In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Dolmabahçe’s e-ticket (₺2,000) is the booking to make online, from the National Palaces. Hagia Sophia’s gallery is €25 at the entrance; the €50 ticket sold online is a different product with a separate museum. Topkapı (₺2,750 with the Harem) is shut on Tuesdays, Dolmabahçe and the modern art museums on Mondays, and the Grand Bazaar on Sundays. The Blue Mosque is free and opens to visitors from 14:30 on Fridays. The Museum Pass (€105) leaves out Hagia Sophia, the Cistern and Dolmabahçe. From 13 October 2026 the palace ticket offices close at 17:00. UK, US, Canadian, Australian and EU visitors need no visa for 90 days. Prices are in the currency each operator prints. Or book a tour: the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia tour with ticketsad (from €33) and a Bosphorus cruisead (from €7.90) put the guide in one booking (GetYourGuide).
What to book before you go
Prices are the foreign-visitor rate in the currency the operator prints: euros at the Ministry of Culture’s sights, lira at the palaces and the museums run by foundations. Buy from the operator. Search results for every big sight in Istanbul are filled with sites that carry the sight’s name in their web address and resell tickets, some of them for the Blue Mosque, which is free.
Hagia Sophia from Sultanahmet Park. Photo: Ray Swi-hymn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
| Sight | How to buy | Foreign-visitor price | Buy at | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hagia Sophia | At the visitor entrance’s ticket office | €25 for the gallery route | The entrance. The €50 combined ticket with the History and Experience Museum is sold online | Ground floor for worship. No guide narration inside. Dome under restoration |
| Topkapı Palace | At the ticket office; joins the National Palaces e-tickets on 1 January 2027 | ₺2,750 with the Harem; Harem alone ₺1,050 | millisaraylar.gov.tr | Shut Tuesdays. Ticket office to 17:00 |
| Dolmabahçe Palace | E-ticket, valid 90 days, one use | ₺2,000 for the Selamlık, Harem and Painting Museum | millisaraylar.gov.tr | Shut Mondays. No refunds or changes |
| Basilica Cistern | At the entrance or on Passo | Price at checkout | passo.com.tr | Open to 22:00, closed 18:30 to 19:30. 50 steps, no lift |
| Galata Tower | Ministry e-ticket or the ticket office | €30, €35 from 1 April 2027 | muze.gov.tr | Ticket office closes 18:14. Night museum to 22:00 |
| Archaeology Museums and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts | Ministry e-ticket or the ticket office | €15 and €17 | muze.gov.tr | Open daily. Ticket offices close 17:30 |
| Istanbul Modern | Online or at the museum | ₺1,000 | bilet.istanbulmodern.org | Shut Mondays |
| Blue Mosque | Nothing to buy | Free | sultanahmetcami.org | Closed around prayers. Fridays from 14:30 |
- Hagia Sophia and the mosques: Hagia Sophia tickets separates the €25 gallery from the €50 online ticket, and mosque visiting rules in Istanbul covers dress and prayer-time closures.
- The palaces: Topkapı and Dolmabahçe have different closed days, so they fit two different days.
- The views: the best views in Istanbul separates the free hills from the paid towers.
- The Grand Bazaar: free, shut Sundays; see the Grand Bazaar guide.
Does a pass pay back?
The ministry’s Museum Pass Istanbul is €105 for 5 days. It covers Topkapı with the Harem, the Galata Tower, the Archaeology Museums, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Maiden’s Tower and others, and does not cover Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern or Dolmabahçe. Topkapı and three other paid sights bought separately come to about €110. The Museum Pass guide has the sums, and the reseller passes that are not the same thing.
