Istanbul is an exciting city to explore; be prepared to be mesmerised by the sights, the food, and the locals. There is so much to do here, but there is also a lot to know before you go. If you are travelling to Istanbul for the first time, I have put together 30 practical travel tips for Istanbul that are worth taking into account.
This list of Istanbul travel tips includes money-saving tricks, information on the best public bathrooms, what to expect when you enter a mosque, and the most efficient way of getting around, plus so much more!
So, sit back and let’s get started on this list of 30 practical Istanbul travel tips.
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Istanbul Travel Tips
1. E-Visa
This is one of the most important Istanbul travel tips on the list. Turkey requires citizens from over 50 countries to apply for an e-visa prior to arriving in Turkey. Check if your country is on the e-visa list.
If you are from any EU country, Switzerland, UK, New Zealand, Japan, Brazil, Chile or Russia you do not need any visa. You will receive a stamp on arrival permitting you to stay between 30 and 90 days, depending on your country.
2. Purchase The IstanbulKart
If you plan on using public transportation, I recommend purchasing an Istanbulkart – a reusable and contactless card. This prepaid card can be used multiple times, but the real benefit is that it offers reduced fares, which definitely add up to savings. The Istanbulkart costs 50 liras.
You can purchase the Istanbulkart at the airport from the yellow or blue ticket machines located at -2 arrivals halls, through the mobile app by searching for the app ‘Istanbulkart,’ or from blue or yellow ticket machines at subway, ferry, tram, bus, and funicular stations.
Another option is to purchase the card in advance online, these cards are loaded with between 5 to 10 journeys covering trams, buses, ferries, and the metro. This travel tip can save you a lot of money!
3. Wild Cats + Dogs
Stray cats and dogs are everywhere in Istanbul. Some of the dogs are very big, but they are not dangerous, and, in my experience, they do not bother you.
However, my tip would be not to pet them, as some may carry rabies, and, of course, you can never predict how a wild animal will react.
The strays are treated well. You will notice food bowls and kennels on some streets. The Animal Protection Law states that no strays should be killed, captured, or unlawfully euthanised. In addition to this, dogs are vaccinated and neutered, and they are then given an ear tag, which encourages locals to feed them.
4. Safety
This is not so much a travel tip as a good-to-know fact. Be prepared to undergo security scans frequently while in Istanbul. Although this is by no means a bad thing! Istanbul has been the target of terrorism over the last number of years, and the increased security measures are a response to that.
At the entrance of every shopping mall and metro station, you’ll find body scanners, bag checks, and armed guards. Additionally, the streets are patrolled by armed police, and popular tourist spots have ‘tourist police.’ It is comforting to witness the protocols in place to protect both locals and tourists.
5. Fast + Furious Taxis
When you enter a taxi, buckle up and hold on for dear life… seriously! The taxi drivers I encountered drive like lunatics. They have the habit of simultaneously texting while speeding down the motorway and overtaking other fast cars.
In Ireland, we drive cautiously, so it is just something I had to get accustomed to and take deep breaths. On one occasion, a taxi was speeding through a tunnel, messaging on WhatsApp, and steering with his knee! It was not enjoyable, but I made it back in one piece!
My Istanbul travel tip for taxis is to use an app such as Uber or Bitaxsi.
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6. Double Check Your Taxi
My second taxi-related Istanbul travel tip is about making sure you are getting into the correct taxi that you have ordered from one of the apps mentioned above.
It is common for a taxi to show up, claiming they are your taxi and pointing at their phone, trying to trick you. My boyfriend and I were tricked by this before.
It was early in the morning, around 2 am, after a night out. We were waiting for the taxi we had ordered. A guy pulled up, with broken English, and said he was our taxi driver. He opened the door. It was dark, and I stupidly didn’t check the registration plates, and the app was indicating that my taxi had arrived. After getting in, we realized it was the wrong taxi, but we couldn’t get out. The driver said, ‘No harm will come to you,’ which made me feel like all the harm would come to us. Spoiler alert: the guy was actually fine. He just wanted a job and pulled a fast one.
It did make me think, what if he wasn’t nice? He could have driven us anywhere and demanded as much money from us as he wished. So, just be vigilant!
