Overview of Districts

Istanbul is vast — but as a tourist, you mainly move in four areas:

Sultanahmet (Historic Peninsula)

For whom: First-time visitors, history buffs, cultural travelers
The historic heart: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, Grand Bazaar, Basilica Cistern — all major attractions in close proximity. Many hotels, but also very touristy. The essence of Istanbul in one district.

Beyoğlu & Galata

For whom: Night owls, art lovers, foodies
Cosmopolitan Istanbul north of the Golden Horn: İstiklal Street, Galata Tower, rooftop bars, galleries, vintage shops, and the city's best nightlife. Connected to Sultanahmet via the Galata Bridge — the boundary between medieval and modern.

Kadıköy & Moda (Asian Side)

For whom: Foodies, hipsters, seekers of tranquility
The Asian side can be reached by ferry in 20 minutes — and you enter a different world. Kadıköy has Istanbul's best market, hip cafes in Moda, vintage record stores, and the feeling of an Istanbul without the tourist hustle. Here, young creatives live.

Bosphorus Villages (Ortaköy, Bebek, Arnavutköy)

For whom: Connoisseurs, strollers, photographers
The former fishing villages on the Bosphorus are now Istanbul's most beautiful promenades: breakfast by the water in Bebek, the Ortaköy Mosque in front of the Bosphorus Bridge, the pastel-colored wooden houses of Arnavutköy. The Instagram-Istanbul.