First walk
Sultanahmet on foot: a first Istanbul walk
A Sultanahmet walking route linking the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cistern, with advice on choosing interior visits
Türkiye / CITY GUIDE
Istanbul, on foot
Sultanahmet, Galata and İstiklal. 14 walks, 45 places. Area guides and walking routes
Read, then explore
Open city map ↗
Neighbourhoods
Galata and Pera on foot: Camondo Stairs to Taksim
Walk through Galata and Pera via the tower, Pera Museum and İstiklal, with practical choices for steep streets, museums and exterior sightseeing
All walking routes
Classic Sultanahmet ↗
The Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern entrance
Topkapı, Gülhane and the headland ↗
Palace and archaeological museum gates, followed by the park and Sarayburnu views
Bazaars and the Golden Horn ↗
The Grand Bazaar, hilltop mosque and Spice Bazaar, ending on Galata Bridge
Galata and Pera ↗
Camondo Stairs and Galata Tower, Pera Museum and İstiklal Avenue to Taksim
Through Maçka to the Bosphorus ↗
From Taksim through a green hillside to Dolmabahçe’s entrance and Istanbul Modern
The grand walk: Istanbul ↗
The historic peninsula, Galata and Beyoğlu in one long walk. Museums, interiors and enclosed grounds can be visited separately
Golden Horn and Byzantine Zeyrek ↗
Eminönü, a mosque above the market and the climb to Zeyrek's brick domes
Galata, Tophane and passages ↗
Banking-era Karaköy, Tophane mosques and a church courtyard off İstiklal
Aksaray: mosques and Roman aqueduct ↗
From Aksaray Square through Laleli to Valens Aqueduct and Süleymaniye
Along the Golden Horn to the Iron Church ↗
Waterfronts from Galata Bridge to Bulgarian Saint Stephen Church
Çukurcuma and the Galata lodge ↗
Pamuk’s museum, a Catholic church and Mevlevi history on the Beyoğlu hillside
Fener and Chora: Byzantine mosaics and Ottoman hills ↗
Patriarchal Church of St. George → Phanar Greek Orthodox College → Bulgarian Saint Stephen Church → Chora Mosque → Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Edirnekapı
Old city: Little Hagia Sophia, cistern and Beyazıt ↗
Little Hagia Sophia → Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque → Theodosius Cistern → Beyazıt Mosque
Beşiktaş and Ortaköy: navy, park and Bosphorus ↗
Istanbul Naval Museum → Yıldız Park → Ortaköy Mosque
Places on the map
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Hippodrome — Sultanahmet Square
- Basilica Cistern
- Topkapı Palace
- Istanbul Archaeological Museums
- Gülhane Park
- Grand Bazaar
- Spice Bazaar
- Süleymaniye Mosque
- Galata Tower
- Galata Bridge
- Camondo Stairs
- Pera Museum
- İstiklal Avenue
- Taksim Square
- Dolmabahçe Palace
- Maçka Democracy Park
- Istanbul Modern
- Sarayburnu
- Rüstem Pasha Mosque
- Valens Aqueduct
- Zeyrek Mosque
- Zeyrek Çinili Hammam
- Bulgarian Saint Stephen Church
- Saint Anthony of Padua Church
- Çiçek Passage
- SALT Galata
- Kılıç Ali Pasha Mosque
- Nusretiye Mosque
- Laleli Mosque
- Pertevniyal Valide Sultan Mosque
- Museum of Innocence
- Galata Mevlevi Lodge Museum
- Chora Mosque
- Phanar Greek Orthodox College
- Patriarchal Church of St. George
- Mihrimah Sultan Mosque, Edirnekapı
- Theodosius Cistern
- Little Hagia Sophia
- Sokollu Mehmed Pasha Mosque
- Beyazıt Mosque
- Ortaköy Mosque
- Yıldız Park
- Istanbul Naval Museum
How these guides are made
Sources: tourism organisations, museums and heritage sites. Distance follows the walking track; time and elevation are estimates. Sources are checked remotely; an on-site walk has not been confirmed