On my last day in Istanbul, I headed to Sultanahmet Square for sunrise. There was only one other person in the square that early, and we began talking as we took photos for each other.
He told me that he was on a layover in Istanbul for the morning, and had been told to head to Sultanahmet Square to see the Blue Mosque. Apart from that, he had no other plans. Luckily, I had a morning’s worth of sightseeing in the square already planned, and he eagerly tagged along.
By the time he boarded the bus back to the airport five hours later, he was raving about the places we had visited. It got me thinking that, with so many routes stopping for layovers in Istanbul, there should be more information about how to spend that time. Who wants to be stuck in the airport for hours on end when they could be exploring a new city?!
With my new yet short-lived travel companion in mind, I’ve compiled an achievable guide to Istanbul’s highlights in just a few hours.
Sultanahmet Square is the place to go for a short stop in Istanbul. It’s the old part of the city and is pretty easy to get to from all three of Istanbul’s airports (keep reading for directions and travel tips).
Not only does Sultanahmet Square have ATMs, free WiFi and reasonably priced restaurants and cafes. It’s also a beautiful and atmospheric part of the city and boasts three of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul.
Spending longer in Istanbul? Check out my three-day itinerary for more of Istanbul’s highlights.
Built in the early 1600s, Sultanahmet Mosque (AKA the Blue Mosque) is probably Istanbul’s most well-known tourist site. It’s easy to visit in a short amount of time, as long as the queue to enter isn’t too long.
Once inside, I felt a little bit dwarfed by the scale of the mosque. Ginormous marble columns that support the Blue Mosque’s many domes dominate its interior. It is decorated all over with complex mosaics, stained glass windows and circular chandeliers. Though I will say it was less blue than I was expecting, it was beautiful and intricate nonetheless.
Opening hours: open to non-Muslim tourists from 8.30 a.m. to just before dusk each day, except Fridays, which open later at around 1.30 p.m. All mosques close for about an hour around prayer times—and even longer on Fridays—so I recommend checking whether the Blue Mosque is open first and return later if not. I used this website to time my visit around Islamic prayer times.
Cost: free
Dress code: shoes off; shoulders, legs and head covered
Restrictions: rucksacks are allowed and there are no security scanners. However, it is a working place of worship so I highly recommend common sense!
Time spent here: 30 mins
Located just across Sultanahmet Square, Hagia Sophia was once a church, then a mosque, and is now a museum.
The building is a beautiful dusty pink on the outside, and decorated with shades of gold on the inside. It struck me as a very mysterious building, with peeling frescos and fragmented mosaics adorning the dark, cool space. Once again I felt dwarfed by the high domes and large, decorative discs. However, the atmosphere inside Hagia Sophia was surprisingly calming.
Opening hours: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (last entry during winter) or 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (last entry during summer)
Cost: 60 TL (cash only)
Dress code: none
Restrictions: rucksacks are allowed but they go through a security scanner on entry. Tripods will be removed and kept back by security until you exit. When I went to collect my tripod I saw a guitar in the security office that had also been confiscated!
Time spent here: 30 mins–1 hour
Unlike the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, I had never heard of Topkapi Palace until I researched Istanbul. It’s just a couple of minutes walk from the Hagia Sophia to I decided to add on a visit. I’m so glad I did, as it ended up being possibly my favourite place in Istanbul!
The palace grounds are large, with courtyards, gardens and museum exhibits about Turkish history. My favourite section of the palace was the harem. Though it costs a little bit extra, it’s the largest and most detailed part of the palace. For blue tiles galore, head to Topkapi’s harem.
Opening hours: closed on Tuesdays! Otherwise 9 a.m.–4 p.m. (last entry during winter) or 9 a.m.–6 p.m. (last entry during summer).
Cost: 60 TL entry and additional 35 TL for the harem, which was my favourite part and well worth the extra cost.
Dress code: none
Restrictions: rucksacks are allowed though they go through a security scanner on entry. I had my tripod on me and it wasn’t removed.
Time spent here: 30 mins–1 hour in the harem; 30 mins–1 hour in the rest of the grounds. Honestly, I could have spent longer here but we were on a tight layover schedule.
Left luggage: If travelling with large suitcases, all three Istanbul airports have relatively cheap left luggage rooms or lockers. Neither Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque nor Topkapi Palace allow large baggage so make sure to check this and avoid lugging it on public transport as well.
Payment: I would suggest taking out cash at the airport and using that for your trip. While all prices listed here are correct as of May 2019, bear in mind that Turkey’s economy isn’t having a great time at the moment, so prices seem to be escalating regularly.
Visas: Also take into account that leaving the airport will require a visa for many passports. I bought a Turkish E-Visa online a couple of weeks in advance for $21 / £16.
One of my biggest worries is missing the bus / train / flight / ferry / you name it. I feel like leaving an airport during a layover is where it could all go wrong. However, what’s the point in sitting in Istanbul Airport for half a day when I could be exploring? Sometimes it’s worth the risk!
Saying that, I wouldn’t risk leaving the airport unless the layover is longer than 6 hours, especially if you’ll be travelling during rush hour at any point. I’ve included the time I spent at each location for a general gist of timings. We were following my travel buddy’s strict layover schedule, so it’s probably a good example.
If you have a choice, the best time to schedule a layover in Istanbul is in the early morning. All three of these sites are popular and the queues can get long, especially in high season. By travelling in the early morning, or potentially towards late afternoon, you can maximise the time spent exploring Istanbul.
A metro line is in the works, but for now the coach is the fastest and easiest way to get to the centre without booking a cab. The bus takes about one hour to go all the way to Sultanahmet Square. The return journey is 36 TL (about £5) and is only payable via an Istanbulkart. You can buy these at the airport for 5 TL and I suggest asking them to top it up with the full 36 TL when you buy it. No one wants to rush to catch a flight and find they don’t have enough money to get on the bus (*shudder*)!
My preferred transport option from Atatürk airport is via metro and tram. They can be crowded, but at around an hour it’s the quickest and most direct route without involving a taxi. Again, this is only viable using the Istanbulkart, which can be purchased at the airport. Even in the early hours of the morning I had no issues on the metro, tram or public buses as a solo female that was quite obviously a tourist.
SAW Airport is pretty far out of the city centre on Istanbul’s Asian side, and it’s a little bit more complicated to reach Sultanahmet. There is a bus from the airport to Taksim, and then it’s a metro and tram ride or a little bit of walking. Once again, buying an Istanbulkart and topping it up with sufficient funds at the airport is essential. The journey from SAW is the longest of Istanbul’s three airports, but it will still definitely be worth the journey!
Istanbul is an incredible city, straddling two continents to produce an Asian-European blend unlike anything else. With so many flights stopping for a layover in Istanbul, it’s a shame to waste those precious travel hours sitting in an airport. Armed with this guide, take up the challenge of heading out of the airport to explore this remarkable city!
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