7. Traffic Is Crazy
Istanbul is a heavily congested city, with gridlocked roads being a common occurrence.
This is one of my essential Istanbul travel tips: avoid the roads during rush hours, from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM and from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
You will not get anywhere quickly during this time; the metro is the most efficient way to get around.
8. Do Not Rent A Car
I know, another transport related travel tip, but an important one nonetheless. You do not need to rent a car in Istanbul, the public transport is excellent but aside from the traffic mentioned above, the roads are also very dangerous.
In just one month I witnessed about 8 or 10 bad road accidents. In the first 9 months of 2022, there were 17,004 accidents , resulting in 93 fatalities in Istanbul. No matter how good of a driver you are in your home country, you will need to drive defensively here. So, just take the metro!
9. Be Mindful Of Scams
Let’s be real, scams happen everywhere, and Istanbul is no stranger to a few pesky scammers. This Istanbul travel tips list would not be complete if I did not share the main scams to watch out for.
i. Shoe Cleaning Scam
This involves a very friendly guy ‘accidentally’ dropping his cleaning tools. You, being the kind tourist, help him pick up his tools, and as a thank-you gesture, he offers to clean your shoes but can be very pushy. When he finishes cleaning your shoes, he demands money from you. Aside from this, they can often steal your wallet, so keep an eye on your belongings.
ii. Unofficial Tour Guide Scam
At popular tourist sites, you may be approached by a person pretending to be a tour guide, offering to be your guide for free. They will show you around, and while some provide accurate information, others just make it up. At the end of the tour, they will demand money from you, claiming it was never free and that you simply misunderstood. If you are approached, always request their tourist guide license number.
iii. Alcohol Scam
You order your classic go-to drink, rum and Coke Zero (that’s mine, what’s yours?), and it tastes off. You start to feel the alcohol hit you much quicker than usual. A few hours later, you have one of the worst hangovers of your life. You were given fake alcohol, a much cheaper alternative than the imported Bacardi or Captain Morgan’s. This is becoming more common due to how weak the lira is compared to how expensive alcohol is.
If you think your drink tastes different, send it back! Additionally, Google Maps is a great travel companion. If somewhere seems a bit dodgy, just check the reviews. If it happened to you, chances are it happened to somebody else.
10. Learn A Few Turkish Phrases
17% of Turkish residents speak English, although a large portion of this number lives in Istanbul you will meet many locals who do not speak it. To make life easier and make a good impression to the friendly locals it is good to know a few Turkish phrases to get by.
- Hello = “Merhaba”
- Thank You = “Te?ekkür ederim”
- How much? = “Ne kadar?”
- Excuse me = “Affedersin”
- Can you help me? = “Bana yard?m eder misin?”
Check out this blog post with 100 Turkish Phrases For Tourists that also includes audio pronunciation.
11. What To Wear
Due to Turkey being a predominantly Muslim nation, you will notice that many females wear a burqa or abaya. However, you are free to wear what you like; it is not super conservative.
I felt most comfortable when I was dressed more modestly than usual, wearing longer skirts, dresses, and trousers. I personally felt that I fit in a bit more.
If you plan to visit a mosque, you will be required to cover your hair, shoulders, and knees.
12. What To Expect In A Mosque
Fortunately, there are mosques open to the public in Istanbul. I highly recommend visiting them; they are peaceful places that can open your mind to a whole new religion. So, one of my best Istanbul travel tips is to visit a mosque! Here’s what you can expect:
You will be required to go through a body scanner and have your bag searched. If you are not already, you will be told to cover your hair, shoulders, and legs. I just wrapped my hair in a scarf, but they will have cover-ups available for a small fee there.
Once through the scanners, you will see a fountain in the courtyard where people wash their hands, face, and feet before worshipping.
You will need to remove your shoes before stepping inside, and lockers are available for this purpose. You could also put on a pair of clean socks if you do not like the idea of being barefoot.
Once you are in the hall, be prepared to be amazed. It’s hard to describe, but seeing people worship with such passion was awe-inspiring. I am not devoted to my religion, and it made me wish I had that level of faith.
