Where to stay in Istanbul

Budget: Hostel Le Banc (⭐ 9.5) – This popular hostel in Beyoglu is footsteps from the Galata Tower and Sishane metro station. It features air-conditioned rooms (private doubles and mixed/all-female 4 and 10-bed dorms), a shared lounge and a terrace.

Mid-range: 38 Hotel (⭐ 8.6) – Located in Sisli, close to Osmanbey metro station, this hotel has compact, tidy double rooms and suites.

Boutique: Hotel Empress Zoe (⭐ 9.2) – This gorgeous boutique hotel is decorated with heritage flourishes and boasts hammam-like ensuites and private internal terraces. The location in Fatih, minutes from Sultan Ahmet Mosque and the Blue Mosque, is very central yet the hotel still feels secluded.

Luxury: Ecole St. Pierre Hotel (⭐ 9.5) – Located in Beyoglu close to Galata Tower, this boutique-luxury hotel offers high-end suites with private courtyards and terraces. The building, an old Italian Dominican school with remnants of the 13th-century Galata walls inside its courtyard, is dripping with history.

Istanbul 4 day itinerary overview

• Day 1: Classic Istanbul – Galata, Karakoy & the Golden Horn: Galata Tower; Bank Street; Karakoy district; the Orient Express Cafe; Gulhane Park; Topkapi Palace (optional); Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern & the Blue Mosque; Grand Bazaar (optional); sunset from Galata bridge.
• Day 2: Colours of Istanbul – Fener, Balat, Ayakapi, the Spice Bazaar & Fatih: Kahvalti Turkish breakfast; Fener & Balat districts; Kariye Mosque; Saint George’s Church & Ecumenical Patriarchate; Fatih Mosque; the Spice Bazaar; authentic Whirling Dervishes ceremony in Fatih.
• Day 3: The Asian Side – Kadikoy, Kuzguncuk & Uskudar: Bosphorus ferry crossing; Kadikoy district & market; meze lunch; Uskudar Coast Walkway; Kuzguncuk district & Bostani; sunset from Camlica Hill.
• Day 4: Local Neighbourhoods – Besiktas, Arnavutkoy, Cihangir & Cukurcuma: Besiktas Breakfast Street; Sinan Pasha Mosque & the Tomb of Barbarossa; Dolmabahce Palace (optional); Cihangir & Cukurcuma districts; Arnavutkoy district; traditional Turkish hammam; Istiklal Avenue & Taksim Square.