Spent a few weeks in Istanbul. Here's my honest take.
You will not sleep much/well. The morning call to prayer cuts through the city no matter where you stay. It’s part of the experience, but it’s real, extremely loud and around 5 AM. 🌅 If you want relatively calmer nights, Fatih is a solid choice.
Prices over the last few years went completely off the rails due to inflation. In many cases, the cost no longer matches the service or overall comfort. Also - watch your pockets. The density of scammers and pickpockets here is the highest I’ve personally experienced. It's sad, infuriating and disgusting.
That said: absolutely still worth it for a few days.
Some main tourist spots:
Hagia Sophia - overwhelming scale and history, but very crowded. Go early. Also expensive - 25 EUR per entry.
Blue Mosque - still impressive, calmer inside if you time it between prayer hours.
Grand Bazaar - chaotic, loud, touristy, but culturally unavoidable.
Bosphorus ferry - cheap, practical, and one of the best ways to feel the city.
More local / underground spots:
Balat - raw streets, old houses, everyday Istanbul without polish.
Kadikoy market area - food-first neighborhood, real local rhythm, less hassle. My favourite.
Cihangir - cafes, creatives, slightly bohemian, good people-watching.
Yedikule city walls - underrated, quiet, heavy historical atmosphere.
Asian-side ferries at night - fewer tourists, city feels more human.
Food to focus on:
Iskender kebab - rich, heavy, absolutely worth it if done right.
Balik ekmek - simple fish sandwich by the water, no bullshit.
Lahmacun - thin, spicy, fast, eaten standing, very local.
Menemen - eggs with tomatoes and peppers, perfect slow breakfast.
Short stay recommended. Go in with eyes open, stay alert, eat well, walk a lot, and always be respectful to local habits. ✌🏻
We absolutely loved Istanbul. Thanks for bringing back some great memories
I was there in 1995, and was able to walk everywhere without being hassled or scammed. Wonderful food and wonderful people. Reading about today's Istanbul and Egypt (which I visited in 1996) makes me sad.
A legendary city. Looks fantastic at every moment.
Wanna go there too. Thanks for a detailed itinerary
Your photos perfectly show the charm and history of the city.
I've tasted most cuisines the world has to offer. There isn't a single country with better tasting food than Turkey. And that's something I'm willing to fight for. Every place you eat at in Istanbul is like a 5-star hotel in terms of taste.
Too bad the prices have turned into a scam. Once they know you're a tourist, they hit you with the "tourists" menu.
Yeah, it's just a scam after scam. Turkish scammers are the worst I've ever met. Aggressive (even physically), rude, racist and xenophobic. The food was great but I couldn't eat it all the time. I prefer Vietnamese or Thai street food compared to the Turkish. 🖤
Genuine question: how are so many people getting scammed?
I’ve been to Istanbul multiple times, I’m from NYC, and I honestly haven’t had any issues. I’ve seen the classic shoe shine brush drop scam, but it’s so obvious I just keep walking and laugh it off. Never had problems with pickpockets or taxis either, I just use Uber and avoid the hassle.
I also do some basic research before eating out and don’t just wander into random places, unless it's for a quick eat or anything as simple as the rice and chicken/soup stands, so I’ve never had issues with restaurants trying to overcharge or scam me. Then again, I avoid eating at all the tourist traps in Sultanahmet, where it's obvious you're gonna pay extra.
I’m not trying to be dismissive, I’m just genuinely curious why scams come up so often in these discussions when they feel pretty easy to spot and avoid.
It’s not always about “falling for a scam” in the obvious sense, sometimes it’s constant, small-level stuff that just follows you everywhere and ruins your sense of security. For example, I had a guy actually push me and kick me in the leg just because I politely said I wasn’t interested in buying a rose. Or overcharging in places where I honestly didn’t expect it. You can’t really be on guard 24/7.
Part of it might be cultural differences too, at first, these things don’t feel weird if you’re polite and well-behaved, and you just don’t expect people to be this shitty. That’s exactly why I bring it up.
