What to do in Istanbul in 3 days?

In this article, we explain how to make the most of a 3-day stay in Istanbul! Our recommendations for 3 days in this sublime city of Türkiye.

How to optimize your time to visit Istanbul in 3 days? What are the must-see tourist sites to visit Istanbul in 3 days?

The city of Istanbul in Turkey is a veritable treasure trove of historical and cultural treasures. A former Byzantine and Ottoman capital, it is full of famous tourist sites such as the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. However, with only 3 days to visit this fascinating city, it is easy to forget the essentials. To optimize your time, I offer you an itinerary and a program to visit Istanbul in 3 days. You will be able to discover the must-see sites of the city while enjoying its unique atmosphere and its mix of cultures. Do not miss to savor traditional Turkish cuisine and to get lost in the lively streets of the city. I invite you to read this article for an unforgettable travel experience in Istanbul in just 3 days!

What to do in Istanbul in 3 days: Must-do activities for a memorable trip

- Stroll through the historic Sultanahmet district

- Visit the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the Blue Mosque

- Discover the Topkapi Palace, former residence of the sultans

- Stroll through the grand bazaar

- Discover the colorful Balat district

- Taste the famous fish sandwich near the Galata Bridge

- Eating Turkish delight at the Egyptian bazaar

- Cross the Bosphorus and visit the Golden Horn district

- Climb to the top of the Galata Tower for stunning views of Istanbul

- Sail on the Bosphorus aboard a private boat

- Book a culinary tour with a local French-speaking guide

- Smoke hookah and drink good tea

- Get a massage in a traditional hammam

How to get around Istanbul?

For our 3-day weekend in Istanbul we chose to do everything on foot. The city is very pleasant at this time of year and transport is easy to use. In Istanbul, there is a brand new tram that serves the city well. The bus of course and taxis which are cheap but during the day the traffic is really super dense so I advise you to use the tram during the day and taxis once night falls.

The tram ticket costs 10 Turkish lira , or €0.50.

From the international airport we took an Uber and paid €22 for a 50-minute ride.

The stylized map of Istanbul!

During our short stay in Istanbul, we were lucky enough to stay at the Ottantik Guest House. Although modest, this family-run hotel is ideally located in the heart of the city's historic district, offering easy access to the main tourist attractions.

The affordable rate of €45 per night with breakfast included is very good value, especially for such comfortable and welcoming accommodation. The father of the family, although he does not speak English, gave us a warm and friendly welcome when we arrived, while his English-speaking son was very available to answer our questions throughout our stay.

Day 1: Visit the historic Sultanahmet district in Istanbul.

- go to the racecourse square

- visit to the Basilica Cistern

- walk in the Sultanahmet district

- eat a Balik Ekmek in Eminonu

- stroll through the Egyptian bazaar

- relax in a traditional hammam

- visit to the Saint Sophia Basilica at night

So we set off on foot for a stroll through the historic district. The famous Blue Mosque was under construction when we went to Turkey, so we couldn't visit it. But I think it's definitely a building not to be missed.

The obelisk in the Hippodrome Square in Istanbul was admired. At that time it was a public square. It was also dedicated to games and chariot races. Today only a small part of it remains.

Visit to the Basilica Cistern

It was built over 1500 years ago and this place is incredible. The cistern is 140 meters long and 70 meters wide . It is estimated that it could store about 100,000 m3 of water. This incredible place allowed to store water for the city, at the time there were carp in the water of the cistern to control the purity of the water.

The columns of the site have a unique feature, they were built from old structures of various monuments. Consisting of 336 columns of 9 meters high, the styles of these columns are very varied, providing a fascinating historical panorama for visitors.

Looking towards the back of the site, one can observe jellyfish heads carved in stone, one really has the impression that the heads are placed upside down. Except that one must not forget that these pieces were recovered for their size rather than for their aesthetics, so they were placed this way for practical reasons.

Entrance 15 euros

Tasting Balık Ekmek in Eminönü

We then strolled through the historic district, passing by the banks of the Bosphorus here the district is called Eminonü . On the Galata Bridge, there are fishermen all along it is quite typical.

A great culinary specialty in Istanbul is Balik Ekmek, a simple fish sandwich, so we tried it without hesitation.

We chose to sit under a small tent to enjoy this sandwich. Here you pay 60tl (3€) for a sandwich. The fish is grilled on an Ottoman-style boat at the dock and then given directly to the customer.

Really super good and fresh. The Turks around us are crazy about pickles and they all ate their balik ekmek with a glass of tursu (pickle and cabbage swimming in vinegar).

The Egyptian Bazaar

We then headed to the Egyptian Bazaar, which is very close to the Galata Bridge. Personally I didn't find the place authentic, we just walked through the market aisles and bought some Turkish delight for dessert.

Traditional hammam

Our hotel recommended the Suleymaniye hammam, and we were not disappointed. Here you pay when you arrive and then you just go there.

When we arrive, we are given bloomers and bras for the women, shorts for the men. We change in the locker room, we put on our new fabric swimsuits, we put on some sort of wooden flip-flops and then we are taken to the hammam. What a majestic room! This room dates from 1550, everything is made of marble and it is grandiose. A long time ago it was the hammam of a sultan and we understand why everything is so beautiful.