Hours and closed days
| Sight | Hours | Closed or late |
|---|---|---|
| Hagia Sophia gallery | Set by the mosque | The route pauses on Fridays around midday prayer |
| Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum | 09:00 to 20:00, ticket office 19:00 | None |
| Blue Mosque | 08:30 to 17:00 from 1 October; 08:30 to 19:00 from 1 April | Around the midday and afternoon prayers; Fridays until 14:30 |
| Topkapı Palace | Ticket office 09:00 to 17:00 | Tuesday; 1 January; 9 March 2027 |
| Dolmabahçe Palace | Ticket office 09:00 to 17:00 | Monday; 1 January; 9 March and 16 May 2027 |
| Basilica Cistern | 09:00 to 22:00 | Break 18:30 to 19:30 |
| Galata Tower | 08:30 to 18:30, ticket office 18:14; night museum 18:30 to 22:00 | None |
| Archaeology Museums, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts | 09:00 to 18:30, ticket office 17:30 | None |
| Maiden’s Tower | 09:00 to 18:00, ticket office 17:00 | None |
| Rumeli Fortress; Galata Mevlevi Lodge | 09:00 to 18:00; 09:00 to 18:30 | Monday |
| Istanbul Modern | 10:00 to 18:00; Friday to 20:00 | Monday; 1 January; first day of the bayrams |
| Pera Museum | 10:00 to 19:00; Friday to 22:00; Sunday 12:00 to 18:00 | Monday; 1 January; first day of the bayrams. Free on Fridays 18:00 to 22:00 |
| Grand Bazaar | Monday to Saturday | Sunday |
Opening times that change
- Mondays: Dolmabahçe, Istanbul Modern, the Pera Museum, Rumeli Fortress and the Galata Mevlevi Lodge are shut.
- Tuesdays: Topkapı is shut. Wednesdays: Yıldız Palace is shut.
- Fridays: the Blue Mosque admits visitors from 14:30 and the Hagia Sophia gallery pauses around midday prayer.
- Sundays: the Grand Bazaar is shut.
- Bayrams: Ramazan Bayramı starts on 9 March 2027 and Kurban Bayramı on 16 May 2027; the first day of each closes Dolmabahçe, the Pera Museum and Istanbul Modern, and on 9 March Topkapı too.
- 1 January: Topkapı, Dolmabahçe, the Pera Museum and Istanbul Modern are shut.
- Winter: the National Palaces’ ticket offices close at 17:00.
Free things worth a line
- Mosques: the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye Mosque are free, with the covering rules.
- Squares and bridges: the Hippodrome, Gülhane Park and the Galata Bridge cost nothing.
- Museum hours: the Pera Museum is free on Fridays from 18:00 to 22:00.
- Not free: the Hagia Sophia gallery and the Chora (Kariye) Mosque. Free things to do in Istanbul lists what still is, and the Sultanahmet walk strings the sights together on foot.
The Galata Bridge, with the Galata Tower on the hill beyond. Photo: Güldem Üstün, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.
Getting in from the airport
Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen to the city centre compares the options. From Istanbul Airport (IST) the M11 metro runs to Gayrettepe, where you change for the M2; from Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) the M4 metro reaches Kadıköy in 52 minutes. Taxis run on the meter.
Getting around
Buy an Istanbulkart: ₺165, no deposit, no refund. The first ride is ₺46.20, transfers within 120 minutes are cheaper, and no cash is taken on buses, trams, the metro or ferries. The T1 tram links Kabataş, Karaköy, Eminönü, Gülhane and Sultanahmet. Fares are the tariff from 20 July 2026; Istanbul public transport has the rest.
T1 trams at the Sultanahmet stop. Photo: Zach1055, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Entry rules for Turkey
Turkey is outside the Schengen area, so the EU’s Entry/Exit System and ETIAS do not apply to a trip that stays in Turkey.
| Citizen of | What you need | Passport | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No visa for tourism, up to 90 days in any 180 | Valid for at least 150 days after you arrive, with a blank page | A British citizen passport. FCDO entry requirements |
| United States | No visa, up to 90 days in any 180 | The same 150-day rule | Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
| Canada | No visa, up to 90 days in any 180 | Valid at least 150 days from entry | Travel.gc.ca |
| Australia | No visa, up to 90 days in any 180 | The same 150-day rule | Smartraveller |
| EU citizens | No visa, up to 90 days in any 180 | A passport; a national ID card is accepted only from some countries | Holders of Republic of Cyprus passports need a visa |
- Visa help: the Turkish government’s e-Visa site is evisa.gov.tr; other sites charge extra.
- At the border: make sure officials stamp your passport on arrival and on exit.
