Things to do in Istanbul, Turkey

• Visit Miniatürk, a miniature park situated at the north-eastern shore of Golden Horn.
• See the İstanbul Sea Life Aquarium, also called TurkuaZoo, a public aquarium located in Bayrampaşa.
• Go to Vialand at Eyup, a theme park featuring amusement rides for all ages & a shopping center with dining & entertainment.
• Visit the KidZania at Acibadem AVM, the global leader in edutainment for children.
• Visit the Rahmi Koç Museum, a private industrial museum located at Hasköy.
• Take part in a workshop at the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, a museum of contemporary art in the Beyoğlu district.
• Visit the Istanbul Toy Museum, a toy museum located in the Göztepe neighbourhood.
• Visit Jurassic Land at Bayrampaşa, an indoor attraction featuring animatronic dinosaurs, model skeletons, a 4D movie, laser tag and a cafe.
• Go on a Bosphorus Tour. The Bosporus is a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey.
• Travel to Büyükada, the largest of the nine Princes' Islands in the Sea of Marmara.

Places to visit in Istanbul, Turkey

International tourists always set aside more time to visit the many sacred places in Istanbul, while they are on their Istanbul holidays. Let us get to know some of them.

• Ahrida Sinagogu (Synagogue) - Located in Balat, it is one of the oldest synagogues in Turkey.
• The All Saints Church -located in Moda in Kadıköy district – An ancient Presbyterian church, known locally as All Saints Kilisesi.
• Arap Camiisi (Arab Mosque – A mosque Located in the Karaköy quarter of the city, it was originally a Roman Catholic church erected by the friars of the Dominican Order.
• Atik Ali Pasa Mosque - A 15th century Ottoman mosque situated in Çemberlitaş, Fatih district. Construction was completed during the reign of Sultan Bayezid II, in in 1497.

Let us now get to know some of the popular streets and areas good for shopping.

• Bağdat Caddesi, meaning Baghdad Avenue - A notable high street found on the Anatolian side, it runs approximately 9 miles.
• Halaskargazi Avenue – Stretched between Şişli and Harbiye for 1.3 kilometers, this busy shopping district sells everything from clothes to electronics.
• Taksim Square - Situated in the European part of Istanbul in Beyoğlu, the Taksim Square is considered the heart of modern Istanbul. Famous for its many restaurants, shops, and hotels.

Food in Istanbul, Turkey

Turkish cuisine is essentially Ottoman cuisine. Its culinary style may also be seen as a refined fusion of central Asian, middle eastern, eastern European and Balkan cuisines. Historians around the world are of the unanimous opinion that Ottoman cuisine was unified and refined in imperial Istanbul. Istanbul is known for its historic seafood restaurants. Most of the well-known upscale seafood restaurants are located on the shores of the Bosphorus. A pedestrian zone in the Kumkapı quarter in Fatih district houses around fifty fish restaurants. Another locality in Istanbul famous for its seafood restaurants is the The Princes' Islands, located just 15 kilometers from the heart of the city.

Turkish cuisine varies across the country from region to region. And the widespread cooking style of Istanbul inherits many elements of Ottoman court cuisine, with comparatively lesser use of spices. Much like other metropoles around the world, Istanbul has a famous street food culture too. From small buffets streets to native street vendors the street food of Istanbul is full of choices. When you are on your Istanbul vacation, try to taste pastry delicacies like simit and börek from the street food vendors. You should also try Balık ekmek, a kind of fish sandwich.

Learn Less