Istanbul

About this place

Istanbul is the only city in the world that spans two continents. Its historic core is Sultanahmet, where Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern lie within a ten-minute walk of one another.

The second layer is the Bosphorus: a boat cruise, the Ortaköy and Bebek neighbourhoods, the Kadıköy market on the Asian side. The third is shopping and food: the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, the fish restaurants and İstiklal Avenue.

What to see

• Hagia Sophia — a 1,500-year-old building, a church that became a mosque
• The Sultanahmet (Blue) Mosque — six minarets and more than twenty thousand tiles
• Topkapı Palace — the sultans' residence, with the treasury and the Harem
• A Bosphorus cruise — between the European and Asian shores
• The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) — 4,000 shops, trading since the 15th century
• The Galata Tower and the Balat quarter — the city's most photogenic corners

When to go

April–June and September–November: +18…+26 °C with shorter queues. July and August are hot and crowded. Winter is mild (+8…+12 °C) with low prices and occasional snow.

Practical information

Entry: Citizens of Uzbekistan enter Türkiye visa-free for up to 30 days (90 days in any 180). The passport must be valid for six months.

Flights: Tashkent — Istanbul: direct flight, 4 hours 30 minutes. Several flights a day, also from Samarkand and Urgench.

Currency: Turkish lira (TRY). City exchange offices give better rates than the airport.