Staying safe
The Foreign Office advises against travel only within 10 km of the Syrian border, and Istanbul is not in that area. The US State Department’s level is 2, exercise increased caution (advisory of 9 June 2026), and Canada says to exercise a high degree of caution. Street robbery and pickpocketing are common in the main tourist areas, and demonstrations, regular in Istanbul, can turn violent. Carry photo ID. Is Istanbul safe? has the governments’ advice with links, and Istanbul scams covers the bar bill, unmetered taxis and the shoeshine brush.
Day trips
Day trips from Istanbul compares each trip by ferry, train, bus and tour. The ones with something to know:
- Princes’ Islands: a ferry day, with winter timetables.
- Bursa: by ferry and bus, or on a tour.
- Gallipoli: a long day, and a night in Çanakkale is the sounder plan.
- Cappadocia: needs a flight.
Food, baths and when to go
Where to eat in Istanbul lists the restaurants, Istanbul food tours compares the guided options and hammams in Istanbul lists the baths with their own prices. Best time to visit Istanbul gives the weather by month, and Ramadan in Istanbul 2027 has the dates for 8 February to 8 March.
Dates to know
- 1 January 2027: Topkapı Palace joins the National Palaces ticket system, and the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum goes to €30.
- 1 April 2027: the ministry’s new entry fees begin; the Galata Tower goes to €35.
- 8 February to 8 March 2027: Ramadan, with Ramazan Bayramı from 9 to 11 March.
- 16 to 19 May 2027: Kurban Bayramı.
Plan the trip
- Where to sleep: where to stay in Istanbul compares the areas, and hotels near the Blue Mosque lists the hotels beside it.
- Getting there and about: Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen to the city centre and Istanbul public transport.
- The sights: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Galata Tower and the Grand Bazaar each have a guide. Istanbul museums, free things to do and the best views cover the rest, and the Museum Pass runs the pass sums.
- Walks and tours: the Sultanahmet walk, Istanbul walking tours, Istanbul Old City tours, the Bosphorus cruise, the Bosphorus dinner cruise and whirling dervishes in Istanbul.
- Rules: mosque visiting rules in Istanbul.
- How many days: Istanbul in one or two days and 3 days in Istanbul build the plan round the closed days.
- Safety: Is Istanbul safe? and Istanbul scams.
- Another city: what to book before you go to Athens covers the Acropolis’s timed slots, the free-entry days and the winter closing times. Greece is in the Schengen area, which Turkey is not, and the entry rules are on that page.
Itineraries
Day-by-day plans for a first visit.
Itinerary
Istanbul in One or Two Days: Itinerary and Bookings
One day in Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace in Sultanahmet. A second day adds Dolmabahçe Palace, a Bosphorus cruise, the Spice Bazaar and the Galata Tower. What to book, and the Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Sunday closures.
Itinerary
3 Days in Istanbul: Itinerary with Day Trip Option
Three days in Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace on day one, Dolmabahçe Palace, a Bosphorus cruise and the Galata Tower on day two, and a third day in Kadıköy, on the Princes' Islands or in Fener and Balat. What to book and the Monday, Tuesday and Friday closures.
Which ticket to buy
The official ticket, the tours that include entry, and which sells out first.
Tickets
Hagia Sophia Tickets, Istanbul: €25 Gallery, Rules
Foreign visitors pay €25 for Hagia Sophia's upper-gallery route, bought at the entrance, while the ground floor is for worship. The €50 online ticket adds a separate museum. Dress rules, the silence rule for guides, the dome restoration and which tours include the ticket.
Tickets
Blue Mosque Opening Hours, Istanbul: Free, Prayer Times
The Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) is free to visit: 08:30 to 19:00 from 1 April to 30 September and 08:30 to 17:00 from 1 October to 31 March, shut to visitors around the midday and afternoon prayers and until 14:30 on Fridays. Dress rules, loan clothing and what to see.
Tickets
Topkapı Palace Tickets, Istanbul: Harem, Closed Day
Topkapı Palace is ₺2,750 for foreign visitors on the combined ticket and ₺1,050 for the Harem alone, shut on Tuesdays, with the ticket office closing at 17:00. Courts and sections, how long to allow, tours with the tickets and the move to the National Palaces ticket system on 1 January 2027.