13. Check Call To Prayer Times In Advance
One more travel tip I have about mosques is that Istanbul’s two main mosques that tourists visit, the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, are closed to worshippers during prayer time. Prayer occurs five times a day, for 10 minutes each time.
On the day you plan to visit check that day prayer times here and plan you visit around that.
14. Call To Prayer
You might be wondering what the call to prayer is. It is delivered by a muezzin and reminds Muslims that they must pray. This call is played five times a day from mosques for about 3 minutes and can be quite loud. If you are in public when it plays, nothing happens, and you are not expected to stand still. I assumed locals would stop and pray, but it’s just similar to when church bells chime. Just continue with your business; it is not disrespectful.
15. Mosques Have Free Toilets
This is one of my favourite Istanbul travel tips! Did you know that mosques have beautiful toilets that you can use free of charge, regardless of whether you are Muslim or non-Muslim? This practice is based on the Islamic principle of hospitality and service, as offering free use of toilets is considered a charitable act that helps those in need.
These toilets are well maintained and clean. Keep in mind that even if you are just visiting a mosque for the use of its toilet facilities, you will still need to dress respectfully.
Apart from mosques, the toilets in shopping centres are also very clean.
16. The Currency
The currency in Turkey is the Turkish Lira, abbreviated as TL. It is currently quite weak; therefore, if you are exchanging euros, dollars, or pounds, you will likely be pleasantly surprised with the result.
A few places will also accept euros and dollars as payment.
17. Carry Cash
Although cards are accepted in most places, I personally ran into a few occasions where card payments were not available. This included restaurants, cafes, and grocery shops.
In addition, you will need cash for the Grand Bazaar and street food stalls. My tip is to always make sure you have cash on you.
18. ATM Fees
Ah, those pesky ATM fees! There isn’t really a way to escape them; fees are generally between 5% and 7%. The best way to deal with this is to take out a large sum to prevent revisiting the ATMs and incurring more fees.
Regarding the conversion fee, you will be asked whether you want to complete the transaction in your home currency or the local currency (Lira in this case). You should select the local currency for the best rate. If you select your home currency, you are effectively letting the bank decide the exchange rate, and it always works out to be much more expensive. This Istanbul travel tip will save you some money!
One of the best money-saving Istanbul travel tips is to look out for the one bank that does not charge ATM fees: Ziraat Bank. They allow fee-free withdrawals of up to 1,500 Turkish Lira a day. The ATMs are bright red with a white logo on top.
19. Chasing Cars – Wedding Tradition
Do not be alarmed if you witness a large group of children/teenagers running out onto the busy roads to block a wedding car.
This is actually a wedding tradition, and when the car is blocked, a toll must be paid. I am including this on the list because I witnessed this on one of my first days and thought they were trying to rob people!
20. Get Yourself An E-Sim
This next Istanbul travel tip is simple and can be applied worldwide!
Turkey is not part of the EU and, therefore, is not included in the unlimited roaming rates. If you do not purchase a local SIM card, you will be charged extortionate roaming rates.
I personally use Airalo whenever I need an e-SIM. It’s straightforward; you just download the app, choose the package, and install it on your phone.
Use my code TARa1104 for $3 off your first sim, I will also receive $3 in Airalo credits. This nifty Istanbul travel tip allows you to be prepared before you arrive, landing with mobile data.
21. Your Guide To A Turkish Bath
A Turkish bath, also known as a Turkish Hammam is deep routed in Turkish culture. My tip is that you should experience it for yourself. If you feel a little intimidated by it here is a little taste of how it will go
- the experience begins in a steam room
- next step is exfoliation
- you will then be soaped up with olive oil soap and massaged on a heated marble tile
- the soap is washed off
- finally spend some time to relax alone, most Hammams will serve a beverage such as tea or juice.
Some well known Hammans to try are Cagaloglu, Catma Mescit Hamami, and Cukurcuma Hamami.
22. Pack Comfortable Shoes
You will thank me later for this Istanbul travel tip! Leave those new, never-worn-before shoes at home. You will be doing a lot of walking in this city, much of which will be uphill. Yes, that’s right, Istanbul is a hilly city, and it also has many streets with cobblestones.