I think a big part of it is just street awareness.
Personally, I don’t acknowledge people trying to sell me something I’m not interested in, start random conversations, or even say “hi” on the street. Where I’m from, you learn pretty quickly that the only street interactions you engage in are the ones you initiate, everyone else is basically invisible.
I’m not saying what happened to you is okay or justified at all, just that knowing how to keep your distance from sketchy situations is kind of a necessary skill when traveling. Those flower guys are everywhere in Europe and everyone just ignores them.
Same goes for restaurants. I always check menu prices and look over the bill before paying. I’ve eaten all over Istanbul, Cappadocia, Izmir, and Bodrum and never had an issue.
Just sharing my experience, not to invalidate anyone else’s, but to add another perspective.
I agree with your take - not OP take. My sister lived in Istanbul for 12 years and I visited often for weeks at a time. She knew all the ins and outs what to avoid, etc.. And once you know, you know. One of the first things she told me was when on the street do not acknowledge anybody. Don’t look at anybody and don’t smile unless you know the other person.
What can I say, it was definitely a learning experience. 🙄 Been to over 30 countries and nowhere else it felt like this. Usually they're kind of playful, but here it was just aggression. Good that you came prepared. My second visit was definitely better, after all that shit. 😊
I have to disagree. Turkish food was way fresher, tastier and more affordable in Germany than in Turkïye (and you will be less likely to get food poisoning too). The only exceptions were fruits, and considering the Mediterranean climate I wasn't surprised.
That's interesting. My first time having any Turkish food was in Berlin. It was amazing and made me want to visit Turkey. I was in Bavaria this year and the Turkish food was still really great. So maybe I'll just stick to Germany. I still want to visit Cappadocia.
Turkish food is in Germany is a weak copy of it’s original. I’m a Turkish person living in Germany who born and lived in Türkiye for 33 years and I’ve been desperately searching for good Turkish food in Berlin, Stuttgart, Munich, Mannheim, Cologne… Not once I found a matching one in terms of original taste. I won’t say it is good everywhere in Türkiye but when you know which restaurants to visit it can’t even be compared.
I definitely agree with you. The preparation, the techniques and the spice blends appeared better in Turkïye. And the ingredients can be better too if you find a good place.
But the problem is that, for a tourist who visited Istanbul and Bursa, what is offered in restaurants is simply not that good. Too expensive, made too quickly, sometimes burnt, unbalanced spice blends, expired ingredients and violation of sanitation protocols. All of this tarnishes the experience.
I know that the food can be good in Turkïye, but tourists will not find it easily. In Germany, the food offered by the Turkish diaspora is consistently good and cheap, and you don't have to search too deep or hunt specific restaurants.
But yes, if you know where to go I am sure it would be better in its original country. But a tourist wouldn't know, and my comment was aimed at international tourists: don't go with high expectations.
Yeah, you’re right. Most of the places could be tourist trap and they increase the prices shamelessly once they hear you speak a foreign language. Unfortunately only solution to that visiting with local friends.
And also most of the time Istanbul won’t be best place to find the most authentic restaurants. We were flying to Gaziantep just to eat the best kebap and şöbiyet for the weekend when I was living in Istanbul. Also Bursa is the home of the Iskender but you need to find the small, blue eatery, the original restaurant who says that they invented it. But I would be thankful to any other touristic Iskender Kebap restaurants because I’ve just had an horrible Iskender two days ago in Reutlingen and it wasn’t cheap and tasted mediocre 😔
I agree, it's a shame how inflation has made everything too expensive, forcing people to increase prices and decrease the quality of services and goods. I hope that things will get better eventually, economically and politically.
Thank you for sharing, if I ever visit beautiful Turkïye again I'll keep these places in mind :)
Can confirm on Balat, Kadikoy, fish sandwiches! also, get the mussels. They're everywhere. Guys, hit a cheap bathhouse. You'll be scrubbed and beaten near senseless by someone's grandfather for about $12 USD. Also, go to the pudding shop. Smoke a hookah. Serious Lawrence of Arabia vibes.
