How to Have the Best 24 Hours in Istanbul

We visited the city of Istanbul on a long layover and we fit so much into 24 hours. From the Grand Bazaar to Hagia Sophia, here’s our detailed one-day itinerary for Istanbul.

The largest city in Turkey, Istanbul is also known as the ‘city of mosques’. The city has a whopping grand total of 3,113 mosques. Istanbul is the only city in the world that’s half in Asia and half in Europe. Istanbul isn’t even the capital city of Turkey – that honor goes to Ankara. Now, that the fun facts are out of the way let’s get down to business – how to make the most of your one day in Istanbul.

Related Read: If you like short and sweet vacations – you should read about our 24 hours in Alicante

One Day in Istanbul Itinerary

Morning – Kadikoy

First stop is always coffee. You only have a short stopover in Istanbul and a lot to fit in so caffeine is a necessity. Luckily, turkish coffee is famously good.

This ‘too cool for school’ neighborhood across the river on the Asian side is filled to the brim with quirky coffee shops along its (mainly) pedestrianized streets. We stopped in 180 Coffee Bakery who luckily for us have excellent baked goods (think muffins, tarts and cheesecakes) and really good bacon! After the (necessary) caffeine hit we strolled through the area took lots of photos and eyed up some restaurants and bars for later that evening.

Top tip – return here at dark! When the neighborhood is transformed into a bustling but relaxed haven.

Late Morning – Galata

Famous for the Galata Tower, which stands tall in the midst of this arty neighborhood. I’ll be honest: when we saw the queue for the Galata Tower, we were immediately turned off. We decided against queuing on that hot and sticky day. If you do want to visit the Tower, we recommend getting there as soon as it opens or just before it closes.

We read somewhere that one of the best views in Istanbul is a very similar view from the tower, which is at Glata Konak Cafe. So we stopped by and attempted to get a cup of coffee. True – the views are excellent, but the cafe was so busy that we didn’t even get the chance to order coffee. We managed to take lots of photos before we gave up waiting for a server.

In short, come to Galata for the tower and stay for the cool vibe.

Afternoon – Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque & Basilica Cistern

Hagia Sophia is an obvious choice when in Istanbul. Despite being a major tourist attraction, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It’s well worth going inside. We were lucky because we didn’t have to queue at all – this was at 3 p.m.- so perhaps that’s a good time to visit. Hagia Sophia began as a church, later becoming a mosque, and today serves as a museum.

The grand dome is this mosque’s piece-de-resistance – it’s a whopping 107 feet in width and is over 1,500 years old.

Did you know – until the Seville Cathedral was built in 1520, Hagia Sophia had been the largest cathedral in the world for almost 1000 years!

Opposite the Hagia Sophia, you’ll find the Blue Mosque (aka the Sultan Ahmed Mosque). It’s renowned for its hand-painted tiles and stained glass windows. It gets its name because it’s bathed in blue light when night falls.

A short walk from the Hagia Sophia is the Basilica Cistern (pretty much a large water tank). It’s the biggest of hundreds of cisterns that lie beneath Istanbul’s streets. It’s a mesmerizing experience, and you can walk across the wooden platform as water drops on you from the very high ceilings above. Interestingly, the cistern boasts 336 columns, many of which were saved from ruined temples.

The Basilica Cistern has been featured in many Hollywood movies like From Russia with Love (a James Bond movie) and Inferno (with Tom Hanks).

Late Afternoon – Grand Bazaar

Get lost in the narrow twists and turns of Istanbul’s most famous shopping area. It’s a haven of trinkets and everything you don’t really need but will probably buy anyway. We didn’t bother making a purchase here, as I have a feeling everything is severely marked up in price. The Grand Bazaar of Istanbul is a tourist trap, but it’s a tourist trap in the nicest sense of the word. Does that make sense?

Would you believe there are over 4,000 stalls here – spread over 61 streets.

The Grand Bazaar is a must-visit on your stopover in Istanbul. It remains one of the most-visited attractions in the city!

Evening – Taksim Square

Taksim Square is a hive of activity no matter what time of day you visit. But, I think the best time to visit it is in the evening. That’s because it’s known as one of the best places to party in Istanbul!

It comes alive at night and the place is just buzzing with energy. There are heaps of bars and nightclubs here – but my favorites are Escape Club Istanbul (one of the best nightclubs in the city) and Taksim Club IQ. While, if you’re looking for a ‘tamer’ night out you can try Moretenders Cocktail Club.

And if you still happen to have time left

Lucky you – then we recommend also paying a visit to Topkapi Palace (home to the wow-worthy Treasury of the Sultan) and Suleymaniye Mosque – one of the largest mosques in the city with a central dome that stands at an impressive 47 meters in height!

We researched a lot before our trip to Istanbul, wrote lots of recommendations in my diary, and screenshotted from Instagram about where we wanted to visit. Having a list of where you want to visit on a layover in Istanbul definitely helps, considering you will be tight on time.

Where to Stay in Istanbul

We stayed at Kadikoy Otel, smack bang in the middle of the lively Kadikoy action. It was very reasonably priced and tastefully decorated with beautiful Turkish antique-style furniture. The staff here were also insanely helpful! On check-in, they sit you down with some Turkish tea and give you a really detailed insight into the best things to do in Istanbul. And where not to go too – always helpful from a local.

If you want to splurge then the 5-star Wyndham Grand Istanbul Kalamis Marina Hotel is a perfect option. It’s located right next to the Kalamis Marina and, as you can guess, is super-luxurious. It boasts no less than three swimming pools, a spa, gym, and the rooms are spacious and stylish.

The Dekalb Hotel is another exceptionally-rated hotel in Kadikoy, it scores an impressive 9.5/10 on booking.com. It’s very ornately decorated, to me, the rooms looked like a museum (I loved it!)

Have I convinced you to spend a day in Istanbul?

In short, Istanbul is a bustling vibrant city. It’s a city of old vs new with the thousand year-old Hagia Sophia standing in stark contrast to the hipster youthful area of Kadikoy. But we loved both sides equally. Istanbul is well worth a layover – stay for a few days like we did if you can!

If you enjoyed reading this, you may also enjoy some of my other Europe content, such as –

Best things to do in Syros, Greece (2024 Guide)

11 Epic Things to do in Santorini in the Summer (2024 Guide)

Our Big Fat Greek Adventure – The Best Things to Do in Greece in One Month

Villages of the Cinque Terre: Which One to Pick?

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