Tickets
Basilica Cistern Tickets, Istanbul: Hours, Sessions
The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul is open daily from 09:00 to 22:00, with a break from 18:30 to 19:30 between the day session and the 19:30 to 22:00 Night Shift. How to buy, 50 steps, no lift, the guide rule, what to see among the 336 columns and the tours that include it.
Tickets
Dolmabahçe Palace Tickets, Istanbul: Price, Mondays
Dolmabahçe Palace is ₺2,000 for foreign visitors for the Selamlık, the Harem and the Painting Museum, shut on Mondays, with a 90-day single-use e-ticket from the National Palaces. The combined palace tickets, ticket-office hours, what is in each section and how long to allow.
Tickets
Galata Tower Tickets, Istanbul: €30, Hours, Queue
The Galata Tower is €30 for foreign visitors, open daily 08:30 to 18:30 with the ticket office closing at 18:14 and a night museum from 18:30 to 22:00. The Museum Pass covers it by day, the price rises to €35 on 1 April 2027, and the security queue is the wait.
Tickets
Grand Bazaar Istanbul: Closed Sundays, Gates, Tours
The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul is free to walk into and closed on Sundays. Its traders' association counts 65 streets, 11 gates and about 3,600 shops under one roof. Which gate to use, what the streets are named after, the Spice Bazaar nearby, scam warnings and two tours.
Tickets
Istanbul Museum Pass: €105, What It Covers, Worth It?
The Museum Pass Istanbul is €105 for 5 days and covers the Ministry of Culture's museums, including Topkapı with the Harem, the Galata Tower, the Archaeology Museums and Maiden's Tower, but not Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern or Dolmabahçe. The sums, the cut-off times and the reseller passes.
Tickets
Best Museums in Istanbul: Hours, Prices, Closed Days
Istanbul's museums with foreign-visitor prices, hours and closed days: the Archaeology Museums (€15), the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts (€17), Istanbul Modern (₺1,000), the Pera Museum (₺450, free on Friday evenings), the Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum and the Mevlevi Lodge.
Tickets
Best Views in Istanbul: Free and Paid Viewpoints
Istanbul's viewpoints with price and hours: the Galata Tower (€30, open to 22:00 at night), Maiden's Tower (€27 plus a ₺110 boat), Çamlıca Tower from €16.97, Rumeli Fortress's three terraces (€6), a Bosphorus boat from €7 and the free Galata Bridge waterfront.
Tickets
Free Things to Do in Istanbul
What costs nothing in Istanbul: the Blue Mosque and the Süleymaniye, the Grand Bazaar, Sultanahmet Square and Gülhane Park, the Galata Bridge, the Pera Museum on Friday evenings and two ministry museums. What has started charging, and the closed days that change a free day.
Tickets
Bosphorus Cruise Istanbul: Ferry or Tour Boat?
Bosphorus tour boats are 2 hours from €5, sunset yachts €15 to €50, and the Şehir Hatları public ferry crosses the strait for ₺50 to ₺71 on an Istanbulkart. Which boat leaves from Eminönü or Kabataş, what each includes, and the six-hour Long Bosphorus Tour.
Tickets
Bosphorus Dinner Cruise Istanbul: Price, Show, Menu
Bosphorus dinner cruises with a show are €20 to €27 on GetYourGuide for 3 hours. Four compared by boarding pier (Karaköy, Kabataş or Cibali), what the dinner and drinks include, what costs extra, hotel pick-up and the 75,402-review bestseller.
Tickets
Whirling Dervish Show in Istanbul: Venues, Prices
A whirling dervish Sema ceremony in Istanbul is €14 to €29 on GetYourGuide. Hodjapasha near Sirkeci runs it daily at 19:00 for 60 minutes; two other venues compared, the separate Rhythm of the Dance show, the age limit and the silence rules.
Tickets
Istanbul Old City Tours: Hagia Sophia, Topkapı, Cistern
Guided Old City tours in Istanbul with the Hagia Sophia ticket start at €33 for 2½ to 3 hours; with the Basilica Cistern €49; with Topkapı and the Harem €99 for 4 hours. What each price includes, the full-day tour that leaves entry out, and the Friday and Tuesday swaps.
