Destination
Istanbul
The only city on two continents.
Istanbul does not do 'quick visits'. Every street corner has been argued over by Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans, and the result is a city where you pray in a 1,500-year-old cathedral-turned-mosque, lunch on a ferry between Europe and Asia, and shop in a bazaar that has been open since 1461. It is close to Europe and the Gulf, welcoming to every faith, and refreshingly cool in summer.
- Getting there
- Non-stop from 300+ cities; Dubai ≈ 4h 30m
- Currency
- Turkish Lira (TRY)
- Best months
- April – June, September – November
- Time zone
- TRT (UTC+3)
- Visa
- Visa-free for many nationalities; instant e-Visa for most others
- Languages
- Turkish; English & Arabic in tourist areas
Destination
Not to miss
Hagia Sophia & the Blue Mosque
Two icons facing each other across a square — go early, before the crowds.
Bosphorus cruise
Palaces, wooden mansions and two bridges from the water; sunset is the moment.
Grand Bazaar & Spice Bazaar
4,000 shops, Turkish delight, carpets and tea — bargaining expected.
Topkapı Palace
Four centuries of Ottoman sultans, the Harem and the holy relics.
Balat & Fener
Colourful houses, third-wave cafés and the city's best photo walk.
Princes' Islands
A car-free island escape with bicycles, pine forests and sea-food lunches.
Tours
Istanbul experiences
Visas & Residency
Services in Istanbul
CitizenshipTurkish Citizenship by Investment: USD 400,000 Route
Foreign investors can obtain Turkish citizenship for themselves, their spouse and children under 18 by buying real estate worth at least USD 400,000 and keeping it for 3 years, or through a qualifying deposit, bond, fund or business investment.
Investors and families seeking a second passport
View service
ResidencyTurkish Residence Permit by Property (USD 200,000)
Foreigners who own residential property in Istanbul worth at least USD 200,000 (recorded on the title deed) can apply for a renewable short-term residence permit, usually issued for 1 to 2 years by the Presidency of Migration Management.
Property buyers who want legal residence in Istanbul
View service
StudyStudent Residence Permit in Türkiye: Requirements
International students admitted to a YÖK-recognised Turkish university enter on a student visa and apply for a student residence permit within 30 days of arrival, issued by the Presidency of Migration Management.
International students and their parents
View serviceA–Z
Istanbul · Encyclopedia
Landmarks · IstanbulHagia SophiaThe 1,500-year-old domed basilica that was the world's largest church, then an imperial mosque, then a museum, and since 2020 a mosque again — visited from a separate tourist entrance to the upper gallery.Landmarks · IstanbulBlue MosqueThe six-minaret imperial mosque of 1617 facing Hagia Sophia, named for its 20,000 İznik tiles — free to enter, closed to visitors during the five daily prayers, fully restored in 2023.Landmarks · IstanbulTopkapı PalaceThe Ottoman sultans' palace-city on the tip of the old peninsula, home of the empire for four centuries — four courtyards, the Harem, the Treasury's Spoonmaker's Diamond and the Sacred Relics, closed on Tuesdays.Landmarks · IstanbulGrand BazaarOne of the oldest and largest covered markets on earth: 61 streets, some 4,000 shops and 22 gates under Ottoman vaults since 1461 — closed on Sundays, open for bargaining the rest of the week.Landmarks · IstanbulGalata TowerThe 63-metre Genoese stone tower of 1348 above Karaköy, whose 360-degree balcony gives the classic view of the Old City, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus — and the longest queue in Beyoğlu at sunset.
Landmarks · IstanbulBasilica CisternJustinian's underground reservoir of 532 beneath Sultanahmet — 336 marble columns in a dim forest of water and light, with the two upside-down Medusa heads — reopened in 2022 after restoration.
Landmarks · IstanbulSpice BazaarThe L-shaped 1660s market beside the Eminönü ferries — spices, Turkish delight, dried fruit, cheeses and the city's oldest coffee roaster outside its gate — open seven days, and a better food stop than the Grand Bazaar.
Landmarks · IstanbulDolmabahçe PalaceThe 285-room European-style palace on the Bosphorus shore that replaced Topkapı in 1856 — crystal staircases, the world's largest chandelier, and the room where Atatürk died at 9:05 on 10 November 1938, its clocks still stopped.Travel Guide
Istanbul travel guides
Getting around· 3 min read
SIM Cards, eSIMs and Internet in Dubai and Istanbul: What to Buy Before You Fly
Two rules will save you money and a headache: buy an eSIM before you land, and never register a foreign phone on a Turkish network for more than 120 days.
Itineraries· 3 min read
Istanbul's Museums and Palaces: Which to See, Which to Skip and How to Avoid the Queues
Istanbul has more history than any trip can absorb. These are the six places worth your tickets, in the order we would see them, with the timings that keep you out of queues.
Getting around· 3 min read
Day Trips from Istanbul: Bursa, Sapanca, Şile, the Islands and Which Are Worth It
Istanbul is surrounded by mountains, lakes and Black Sea beaches, all within two hours. Some of these trips are unforgettable; one or two are a long drive to a mediocre lunch.