In this guide
💡 The Short Version: One day, Sultanahmet: the Hagia Sophia gallery (€25, bought at the on-site office), the Blue Mosque (free, closed to visitors around prayer times and until 14:30 on Fridays), the Basilica Cistern, and Topkapı Palace (₺2,750 for the combined ticket) unless it is Tuesday. Two days: add Dolmabahçe Palace (₺2,000, closed Mondays), a Bosphorus cruise from €7.90, the Spice Bazaar and the Galata Tower. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays, and the palaces’ ticket offices close at 17:00 from 13 October 2026. Or book a tour: the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia guided tour with ticketsad is from €33.
What to book
| Booking | Price | Hours and closed days |
|---|---|---|
| Hagia Sophia | €25 for the gallery route, bought at the on-site office; €50 online with the History and Experience Museum, valid 3 days | Open daily; the gallery pauses around midday on Fridays; the ground floor is for worship |
| Blue Mosque | Free | 08:30 to 17:00 from 1 October to 31 March, 08:30 to 19:00 from 1 April to 30 September; closed to visitors around prayer times and on Fridays until 14:30 |
| Basilica Cistern | Online or at the gate, with a day and an evening session | Open daily |
| Topkapı Palace | ₺2,750 combined; the Harem alone ₺1,050 | Closed Tuesdays; the ticket office closes at 17:00 in winter |
| Dolmabahçe Palace | ₺2,000 for the Selamlık, the Harem and the Painting Museum; e-ticket valid 90 days | Closed Mondays; the ticket office closes at 17:00 |
| Galata Tower | Online on the Ministry’s e-ticket page or at the gate | 08:30 to 18:30 daily, and a night museum from 18:30 to 22:00 |
| Bosphorus cruise | From €7.90 for a sightseeing cruise with audio guide | Boards at Eminönü, Kabataş and Karaköy |
| Whirling dervish ceremony | From €28.56 at Hodjapasha | A ceremony at 19:00 daily, 60 minutes; check in 30 minutes before |
The Museum Pass (€105, valid 5 days) covers Topkapı, the Galata Tower and the Archaeology Museums and leaves out Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and Dolmabahçe, so it does not pay on this route: see the Istanbul Museum Pass.
One day: Sultanahmet
The sights are a few minutes apart on foot, and the T1 tram stops at Sultanahmet: see the Sultanahmet walk for the stops in order and Istanbul public transport for the fares.
Morning, Hagia Sophia
€25 for the gallery · bought at the on-site office · open daily
Go first, before the queue builds. The gallery route is the visiting area; the ground floor is a prayer hall and not open to sightseers. The visit area asks for silence and allows no guide narration, so a “guided tour” is a guide outside and audio inside. Scaffolding stands in the dome during the restoration. Dress as for a place of worship, with shoulders and knees covered, and shoes come off on the carpet. See Hagia Sophia tickets.
Hagia Sophia from Sultanahmet Park. Photo: Helge Høifødt, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Midday, the Blue Mosque
Free · closed to visitors around prayer times · from 14:30 on Fridays
The Blue Mosque is a working mosque, closed to visitors from 30 minutes before the midday and afternoon prayers until 15 minutes after they end, so go straight after Hagia Sophia, or in the afternoon on a Friday. The last visitor enters 30 minutes before closing. Loan clothing is available at the entrance. See visiting the Blue Mosque and what to wear in Istanbul’s mosques.
The Basilica Cistern
Online or at the gate · day and evening sessions
An underground Byzantine reservoir a block from Hagia Sophia, reached by 50 steps with no lift. See Basilica Cistern tickets. Lunch is on the square or at one of the restaurants in where to eat in Istanbul.
The columns of the Basilica Cistern. Photo: Goktugatesag, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Afternoon, Topkapı Palace
₺2,750 combined · the Harem ₺1,050 on its own · closed Tuesdays · ticket office to 17:00
The Ottoman sultans’ palace, through the Imperial Gate beside Gülhane Park. From 1 January 2027 Topkapı joins the National Palaces’ ticket system. On a Tuesday, swap it for Dolmabahçe Palace and keep Dolmabahçe’s Monday for Topkapı. See Topkapı Palace tickets.
The Imperial Gate of Topkapı Palace. Photo: Alexxx1979, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Evening, a ceremony or a bath
Hodjapasha ceremony at 19:00, 60 minutes · from €28.56
The whirling dervish ceremony at Hodjapasha is near Hagia Sophia: see whirling dervishes in Istanbul. For a bath, the Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı is in Ayasofya Square, with an entry package of €110: see hammams in Istanbul.