Tickets
Istanbul Walking Tours: Free, Paid and Themed
Istanbul walking tours: a tip-based 2½-hour Sultanahmet walk from Sultanahmet Park, Fener and Balat from €13 to €17, Galata and İstiklal €15, the Asian side by ferry €25, Grand Bazaar rooftops €26 and a Segway tour €47. Meeting points, what is included and what is not.
Day trips from Istanbul
Out and back in a day, with the tours compared against going on your own.
Day trip
Day Trips from Istanbul: Train, Ferry or Tour
The Princes' Islands are a ferry at ₺151.23 a boarding, Edirne a train opened on 10 October 2026, Bursa a 13-hour tour from €24, Gallipoli a 15 to 18 hour tour from €130, and Cappadocia and Ephesus need a flight. Day trips compared on cost, time and what a tour adds.
Day trip
Princes' Islands Day Trip from Istanbul by Ferry
The Princes' Islands are under two hours by ferry from Kabataş: ₺151.23 per boarding on an Istanbulkart, and another full fare for each island hop. Island minibuses are ₺158.35 a ride for visitors. Tours with lunch are €13 to €18 and end with a shopping stop.
Day trip
Bursa Day Trip from Istanbul: Ferry, Bus or Tour
Bursa day tours from Istanbul are €24 to €60 for 13 hours, with a ferry across the Sea of Marmara. The Uludağ cable car is ₺500 return and runs 10:00 to 18:00. What each tour includes, which one includes the cable car, and the Green Mosque, Ulu Cami and Cumalıkızık.
Day trip
Gallipoli Day Trip from Istanbul: Is It Realistic?
Gallipoli is a 15 to 18 hour day from Istanbul, with about five hours on the road each way. Tours are €130 and €135, a two-day Gallipoli and Troy tour with a night in Çanakkale is €320, and a 6-hour tour from Çanakkale is €69. What the tours visit and the Presidency's one-day route.
Day trip
Cappadocia from Istanbul: Flight, Bus or Tour
Cappadocia from Istanbul needs a domestic flight: an 18-hour day tour with flights is €396, a two-day tour with a cave hotel €396 to €600, and three days with a balloon €900. Site fees, Discovery Balloons' own prices and the Ephesus day trip by air from €279.
Where to stay
Areas and hotels, chosen for a visitor rather than a resident.
Where to stay
Where to Stay in Istanbul: Areas and Hotels
For a first visit to Istanbul, stay in Sultanahmet or in Galata and Karaköy. Seven areas compared with straight-line distances to the Blue Mosque and the Galata Tower, 22 hotels with rooms and Michelin Keys, and the dates that fill the city, from the marathon to Formula 1.
Where to stay
Hotels Near the Blue Mosque, Istanbul, by Distance
Hotels near the Blue Mosque in Sultanahmet by straight-line distance, from Hotel Ibrahim Pasha and Hagia Sofia Mansions at 230 m to AJWA Sultanahmet at 650 m: the Four Seasons with three Michelin Keys, roof terraces, Hagia Sophia views, rooms and what each is like.
Airport transfers
From the airport to the centre, every option priced and timed.
Getting around
Tickets, passes and the transport a visitor actually uses.
What's on, month by month
Festivals, holidays and closures that change a visit.
Events
Best Time to Visit Istanbul, Month by Month
Istanbul month by month from the Turkish State Meteorological Service: highs of 17°C in April and 30°C in July, December the wettest at 99 mm, July the driest at 22 mm. Visitor numbers by month, Ramadan from 8 February 2027, the bayram holidays, the tulip festival and the 2027 Biennial.
Events
Ramadan in Istanbul 2027: Dates, Iftar, Hours
Ramadan in Istanbul runs from Monday 8 February to Monday 8 March 2027, with Ramazan Bayramı on 9 to 11 March and Kurban Bayramı on 16 to 19 May. What the Foreign Office says about eating in public, iftar at sunset, the sahur drummers, free iftar tents and which sights close on the bayram days.
Food and drink
Where to eat, what to order and when to book.