The most challenging area is Galata, but there is a funicular that will take you to the top if you find it difficult. That’s another Istanbul travel tip for you!
23. Stay at least 3 days
I recommend staying at least 3 days, but ideally 5 to get comfortable with the culture and truly experience the best bits.
I would not recommend it as just a weekend Saturday/Sunday trip, you won’t have time to do many of the best stuff.
You should at least visit The Grand Bazaar, Galata, Bosphorus, Topaki Palace, ?stiklal Avenue, Turkish bath house and experience a mosque. Not to mention having time to try all the food and the crazy nightlife!
24. Banned Websites
Turkey regulates its internet so some sites you visit frequently may not be available.
In 2022 access to 712,000 websites were blocked. This also includes social media blackouts, Youtube videos and news articles.
It is not uncommon for social media websites to be taken down intermittently, with no notice.
As with all of life’s great problems, there is a solution! You can download a VPN app on your phone; there are plenty available on the app store. This will allow you to change your location to another country. In general, using a VPN is a fantastic travel tip. It protects your data from any hackers who may try to compromise your personal information.
25. Drinking Tap Water
Tap water in Istanbul is generally safe to drink and meets international safety standards. In my experience it had a funny taste, but you get used to it after a few seconds. I never got sick from the water in Istanbul.
Bottled water is very affordable and available everywhere which is good news for anyone not comfortable drinking the water.
26. Getting From The Airport
Istanbul’s main airport is located approximately 45km from Istanbul city. A journey that can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes depending on traffic. Your options are a private transfer, metro, or bus.
Private Transfer
A private transfer involves being picked up by a driver at the arrivals hall. You pay at the time of booking, which is great because it eliminates the need to convert currency when you land. I like to use Airport Transfer. Prices start at 800 TRY / €30.
Metro
Although the metro runs through Istanbul airport, you need to switch lines a few times to get to the main tourist areas. While it is affordable, it may not be the easiest option.
Istanbul Airport to Taksim: Take the M11 Kagithane airport metro to Kagithane, transfer to the M7 Yildiz – Mahmutbey Line to Mecidiyekoy, then take the M2 Yenikapi – Haciosman Line to Taksim station.
Istanbul Airport to Be?ikta?: Take the M11 Kagithane airport metro to Kagithane, transfer to the M7 Yildiz – Mahmutbey Line to Mecidiyekoy. From here, you will need to take the DT1 bus.
Bus
Havaist Airport Buses run 24/7, the number 16 goes to taksim square, number 15 goes to Be?ikta? and number 14 to Kad?köy. It costs between 57 to 75 TRY. The easiest way to pay is by downloading the app, purchasing a ticket online and scanning ticket when you board the bus. You can also use your Istanbulkart to pay for this journey!
27. Airport Security
On the other hand, regarding departure you need to give yourself plenty of time when travelling to the airport, there is so much security! If flying internationally give yourself 3 – 4 hours prior to departure.
If arriving by car the car will be searched at concrete barriers about 500m from the airport. When you arrive at the departures terminal your bags will be checked. You will then go through passport control followed by another bag check.
28. Catch A Sunset
Do not miss out on the sun setting over Istanbul. It is one of the most beautiful sunsets you will ever see. The sky turns a burning ember colour wile the sun slowly falls behind the incredible Suleymaniye Mosque.
I loved sitting along the Bosphorus Straits, you could also do a sunset cruise, watch it from Galata Tower or head to a rooftop bar. Mikla is an upscale restaurant with fabulous views.
29. Remember To Tip
It is customary to tip in Istanbul when in restaurants, salons, hammans, and at the end of a tour.
A 10 -15 % tip is enough. Moreover it is a good practice to round up taxi fares and street vendor bills.
30. Haggle At The Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar is a fantastic place to get some haggle experience, they actually expect and is part of the culture.
Here are a few haggling tips for Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar to feel like a pro in no time
- Never name your hghest price first, let the sales person start
- Do not act too interested, I would actually suggest appearing as though you are going to leave
- Likely, he will make a lower offer and no you can begin to haggle
- The level of discount can be anywhere between 15 – 50%. Really inspect the item to see if it’s actually worth the price
- You will also be offered tea, see it a marathon not a race
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