City guide

Istanbul, Turkey

Straddling Europe and Asia across the glittering Bosporus Strait, Istanbul is a breathtaking tapestry of empires where Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman histo...

Best forFirst-time planners
Trip styleCity walks and culture
Use this page forItineraries, food, budget, transport

Guides

Plan Istanbul by travel style

Structured guides for this city are coming soon.

Personal stories

Journal moments from Istanbul

First ferry ride across the Bosphorus

First ferry ride across the Bosphorus

The ferry pulled away from the dock with a low horn, sliding between the European and Asian sides of Istanbul like it had done the same trip a thousand times. Seagulls followed cl...

Sunset from Galata Bridge

Sunset from Galata Bridge

As the sun dropped, Galata Bridge filled with fishermen, tourists, and locals heading home, all sharing the same narrow space. Lines dangled into the Golden Horn while trams rattl...

Wandering the Grand Bazaar

Wandering the Grand Bazaar

Inside the Grand Bazaar, the corridors twisted and branched like a covered city of their own. Lanterns, carpets, jewelry, spices, and leather goods filled every stall, stacked up...