The second day: the Bosphorus and Galata
Morning, Dolmabahçe Palace
₺2,000 · e-ticket valid 90 days · closed Mondays
The T1 tram runs from Sultanahmet to Kabataş, the end of the line, and the palace is on the shore road beyond it. The ticket covers the Selamlık, the Harem and the Painting Museum, and thematic tours need three full-fare tickets. The palace is closed on New Year’s Day and on the first day of each bayram. On a Monday, go to the Archaeology Museums in Gülhane, open daily: see Istanbul’s museums. See Dolmabahçe Palace tickets.
An ornamental gate at Dolmabahçe Palace, looking out over the Bosphorus. Photo: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Midday, a Bosphorus cruise
From €7.90 · boards at Eminönü, Kabataş and Karaköy
A sightseeing cruise with audio guide passes the palaces and the waterfront mansions on the strait. Cruises, the public ferry and dinner cruises are compared in the Bosphorus cruise guide and Bosphorus dinner cruises.
Afternoon, the Spice Bazaar and the Galata Tower
Free to walk · the Galata Tower 08:30 to 18:30
The Spice Bazaar is beside the ferry piers at Eminönü. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays: see the Grand Bazaar. Cross the Galata Bridge to Karaköy for the Galata Tower, on the hill above. The free views from the bridge and the hill are in the best views in Istanbul. See Galata Tower tickets.
A ferry in front of the Galata Bridge and the Galata Tower. Photo: Calistemon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Evening, Kadıköy or the water
A ferry from Karaköy or Eminönü
Kadıköy, on the Asian side, has the fish market and Çiya: see where to eat in Istanbul and Istanbul food tours, whose ferry tours cross to it. A Bosphorus dinner cruise is the alternative.
If your days are different
- Monday: Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul Modern, the Pera Museum, Rumeli Fortress and the Galata Mevlevi Lodge are closed. Spend it in Sultanahmet, with Topkapı.
- Tuesday: Topkapı Palace is closed. Spend it at Dolmabahçe Palace, and use Sultanahmet for the afternoon.
- Friday: the Blue Mosque opens to visitors from 14:30, the Hagia Sophia gallery pauses around midday, and Chora is open for worship only. The Pera Museum is free from 18:00 to 22:00.
- Sunday: the Grand Bazaar is closed.
- Bayram days: on 9 March and 16 May 2027, the first days of Ramazan Bayramı and Kurban Bayramı, Dolmabahçe Palace, the Pera Museum and Istanbul Modern are closed: see Ramadan in Istanbul 2027. Dolmabahçe, Pera and Istanbul Modern also close on 1 January.
- A third day: 3 days in Istanbul adds the Asian side or a day trip.
Where to sleep and what next
Where to stay in Istanbul compares the areas, and hotels near the Blue Mosque lists the hotels within 650 m of the mosque. The best time to visit Istanbul gives the weather by month. For the way in, see Istanbul airport to the city and Istanbul public transport. Is Istanbul safe? and Istanbul scams cover the practical side, free things to do in Istanbul the free sights, and day trips from Istanbul the trips out. The full list of bookings is in what to book before you go to Istanbul.
Common questions
Can you see Istanbul in one day?
The old city, yes. Start with the Hagia Sophia gallery, visit the Blue Mosque outside prayer times, go down into the Basilica Cistern and spend the afternoon at Topkapı Palace, which is closed on Tuesdays. Dolmabahçe Palace, the Bosphorus and the Galata Tower need a second day.
Which day of the week is best for one day in Istanbul?
For the Sultanahmet day, avoid Tuesday, when Topkapı Palace is closed, and Friday, when the Blue Mosque opens to visitors only from 14:30 and the Hagia Sophia gallery pauses around midday. For a second day, avoid Monday, when Dolmabahçe Palace is closed, and Sunday if you want the Grand Bazaar.
What should I book before going to Istanbul?
Nothing is essential, but the Hagia Sophia gallery ticket is bought at the on-site office, the Dolmabahçe Palace e-ticket is valid for 90 days, a Basilica Cistern ticket can be bought online, and a whirling dervish ceremony needs a seat. The Blue Mosque is free.
Is two days enough for Istanbul?
For the main sights, yes. Day one can hold Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı, and day two Dolmabahçe Palace, a Bosphorus cruise, the Spice Bazaar and the Galata Tower.
Is the Museum Pass worth it for two days?
No. The €105 pass is valid for five days and covers Topkapı, the Galata Tower and the Archaeology Museums, but not Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern or Dolmabahçe Palace, which are most of this route.
What do I wear to visit the mosques?
Dress modestly: the Foreign Office asks visitors to a mosque or shrine to cover up. Shoes come off before the carpet. See what to wear in Istanbul's mosques.
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