Here are the steps of our treatment:

- You will start your hammam journey in the hot room. This is a necessary first step. In the hot room, you will lie on a hot marble slab in the center (Göbektasi) for 30 minutes. This will allow your body to relax, sweat and release many toxins. The hot room is kept at a temperature between 38 and 40 degrees.

- In the second stage, a man will give you a scrub followed by a soap massage and washing. All masseurs at Suleymaniye Hamam are men.

- And finally we are taken to a "cooling" room to return to normal temperature. We were then served a free drink.

A real moment of happiness and tradition since a long time ago the Turks did not have a bathroom in their homes. The hammam was therefore a public bathing place where the family went once a week.

65 euros per person for 1 hour 45 minutes of treatment

Baklavas

This moment of relaxation made us hungry, so we stopped at a pastry shop to taste the "Turkish delish" as they say here. They are relatively inexpensive and very popular here!

6.75€ for 4 baklavas and 1 coffee

What are baklavas?

It is a rather sweet dish made of phyllo dough, sugar syrup and, depending on the recipe and region, pistachios, walnuts or hazelnuts. A pure delight that is easily accompanied by tea.

In Istanbul, the inhabitants drink a lot of tea! They are also the kings of coffee. And they don't prepare it like we do at home. You will always be asked if you want sugar or not before making you a coffee. Indeed, here we mix a dose of ground coffee with sugar or not, then pour water at room temperature on top. We mix then put it on the fire and mix again for a few minutes without it boiling! It's finally ready! A quick coffee with a lot of sediment at the bottom of the cup. Which apparently allows you to read the coffee grounds ;)

Saint Sophia Basilica

If, like us, there is a never-ending queue during the day at the Hagia Sophia, we advise you to come back at the end of the day, from 7pm there is no one there. In addition, the basilica is open until 10pm.

You can't miss this majestic old basilica, known throughout the world. With its impressive dimensions, it was the largest church in the world until the construction of the Cathedral of Seville. Even more beautiful at night lit up by the beautiful suspensions.

Entrance to mosques is free.

We ended the day in a restaurant in the Sulthanamet district to enjoy a kebab and a gözleme! My culinary favorite of the stay in Istanbul. It is a kind of pancake filled with potato, spinach and cheese. The gozleme is usually eaten for breakfast.

Our end of the day ended in a place to smoke hookah and drink good tea. We found a place that was absolutely incredible

Day 2: Balat district and the banks of the Golden Horn in Istanbul

The Grand Bazaar

Not far from the Süleymaniye Mosque, discover the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul! With an area of ​​45,000 m², this covered market is one of the largest in the world. Although many shops are no longer truly traditional, the architecture of this place typical of the Ottoman world is worth a visit. Come and explore the aisles of this lively bazaar, even if we didn't fall in love with it, you have to come for its unique atmosphere.

Colorful district of Balat

To reach the Balat district we took bus 99.

My favorite part of the trip, the Balat and Fener districts, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites , still very little visited even though they are among the most fascinating and important in the history of the city. The houses on Kiremit Street are one of the most famous and Instagrammable in Istanbul.

Today, it is one of the most charming districts of Istanbul, it has been given a new lease of life since the 2000s with the UNESCO plan which allowed the restoration of more than a hundred buildings and the development of Turkish television series which take the district by storm for its architecture and its unique charm. A visit to Fener and Balat is a must during your stay , it will transport you to another time by making you discover a more local and traditional Turkey .

Don't miss the majestic Fener Greek Orthodox High School.

Galata Tower

We walked around the heights of the Galata district and this naturally led us to the Genoese Galata Tower. The queue is relatively fast. The ascent is done by elevator, up there you will have access to a 360 degree terrace. We then go down on foot and enjoy an interactive visit on several floors.

8.5€ access to the tower / person

Bosphorus Cruise

Discover Istanbul in a different way with a boat cruise on the Bosphorus to end your stay in style!

This activity is a must-do not miss during your 3-day stay in Istanbul. The Bosphorus is a spectacular strait that separates the shores of the two continents and offers breathtaking views of the European and Asian shores. With its 42 km long and 700 m to 3 km wide, this Bosphorus cruise will undoubtedly be a highlight of your visit, don't miss it!

We opted for a boat tour at the end of the day and it was gorgeous! Breathtaking colors at sunset. The highlight of the tour is seeing the city from the water, like the famous neo-baroque mosque of Ortaköy, a real postcard image of Istanbul.

We booked a private yacht cruise (12 people max) with an English speaking guide. 35€ / person

Beyoğlu District

We then crossed the Balat Bridge to the bustling Golden Horn district.

Discover the lively Beyoğlu district, typically Istanbul! Close to the quays, this small pedestrian and shopping district is full of shops, bars, cafes and traditional restaurants. Immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere of Beyoğlu , its colorful and lively streets and enjoy its many shops and restaurants for an authentic Istanbul experience.

We took Istiklal Avenue, the one with the red tram. It is the main axis of this old, very Western district of Istanbul. Here you only find big brands and a crowd at all hours of the day. This is where you meet the middle-class Istanbulites , a street that looks like all the mass shopping streets in Europe, not a big fan for me.

Day 3: Asian shores and culinary tour of Istanbul:

We took the boat from the Eminonü quays, in just 35 minutes (1€ ticket).

Haydarpasa Station in Istanbul