Istanbul is my absolute favorite city in the world. Fortunately for me and other people traveling to Central Asia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and many lesser-visited countries in Africa, a long layover in Istanbul is a common occurrence. Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport isn’t very big, isn’t all that comfortable, and for sure is not cheap in the slightest. Luckily, though, if your layover is at least 6 hours, it’s very easy to take public transportation into the city centre to see some of the most spectacular sights in the world.
The first step to planning your layover in Istanbul is to decide whether you want to go with an organized tour or to build your own adventure. Those who may not be as comfortable in a new country may wish to take advantage of Turkish Airlines’ free tours of Istanbul for passengers on layovers. Information is available here. Tours leave at 9am and 12pm, and last from 6-9 hours, although there is also one from 8:30-11:00am for the shortest layovers.
If you feel more adventurous, or comfortable with the new setting, you can very easily build your own adventure. Leave about an hour for getting a visa (USD $30, 180 day multiple entry validity sticker visa), cash only but there’s an ATM right in front of the desk that will give dollars) and customs (this can take 5 minutes or it can take 1 hour; it really depends on the day and is completely unpredictable), an hour to take public transportation into the centre, an hour to get back to the airport, and 1h30m for customs and security when you return. You will already be checked in with your boarding pass (assuming you checked in to your final destination), so check-in isn’t necessary. Thus, with a 6 hour layover, you will have about 2 hours in the heart of the city to explore. Just be sure to get on the tram/metro back to the airport by 3 hours before your departure time, and you’ll be golden. Most Turkish Airlines flights leave about 30m late, but they will still board on time.
But, what to do in your two-plus hours? There are two main areas of the city I highly recommend to tourists: Sultanahmet and Beyoglu. Given the associated time constraints, I recommend picking one for your layover and sticking to it, but if you have a longer layover, you can start in Sultanahmet and continue on to Beyoglu, or vice versa, working in reverse of the directions I’ve written here.
Sultanahmet
Sultanahmet is Istanbul’s quintessential historic area. It has almost all of Istanbul’s most famous sights, including the Grand Bazaar, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome, and many other smaller sights of interest, including the terminal station of the old Orient Express. This area is best for first-time visitors to Turkey, as you can see at once the history of Byzantine Christian as well as Ottoman Muslim Constantinople quite literally in the very same place.
Getting to Sultanahmet is relatively simple. Take the M1 metro from Ataturk Airport to Zeytinburnu station, then transfer to the T1 tram to Kabatas. You will need Turkish Lira to purchase tram tokens at the “jetonmatik” vending machines, which are 4TL each. When you go into the metro, you will use 1 token, and then when you enter the tram, you will use another token. Take the tram to the stop “Beyazit Kapala Carsi” to get to the west entrance of the Grand Bazaar. If you’re planning to skip the Grand Bazaar, you should plan to get off at “Sultanahmet.”
A nice tour of Sultanahmet begins with walk through the Grand Bazaar as it begins to open up at 8:30am. The main thoroughfare of the building is one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world, with many gold sellers and jewelers. After you exit the Grand Bazaar, walk to the right until you rejoin the tram tracks, then follow the trolley tracks to the left to the Blue Mosque and marvel at the large public spaces just outside.
The Blue Mosque opens at 8:30am as well, and closes during prayer times (sunrise, just after noon, mid afternoon, sunset, and evening), so the morning is a perfect time to visit. Remember to cover your legs and elbows, and women should bring a scarf to cover their heads as well. If you forget, don’t worry, as they have some you can borrow (men in shorts, they WILL make you put on a neon blue robe to be modest, so be prepared!). The Blue Mosque is right by the Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern. Fans of Dan Brown will recognize the Basilica Cistern as a key plot location in one of his books, while the Hagia Sophia has appeared in many movies set in Istanbul. As both require tickets and can have long lines, which you choose to go into may depend on the conditions of the day.
If your time permits, you may consider following the tram tracks down to Topkapi Palace, although to properly see it really requires several hours, which not all people on layover might have. If you’re skipping Topkapi palace, continue to follow the tram tracks down to the Sirkeci station, where the Orient Express terminated, then to Eminonu, which is where the many ferries cross the Bosporus to Asia. In front of Eminonu is the “New Mosque,” which is also a very beautiful visit inside. Right by the New Mosque is the Egyptian, or Spice Bazaar, which is an easy jaunt through to see the spice sellers, and perhaps to buy some Iranian Saffron or Turkish Delight as a souvenir. It’s MUCH cheaper here than at Ataturk Airport. The best Turkish Delight is at Hazer Baba, whose stall is located at the corner of the L, the main intersection of the Spice Bazaar.
If you still have time after all that, you might consider a lunch on the beautiful Galata Bridge in front of you, at one of the many restaurants located on its lower level. Fresh seafood is the specialty, but they will also prepare all kinds of Turkish food as you like. If you can, though, the best kebab and baklava in the city is at Hamdi, a restaurant right by the exit of the Spice Bazaar near the water. It’s often crowded, though.
