Straddling Europe and Asia, Istanbul is a city of layered history and living ritual. Roman forums meet Ottoman palaces, Byzantine mosaics glow beneath domes, and the call to prayer drifts over ferry horns on the Bosphorus. In a week, you can trace empires, taste the markets, and feel the pulse of neighborhoods from Sultanahmet to Kadıköy.

Once called Byzantium and Constantinople, the city’s skyline tells its story: Hagia Sophia’s monumental dome, the elegant minarets of the Blue Mosque, and Topkapı’s palace courtyards where sultans ruled. Beneath the streets lie cisterns and hammams; along the water, yali mansions and fishermen sell the day’s catch.

Practical notes: dress modestly for mosques and plan visits around prayer times; museum closures vary by day. Get an Istanbulkart for trams, metros, buses, and ferries. Cuisine spans meze, grilled fish, Anatolian stews, baklava, and lokum—this itinerary points you to local favorites as well as can’t-miss classics.

Istanbul

Istanbul rewards curiosity: wander a few blocks and you’ll step from Byzantine relics into a chic café, then onto a pier for tea with a Bosphorus breeze. Neighborhoods have distinct flavors—Sultanahmet for monuments, Karaköy for design-forward dining, Balat for old-world streets, and Kadıköy for market energy.

• Top sights: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapı Palace, Dolmabahçe, Galata Tower, Spice and Grand Bazaars, Istanbul Modern.
• Classic experiences: Bosphorus cruise, Turkish bath (hamam), meyhane night with meze and live conversation, ferry to Asia for street eats.
• Coffee and sweets to seek out: Turkish coffee at Mandabatmaz, third-wave brews at Petra Roasting and Kronotrop, baklava at Karaköy Güllüoğlu, and lokum at Hafız Mustafa.

Getting to Istanbul: For flights within or to/from Europe, compare fares on Omio (many nonstop options; London ~4 hours, Paris ~3.5 hours, typically from $120–$250 one-way off-peak). From the Middle East, Asia, or the Americas, check Kiwi.com or Trip.com (New York ~9–11 hours nonstop; Gulf hubs ~4 hours). Istanbul has two airports; plan 45–90 minutes into the city depending on traffic.

Where to stay: Search broad options on Hotels.com (Istanbul) or apartments on VRBO. For standout stays: waterfront elegance at Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul or Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus; resort-in-the-city vibes at Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul; boutique warmth near Sirkeci at Sirkeci Mansion; budget-friendly social hub at Cheers Hostel. For Bosphorus village charm, consider Arnavutköy’s Ajia Hotel or Fuat Paşa Yalısı; near the Spice Bazaar, Legacy Ottoman Hotel is steps from ferries.

Day 1: Arrival, Karaköy Warm-Up, and Golden Horn Sunset

Afternoon: Arrive and check in. Shake off the flight with a gentle wander through Karaköy’s lanes—street art, design boutiques, and waterfront promenades. Coffee at Petra Roasting Galataport or Kronotrop Karaköy to revive.

Evening: Stroll the Galata Bridge as anglers cast lines and watch the Old City turn gold. Dinner at Karaköy Lokantası for Ottoman-inspired meze and slow-cooked lamb; reserve if possible. For dessert, share baklava at Karaköy Güllüoğlu or pistachio şöbiyet—ask for it warm.

Night: Nightcap with Bosphorus views at a rooftop in Beyoğlu, or a mellow Turkish coffee at Mandabatmaz (thick, aromatic, and notoriously foamy). Turn in early—tomorrow is your deep-dive into Sultanahmet.

Day 2: Sultanahmet Icons—Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and the Cistern

Morning: Join a guided small-group to streamline queues and time visits around prayers: Istanbul: Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia & opt. Basilica Cistern Tour (about 3 hours). Dress modestly; headscarves are available at entrances.

Afternoon: Lunch at Şehzade Cağ Kebap (flame-grilled Erzurum-style skewers with lavash and sumac onions). Continue to Topkapı Palace and its Harem—courtyards, tilework, and sultans’ treasures—then relax in Gülhane Park with a tea beneath plane trees.

Evening: Reserve Giritli for a set meyhane spread (Aegean seafood, seasonal meze) in a historic house. If you prefer casual, try Balıkçı Barınağı in Kumkapı for grilled sea bream and raki among locals.

Day 3: Bosphorus Day—Palaces, Villages, and a Yacht Cruise

Morning: Tour Dolmabahçe Palace, the late Ottoman showpiece with crystal chandeliers and an opulent ceremonial hall. Walk the Beşiktaş Çarşı market afterward—try simit and kaymak at a local börekçi or fish sandwiches near the pier.