I love Turkey. I was just there this passed August.
I wonder if feeling a Byzantine Empire vibe?
Wow, Istanbul looks incredible! So much history and beautiful architecture.
how many days/nights did you stay? did you feel it was the “correct” amount of time?
2 weeks in March, felt too long. 2 weeks in July and once I have moved to Fatih and then the Asian side, it instantly became much more pleasant. However the people experiences were so terrible and services so overpriced, that I really don't feel like ever returning, and can only recommend Istanbul as a good-to-see for 2-3 days max. But still, a lot of locals told me that "it's not Turkey, it's Istanbul" so I'm still planning to visit other cities there. 😊
thanks! i am planning on doing a long layover there on my way to egypt for the eclipse in 2027, probably 2-3 nights
Be careful and enjoy! Also if you like cats, you'll be super happy with the visit 😁
yes definitely! thank you!
beatuifullln dbehe
I was there last month and the weather was beautiful, not crowded at all but seeing your pictures of the trees in bloom looks beautiful. I enjoyed the city & all the touristy sights.
Bonus for cat lovers: You probably know this, but cats are EVERYWHERE in Istanbul! You can even see them inside the shops, sleeping everywhere you can imagine. They're generally well-fed and enjoy being petted!
I could post hundreds of cat pics from Istanbul. 😁 Should have mentioned them, it's by far my favourite part of this city. 🐾
Honestly, the call to prayer didn't wake me up once, and I stayed right next to Ayasofya. I was expecting it to but it never happened lmao. The extremely inflated prices are sadly a thing though- I was actually visiting a Turkish friend there (and having her shielded me from a lot of "tourist food menu prices" moments, I'm sure) and every single entry ticket of mine was 4x hers. And they checked IDs. We never went to Topkapi palace because of that, I couldn't justify the 50 euro (!!!!) entry price. We were also supposed to go to an escape room and the moment English got mentioned, the price suddenly became triple the original.
It's an incredible city, with beautiful scenery, delicious food and lovely people (everyone I talked to was really nice), but they really need to get the scalping under control.
beautiful
Great amazing pics best city
Interesting shots, thanks for sharing!
Amazing city that every traveler must see
Going there in a week for the second time, very much looking forward to spend new years there 🙏
Which device you used to capture these cool photos?
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Damn photos.🔥 Btw, I saved 2 photos for us as my phone wallpeper.
Ah, thanks! Glad you like them 😊
Nice photos! Which camera and which lens?
Thanks! Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra only 😊
It's absolutely gorgeous there never been out of the United States I'd love to go some time I bet it's expensive to get there .
Love Turkey! Never had any issues with scammers hit all the tourist highlights. Sad that Erdoğan turned Hagia Sophia back into a masque. Still European but with a twist.
Amazing shots, well done 👌
I would do them a bit differently today (not so hard on the edits), but glad you like them! 🖤😊
The color grading is great mate, what did you use?
Glad you like it, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra + Lightroom Mobile for little tweaks 😊
Thanks OP
Did not have a single bad meal. World class in terms of history, food, culture, museums, art, etc. Incredible city and despite what OP says more than a short stay is totally worthwhile.
I totally agree. Istanbul for two or three days is a joke. It’s like popping into the Louvre museum for half an hour.
I’m glad you mentioned the food. Turkish breakfasts are so underrated! Eggs with peppers and tomatoes, plus all the fresh bread... you can’t beat it. And yes, the fish sandwiches by the water were some of the best I’ve had.
I would NOT go there, would rather take Athens or Izmir over ts 🥀
One of the best cities in the world! 🖤
That cat does not look best pleased...
Ummm….photoshopped. It’s nowhere near that blue
You don't say 😁 all of my photos have a bit of an edit touch on them.