When you run out of time, returning to the airport is as simple as getting on a tram going uphill towards Bayciglar. This walking tour follows along the tram tracks so that you can turn around whenever you need! If in doubt, ask if the tram is going to Zeytinburnu, which is the stop where you will transfer back to the M1 toward Ataturk Havalimani (Airport).
If you do have lots of extra time after lunch, though, then consider continuing across the Galata bridge to Beyoglu!
Beyoglu
I love Beyoglu, as it shares the heart of modern Turkey with the beauty of the old Istanbul. Beyoglu is good for visitors who have already seen much of the more famous sights in Istanbul and are interested in engaging with the modern city.
Getting to Beyoglu is also simple. Take the M1 to the T1 to Karaköy, which is just on the other side of the Galata Bridge. From there, you can either ride the Tünel to the top of the hill, or you can walk. The Tünel is the second oldest underground railway in the world, and was the first in continental Europe. It is a funicular that whisks you up to the plaza at the top of the hill very quickly and efficiently. The walk uphill (just look from the tram stop at the streets going up and follow them) is also beautiful, through the narrow winding streets that were built when the Venetians controlled this side of Istanbul. There’s a very good reason that this area feels like old Europe – it is!
Near the top of the hill is the famous Galata Tower, which is another major tourist attraction, as the views of the city from the top are unparalleled. Again, depending on the line, you may wish to skip this to continue your stroll through the “pedestrian” district. There’s some really great cute shops along all of these streets that wind their way up, including some great little indie clothing shops that I always poke my head into when I’m around.
Tünel Square at the top is the beginning of one of the world’s most famous pedestrian areas: Istiklal Street. You’ll immediately notice a Shake Shack on the right, which is a bit of a surprise at first until you begin to see the high-end international stores that line the strip.
Istiklal is a wonderful stroll, and anywhere along it you can stop for coffee, lunch, or a traditional Turkish ice cream. A heritage trolley runs the length of the street in the very middle. There’s great shopping and people-watching, culminating at the historic Taksim Square at the end of the street.
Fans of Orhan Pamuk with an hour or two to kill might be interested in the Museum of Innocence, which is down the hill right by the Galatasaray Lisesi (where Istiklal turns to the right, also where the photo above was taken). I won’t spoil the book, but the Museum is a metafictional realization of key objects from the book. If you’ve read the book, it’s a wonderful complement (and with a copy of the book, admission is free!), and if you haven’t read the book, it will pique your interest to make you read it.
Getting back from Beyoglu to the airport is a little different. From Taksim, you can take the M2 metro towards Yenikapi. If you need to return from Tünel Square, you can walk to Sirkeci station, which is also on the M2 line to Yenikapi. At Yenikapi station, transfer to the M1a to Ataturk Havalimani (Airport). Note that there is also an M1b, so be sure to confirm the destination of your metro.
Once you’re back at the airport, it’s a simple walk through customs and security to your gate. I highly recommend eating and purchasing souvenirs in Istanbul itself, as the airport is WILDLY overpriced for goods and food of a generally lower quality.
So there you have it! No matter whether your layover is 6, 12, or even 24 hours, you can use this post to build yourself an easy walking tour through the heart of my favorite city in the world!
Safety
Less than 5 days after my most recent Istanbul layover, there was a suicide bombing at an exact spot on this tour. A lot of people think that Turkey isn’t safe (“it’s so close to Syria!”) The sad fact is that Istanbul (as many major cities are) is a target for terrorism. However, the Turks know how important their tourist industry is to their economy, and they are very intent on protecting tourists and tourist areas. When visiting Istanbul, the best course of action is to be vigilant, avoid large crowds, behave respectfully, be aware of any alerts, and be aware of your surroundings. Seeing this beautiful city and witnessing the cultural confluence is truly one of the most rewarding things you will experience in your life.
My personal philosophy on this matter is that I refuse to change my life out of fear of terrorism. I’ve lived in two -stan countries, and traveled to Iran and across the Middle East. You want to know the place where I actually got bombed? My then-home of Boston. I also missed the London bombings by 4 days in 2006. You’re more likely to be shot right at home in America than be bombed in Turkey. So visit Turkey. Visit Jordan. Visit Egypt. Heck, I can’t wait to visit Afghanistan. Be vigilant, but don’t be afraid. Because when you start changing your life out of fear, the terrorists win.
Maps
I made some maps to help show examples of a few routes you might want to follow. In a few places (for example, the Spice Bazaar), the line doesn’t go through the actual building. In several others, it goes way out of the way to find a crosswalk when I know for real there is either a pedestrian underpass or a safe spot to jaywalk. But, it’s a good guide to navigating some of the more challenging spots.
Grand Bazaar
Sultanahmet
Eminonu
Galata Tower
Istiklal Street
Do you have an upcoming layover in Istanbul? Let me know in the comments if this is helpful and what other ideas you have!