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City itineraries · Türkiye

Istanbul, day by day

Istanbul spreads across two continents, so the best plan takes one side of the water at a time. Start with three days that cover the old city, the bazaars and Galata, and a day on the Bosphorus, with the visiting rules that matter in 2026.

Updated September 2026

Istanbul
Photo: SegLig, CC BY 4.0

Choose your length

3 days in Istanbul

3 Days in Istanbul
3 days3 Days in IstanbulSultanahmet, the bazaars and Galata, then the Bosphorus by ferry.

Before you go

Good to know in Istanbul

Tickets and opening days

  • Hagia Sophia: since January 2024, foreign visitors pay €25 for the visitor route through the upper galleries, entered separately from the worshippers' entrance.Source: Middle East Monitor · checked Sep 2026

Getting around

  • Contactless bank cards and phones work on buses, the metro, trams and ferries, including the Bosphorus crossing on day three. The alternative is an Istanbulkart from the BELBİM machines in stations, topped up in Turkish lira; unused balance is not refunded.Source: Visit Istanbul · checked Sep 2026

Stay safe

  • Street robbery and pickpocketing are common in the main tourist areas. Be wary of friendly strangers who invite you to a bar or restaurant: it can end with a huge bill.Source: GOV.UK travel advice · checked Sep 2026

Tripwoa for Android

Make your Istanbul days yours.

Tell Tripwoa your dates, pace and interests. It builds realistic days like these around you, then keeps the route, the bookings and the memories in one place.

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Tripwoa building a personalised day-by-day trip plan

Sources and method

Places and coordinates: Wikidata and Tripwoa's open-data place catalog (Overture Maps Foundation, © OpenStreetMap contributors). Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each image. Practical rules: the official sources linked in each note, checked in September 2026.

How this plan was made: Tripwoa's planner drafted the day order from real coordinates and typical visit times. Each stop was then reviewed, reordered where needed and rewritten with AI assistance. Walking distances are straight-line estimates, so allow a little extra time on real streets.