus shore — about ~€40 for a 1-day adult ticket. Handy for orientation, but trams and ferries reach the historic core easily.
🕌
Mosque etiquette
Mosques close to tourists during the five daily prayers and Friday midday — visit between prayer times. Dress modestly: covered shoulders and knees, and a headscarf for women (often provided); shoes off inside.
🛂
Visa for Indians
Indian passport holders can get a Turkish e-Visa online if they hold a valid Schengen, US, UK or Ireland visa; otherwise apply for a sticker visa at a consulate. Check eligibility on evisa.gov.tr before booking.
🛍
Bargain in the bazaars
Haggling is expected in the Grand and Spice bazaars — start well below the asking price and walk away if needed. The Grand Bazaar is closed Sundays. Beware overly friendly "guides" steering you to shops.
🥙
Food to try
A Turkish breakfast, balık-ekmek by the Galata Bridge, döner and lahmacun, mezes with rakı, künefe and Turkish delight, and endless tulip-glasses of çay. Save room for baklava.
⛴
See the Bosphorus
A Bosphorus cruise (or just the commuter ferry to Kadıköy on the Asian side) is the city's signature experience — palaces, fortresses and waterside mansions slipping by. Sunset sailings are magic.