Afternoon: See both continents on a relaxed sailing: Bosphorus Yacht Cruise with Stopover on the Asian Side (about 2.5 hours). Look for yali mansions, Rumeli Fortress, and stop for famed thick yogurt in Kanlıca.

Evening: Dine waterside: choose Tuğra at Çırağan for Ottoman classics with palace ambience or Lokanta Feriye for modern Turkish plates and a postcard view of the Bosphorus Bridge. Finish with caramelized milk pudding (kazandibi) and a shoreline stroll in Ortaköy.

Day 4: Two Continents Food Tour—Kadıköy Markets to Üsküdar Sunset

Morning: Cross by ferry to Kadıköy. Join a guided tastescape: Istanbul Taste of Two Continents Food Tour - Spice Market & Ferry, which begins with a Turkish breakfast in the Old City before exploring Kadıköy’s market stalls.

Afternoon: After the tour, linger in Kadıköy for regional specialties at Çiya Sofrası (try lamb with sour cherries and seasonal mezeler). Walk to Moda’s seaside park for tea at a waterside çay bahçesi and ice cream from a local dondurmacı.

Evening: Ferry to Üsküdar for the classic Maiden’s Tower view at sunset. Dinner at Kanaat Lokantası, a beloved esnaf restaurant since 1933—line up at the dessert counter for baked quince or tavuk göğsü pudding.

Day 5: Balat & Fener Heritage, Galata Tower, and Istanbul Modern

Morning: Coffee at Coffee Department in Balat, then wander the steep cobbled streets of Fener and Balat—colorful houses, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, antique shops. Respect worship hours if stepping into historic churches and synagogues.

Afternoon: Head to Karaköy for the new Istanbul Modern—an airy Renzo Piano-designed space spotlighting Turkish contemporary art. Lunch at Pandeli inside the Spice Bazaar (blue-tiled legend; try lamb tandoori and stuffed vine leaves) or Neolokal at SALT Galata for Anatolian flavors reimagined.

Evening: Climb Galata Tower for panoramic dusk light (book timed entry on-site). Dinner at Aheste in Pera for refined meze and slow-cooked octopus; finish with salep on Istiklal Caddesi when evenings turn cool.

Day 6: Bazaars, Hammam Ritual, and Meze Night

Morning: Grand Bazaar browsing for hand-painted ceramics, copperware, and textiles (closed Sundays). Learn to bargain kindly; accept tea, but feel no pressure to buy. Break with pistachio lokum at Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir.

Afternoon: Detox the travel miles in a historic bath: Istanbul Gedikpasa Historical Turkish Bath with Privacy Option. Expect steam, exfoliation (kese), and a cloud of soap bubbles—blissfully traditional.

Evening: Meze crawl in Asmalımescit: start with stuffed mussels and arnavut ciğeri (crispy liver), then settle into Asmalı Cavit for a classic meyhane spread—grilled octopus, acılı ezme, and white cheese with melon. Raki is the traditional pairing; order slowly and share plates.

Day 7: Nişantaşı Boutiques, Taksim Arts, and Farewell Bosphorus

Morning: Brunch in Nişantaşı—try café favorites at MOC or a simit-and-menemen combo at a neighborhood lokanta—then browse Turkish designers and ceramics shops. It’s a good area for last gifts beyond the bazaars.

Afternoon: Explore the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) complex at Taksim and the pedestrian stretch of Istiklal for bookshops and street music. If you missed anything earlier, slot in Spice Bazaar for spices, Turkish tea, and dried fruits.

Evening: Celebrate your final night with grilled fish in Arnavutköy (tables practically on the water) or a refined send-off at Karaköy Lokantası if you couldn’t get in earlier. A moonlit promenade along the Bosphorus is the right goodbye.

Optional Logistics & Tips

Transit: Load an Istanbulkart at metro/ferry kiosks; rides are inexpensive and ferries double as scenic tours. Trams T1 and the funiculars quickly connect Sultanahmet, Karaköy, and Beyoğlu.

Arrivals: If you prefer a driver, compare private transfers and taxis at the airport; allow extra time in rush hour. For regional add-ons (e.g., flights within Europe or neighboring countries), check Omio; for longer-haul combinations, try Kiwi.com or Trip.com.

Bookable Highlights Used in This Itinerary

• Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia & Basilica Cistern tour
• Bosphorus Yacht Cruise with Asian-side stop
• Taste of Two Continents Food Tour
• Gedikpaşa Historical Turkish Bath

In seven days, you’ll have touched Istanbul’s essentials and its neighborhoods’ soul: domes and minarets, market aromas, ferries, and feasts. Keep this guide handy as you roam—every corner offers another story, and you now know where to begin.