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Your Ultimate 5-Day Istanbul Itinerary

Your Ultimate 5-Day Istanbul Itinerary

Your Ultimate 5-Day Istanbul Itinerary

Istanbul is a city of fascinating beauty that has hosted different civilizations and powerful empires for centuries. It can take many months, maybe even years, to fully explore Istanbul, which has lands both in Asia and Europe. You can witness history in every corner of Istanbul. In addition, you can explore modern museums and natural beauties in Istanbul. In this article, an itinerary has been prepared to explore Istanbul in five days.

First Day: Explore the Historical Peninsula

On the first day of the tour route, you can start by exploring the Historical Peninsula, located at the Grand Sirkeci hotel. The Historical Peninsula was the heart of the city, especially during the Ottoman Empire. For this reason, you can visit many historical buildings in the Historical Peninsula and experience the feeling of time travel.

Topkapi Palace is one of the most magnificent palaces in the world, which hosted 31 sultans during the Ottoman empire period. You can learn about Ottoman palace life by visiting the harem inside the palace. In addition, archives and collections belonging to the Ottoman period are in the Topkapı Palace Museum. After that, you can visit the Istanbul Archeology Museum, where the historical remains of many different civilizations are located.

You can visit the Suleymaniye Mosque and Sultan Ahmet Mosque, which are important masterpieces of the Ottoman period. Additionally, the Hagia Sophia Mosque and the Basilica Cistern are also located here.

Second Day: Take a Walk on the Streets of Beyoğlu

Beyoğlu allows you to have different experiences with the harmonization of modern art and different religions, and cultures. The first place that comes to mind when Beyoğlu is undoubtedly Galata Tower. You should definitely experience the unique view of Istanbul by climbing the Galata Tower. Did you know? If you climb the Galata Tower with someone you love, you will marry that person. 

Beyoğlu has many modern museums and world-famous churches that are visited by thousands of people every year. Among them, Aya Tridia Greek Orthodox Church, St. Antoine Church, and the Crimean Church are the most famous ones.

Third-Day: Take a History tour of Palaces in İstanbul 

There are magnificent national palaces in Istanbul, which were used in the last periods of the Ottoman Empire and the first years of the Republic. 

Çırağan Palace in Beşiktaş was completed in 1871 by the Ottoman Sultan Abdülaziz. After visiting this magnificent palace, you can enjoy Istanbul by sipping your coffee inside the palace.

You can have information about the social and administrative life of the period by visiting Dolmabahçe Palace, which is also located in Beşiktaş and where Atatürk lived. The Painting Museum, located inside the Dolmabahçe Palace, is a museum worth seeing, containing many precious works from the Ottoman period to the Republican period. Finally, you can take a Bosphorus tour from Besiktas to Uskudar and visit Beylerbeyi Palace.

Fourth Day: Explore the Groves of the Anatolian Side

The best option to get away from the city crowd and spend time with nature is to explore the pavilions and groves of the Anatolian side. The most famous and worth seeing groves of the Anatolian Side are: Fethi Paşa, Küçük Çamlıca, Mihrabat, Fatih and Validebağ. These groves provide their visitors with pleasant and happy moments with their natural beauties and breathtaking Bosphorus view.

Last Day: Have a Nostalgic Day in the Princes' Islands

The last route of the trip is the island tour, which will allow you to spend a nostalgic day. Büyükada, Burgazada, Heybeliada, and Kınalıada are frequently visited by thousands of local and foreign tourists. We recommend you take a bike ride to explore the island in Büyükada, the most famous and largest of them all. Don’t forget to photograph your pleasant moments on the island, to see Istanbul from a different perspective by climbing Aya Yorgi Hill, and swim in the sea if you’ve visited in the summer.