Short on Time in Istanbul? Don’t Miss These 3 Iconic Spots

Introduction

Istanbul is an incredible city, uniquely situated in both Asia and Europe. There’s lots to see and do there but, this post will outline a few highlights to do if you’re short on time. Istanbul is a popular hub for layovers connecting Europe and the Middle East making it a common city people find themselves in for a few hours. By surprise I spent 24 hours in this city earlier this year due to a missed connecting flight (more on that later). Here is a realistic way to spend a layover in Istanbul to make the most of your time.

Quick Tips for Istanbul Layovers

• If you are planning to leave the airport while on your layover be sure to look into if a visa is required. This link, will bring you to the official website for visa information for foreigners. I’m Canadian and didn’t need any visa but always check your official government website before flying to any new country, even if it’s just for a layover.
• If you want to leave any bags at the Istanbul airport, this is the official airport website outlining the various luggage storage options.
• The Istanbul Airport is massive, avoid any flights that have less than a 2-3 hour layover time. I learned this the hard way and missed my outgoing flight because of a 1.5 hour layover. If you have a self-check in or non-connecting flight with a different company, always give your self loads of time! Luckily, it gave me time to check out some of the sights this city has to offer.

1. The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque)

The two most famous mosques in Istanbul are the Hagia Sofia and The Blue Mosque. Both mosques are located close together so you could easily plan a visit to both. You could spend around 30-45 minutes in each. It’s best to go during the morning before they get too busy. The entrance fee to the Hagia Sofia is around 25 euros and The Blue Mosque is free entry, but there may be lines (there wasn’t when I went in January).

I really enjoyed the Blue Mosque tour and soaking in the incredible architecture. The Hagia Sofia looks beautiful but I didn’t go while I was there. But, I think it would be great to do both at once while you’re there if you have the time for it! Sometimes entry lines can be quite long and I didn’t want to risk having to wait and not get to see anything else.

Visiting Tips:

• Open from 9am to 6pm daily but is closed 5 times a day for prayers. This link will bring you to their information page with exact times.
• Entry is free but guided tours are offered while there by local guides. We were approached and paid around 20 euros for a short but informative historical brief of the mosque. I’d recommend this if you are interested in the history of the mosque and have the time for a tour. I’d probably skip the tour if you were planning on doing both mosques in one day.
• Wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. You must remove your shoes and can leave them on a shoe rack or carry them. For women a head covering must be worn, they offer scarves to borrow if you don’t have one. They just allowed me to use my hoodie when I went.

2. Explore the Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar is an expansive covered market that is an absolute must while in Istanbul. It’s one of the largest covered markets in the entire world and one of the oldest too! You could easily spend hours soaking up the colours, smells and absolute chaos of it all. But, if you’re on a layover I recommend spending an hour or two max walking through. It’s open from 8:30 am to 7pm everyday except Sundays when they are closed completely.

It can be overstimulating at times and everyone wants you in their shop but it’s all part of the experience. If you are planning on shopping, be prepared to test your bargaining skills. I think the Grand Bazaar is great for wandering around rather than a shopping destination because prices can be quite high, especially for tourists. Be sure to have cash with you as this can sometimes lead you to getting a better price. 

3. Discover the Basilica Cistern Museum

The Basilica Cistern Museum is an ancient relic you would never know is underneath the city.  A large cistern (water tank) combining the ancient Roman history with modern art pieces throughout the tunnels. This was such a unique experience and I highly recommend checking it out! It’s not very big and you can walk through in about 30 mins to an hour. It was my favourite thing I saw in Istanbul and only found out about it because of our Blue Mosque tour guide. It’s actually featured in the movie Inferno with Tom Hanks so you’ll recognise it if you’ve seen the movie!

It’s open every day from 9 am to 6:30 pm and reopens from 7:30 pm to 10pm.Check out the official website for more information.

 Final Thoughts

This layover was so much fun and allowed me to explore a new city. This list isn’t very extensive because I want to keep it real. I hate when travel blogs say you should do 10 different things in one day, just because you can doesn’t mean you should. I’d much rather enjoy myself and not rush than try to see it all and ultimately feel disappointed about what I didn’t see. My biggest takeaway from layovers like this is to be realistic and do what you want to do.

If you have their upcoming layovers I’d recommend checking out my other blog post How to Make the Most Out of Your Layover.

This 24 hour layover in Istanbul was a perfect introduction to this city and I’m hoping to go back soon. I loved doing these three things while I was there and definitely recommend checking them out! Let me know in the comments what’s your favourite thing to do in Istanbul and I’ll be sure to check them out the next time I’m there!