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Türkiye · November

Istanbul

Two continents, one waterway and fifteen centuries of skyline.
November is cool and occasionally rainy, with far fewer crowds than summer. It’s ideal for long museum days, hammams and ferry rides with a glass of tea.
Currency
Turkish lira (TRY)
Language
Turkish
Airports
Istanbul (IST), Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
Getting around
Tram, metro, ferries; Istanbulkart
Contents
01
4 places

Neighbourhoods

Cross the water at least once a day — it’s the best way to see the city.
01
Sultanahmet
Neighbourhood · Old city
The Byzantine and Ottoman core: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı within a few minutes’ walk.
02
Karaköy & Galata
Neighbourhood · Beyoğlu
Steep lanes below the Galata Tower, with design shops, bakeries and cafés.
03
Kadıköy
Neighbourhood · Asian side
A lively market district on the Asian shore, 20 minutes by ferry.
04
Balat
Neighbourhood · Golden Horn
Colourful old houses, churches and synagogues on hilly streets.
02
4 places

See

Monuments that still shape the skyline.
01
Hagia Sophia
Mosque · Sultanahmet
Completed in 537, with one of history’s great domes. Visitors enter the upper gallery; the ground floor is for worship.
02
Topkapı Palace
Palace · Sultanahmet
Courtyards, the Harem and treasury of the Ottoman sultans, above the Bosphorus.
03
Süleymaniye Mosque
Mosque · Fatih
Mimar Sinan’s masterpiece crowns the third hill, with wide views over the Golden Horn.
04
Basilica Cistern
Monument · Sultanahmet
A 6th-century underground forest of columns, lit low and reflected in water.
03
4 places

Eat

Breakfast spreads, kebabs, meze and some of the world’s best pastry.
01
Karaköy Güllüoğlu
Baklava · Karaköy
The baklava institution. Try pistachio, and a kaymak-topped piece if they have it.
02
Çiya Sofrası
Anatolian · Kadıköy
Regional dishes rarely found elsewhere, from a cook who collects recipes across Anatolia.
03
Hafız Mustafa 1864
Sweets · Sirkeci
Turkish delight, puddings and baklava in a historic shop near the Spice Bazaar.
04
Balık ekmek boats
Street food · Eminönü
Grilled mackerel sandwiches cooked on bobbing boats by the Galata Bridge.
04
3 places

Architecture & Design

Ottoman masterworks and new cultural buildings.
01
Istanbul Modern
Museum · Karaköy
Renzo Piano’s waterfront museum (2023), with a shimmering façade and Bosphorus views.
02
Atatürk Cultural Center
Architecture · Taksim
The rebuilt opera house (2021) with a striking red-domed main hall.
03
SALT Galata
Cultural centre · Karaköy
The former Ottoman Bank building turned free research library and exhibition space.
05
2 places

Day Trips

By ferry, the best way to travel here.
01
Büyükada
Day trip · Princes’ Islands
Car-free island of wooden mansions and pine hills, about 1.5 hours by ferry.
02
Long Bosphorus Tour
Day trip · Eminönü pier
The public ferry zigzags up the strait to Anadolu Kavağı, with a castle walk at the top.
06
Notes

Practical

Small things that make the trip easier.
01
Load an Istanbulkart for trams, metro and ferries — cheaper than single tickets.
02
In mosques, cover shoulders and knees; women cover their hair. Avoid prayer times.
03
Bring a light rain jacket for November.
04
Taxis: use an app or insist on the meter.
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