Food and drink
Where to Eat in Istanbul: Michelin, Kebab, Baklava
Where to eat in Istanbul: one two-star and seven one-star Michelin restaurants, 16 Bib Gourmands, then the places 41 English and 25 Turkish publishers name most: Çiya, Karaköy Güllüoğlu, Pandeli, Mikla and Karaköy Lokantası. Kebab, breakfast, baklava, meyhanes and street food, with hours and closed days.
Food and drink
Istanbul Food Tours Compared, With Prices
Istanbul food tours from €33.92 to €120.50: the 5.5-hour tour with 20+ tastings on two continents, ferry food walks to Kadıköy, Beyoğlu street food, a rooftop dinner, and the operators' own prices. Plus cooking classes from €51.75 and coffee and Turkish delight workshops.
Walks
Self-guided routes, stop by stop.
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More guides
Guide
Turkish Bath (Hammam) in Istanbul: Where and How Much
Istanbul hammam prices from each bath's own site: Çemberlitaş from ₺3,200, Cağaloğlu from €95, Hürrem Sultan from €110, Kılıç Ali Paşa ₺4,700, Süleymaniye €90 for couples and families, Gedikpaşa from €50. Which are open to men and women, hours, what is included, and GetYourGuide packages.
Guide
Is Istanbul Safe? Protests, Scams, FCDO Advice
What the FCDO, the US State Department (Level 2), Canada and Smartraveller say about Istanbul: pickpocketing in Taksim, Sultanahmet and the bazaars, the bar scam, spiked drinks and methanol, protests, terrorism, laws that catch visitors out, earthquakes and the numbers to call.
Guide
Istanbul Scams to Avoid: Taxis, Shoeshine, Bars
The Istanbul scams the governments name: the friendly stranger and the inflated bar bill, taxis without a meter, drinks that are spiked, the dropped shoeshine brush and carpet traders. The official taxi tariff, how to spot a fake ticket site, cash-machine rules and who to call.
Guide
What to Wear in Istanbul Mosques: Rules, Prayer Times
The rules for visiting Istanbul's mosques: women cover hair, shoulders and knees, men cover knees and shoulders, shoes come off, and visits stop around prayers. How the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Süleymaniye differ, loan clothing and the Friday midday prayer.
Plan your trip
The rules and costs that apply to every city on the site.
Common questions
What do I need to book before going to Istanbul?
Dolmabahçe Palace has an e-ticket on the National Palaces' site, valid 90 days and non-refundable. The Hagia Sophia gallery ticket (€25) is bought at the entrance, and the €50 ticket online is a different product. Topkapı sells at its ticket office until 1 January 2027, and the Blue Mosque is free.
Which Istanbul sights are closed on which days?
Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul Modern, the Pera Museum, Rumeli Fortress and the Galata Mevlevi Lodge are closed on Mondays. Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays, Yıldız Palace on Wednesdays and the Grand Bazaar on Sundays. The Blue Mosque admits visitors from 14:30 on Fridays.
How much is Hagia Sophia for foreign visitors?
€25 for the upper-gallery route, bought at the ticket office at the visitor entrance. The ground floor is a prayer hall. A €50 ticket sold online covers the gallery and the separate History and Experience Museum.
Is the Museum Pass Istanbul worth it?
It is €105 for 5 days and covers Topkapı, the Galata Tower, the Archaeology Museums and other ministry museums. It leaves out Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and Dolmabahçe, so it pays only on a museum-heavy five days.
Do I need a visa for Istanbul?
UK, US, Canadian, Australian and EU citizens can visit without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180, with a passport valid for at least 150 days after arrival. Holders of Republic of Cyprus passports need a visa.
Is Istanbul safe for visitors?
The Foreign Office advises against travel only within 10 km of the Syrian border, the US State Department's level is 2 (exercise increased caution) and Canada says to exercise a high degree of caution. Pickpocketing, bar and taxi scams and demonstrations are the problems visitors meet.
What currency are Istanbul's ticket prices in?
Both: the Ministry of Culture prints euros for foreign visitors at Hagia Sophia's museum, the Galata Tower and the Archaeology Museums, and the National Palaces and the Pera Museum print Turkish lira.