First Day in Istanbul

My Istanbul Guide
May 23
8 min read

You've just landed in Istanbul—welcome! So, what should you do on your very first day in this incredible city?

Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. On this page, I’ll walk you through exactly what to see, do, and experience to make the most of your first day in Istanbul. Whether you’re here for the history, the food, the views, or all of it combined, this guide will help you ease into the city’s energy without feeling overwhelmed.

This is the itinerary I follow for an introduction to the city! First, let's have a look at the center of the Old Town. The place that we can more or less call the 'Old Town' is Sultanahmet Square. It is in front of the Blue Mosque. Actually, the Blue Mosque is also a wrong name, as in Turkish it is called Sultanahmet Camii (Mosque of the Sultan Ahmed). IIt is the place to stay if it is your first time in the city. It is close to all the main attractions and also within walking distance to ports, Galata, Karaköy, and other famous sights. This is a tour that you can do on your own (following the links to Google Maps locations), and it lasts around 3-4 hours.

Hippodrome

Hippodrome is the longitudinal square that we call Sultanahmet Square. It is actually a square rising on the remains of the ancient Hippodrome of the city, built during the reign of Septimus Severus in 203 AD. We walk all the way till the end of it, until we reach the walled obelisk.

Note: If you descend the hill through Nakilbent Sk. to Kasap Osman Sk., you can view the walls of the Hippodrome. Click to go.

The 'Spina' of the Hippodrome can still be observed from the street below

Walled Obelisk

The Walled Obelisk (Turkish: Örme Dikilitaş) is a Roman-era monument located in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet Square, once the Hippodrome of Constantinople. Standing near the Obelisk of Theodosius and the Serpentine Column, it marks the southern end of the ancient chariot track. Though its original date is unknown, it was restored in the 10th century by Emperor Constantine VII—hence it's also called Constantine's Obelisk. Click to go.

Serpentine Column

The Serpent Column (Turkish: Yılanlı Sütun) is an ancient bronze monument in Istanbul’s Hippodrome, originally from Delphi. Brought to Constantinople by Emperor Constantine in 324, it was part of a Greek sacrificial tripod commemorating the victory over the Persians at the Battle of Plataea (479 BC). Once topped with three serpent heads, only fragments remain today—one can be seen in the Istanbul Archaeology Museums. Click to go.

Obelisk of Theodosios

And here we are—standing in front of the Obelisk of Theodosius, one of the oldest monuments in Istanbul. Believe it or not, this obelisk is over 3,500 years old! It was originally carved in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III and later brought here by the Roman emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century.

It was re-erected right here in the Hippodrome, where chariot races once thrilled the crowds. If you look closely, you’ll see beautiful carvings on the base showing Theodosius watching the games. It’s amazing to think this stone has traveled from the banks of the Nile to the heart of Istanbul and is still standing tall after all these centuries! Click to go.

German Fountain

And this beautiful structure right here is the German Fountain—a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany to the Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II, to celebrate the Kaiser’s visit to Istanbul in 1898.

It was built in Germany, then shipped piece by piece and assembled here in 1901. Take a moment to admire the elegant Neo-Byzantine design—especially the inside of the dome, decorated with gorgeous golden mosaics and the monograms of both the Sultan and the Kaiser.

The German Fountain is a reminder of the friendship between Germany and Türkiye.

It’s not just a fountain, but a symbol of the political friendship between the Ottoman Empire and Germany right before World War I. A perfect example of how politics, art, and history all meet in the heart of Sultanahmet! Click to go.

Now, we have finished the Hippodrome; and we are ready to continue to the next stop: Blue Mosque!

Engraving of Hippodrome in Istanbul by Luigi Mayer, 18th Century

Blue Mosque

Finished in 1617, the Blue Mosque may be the most famous sight in Istanbul. However, the official name of the mosque is Sultan Ahmet Camii (the mosque of Sultan Ahmed I). The name 'Blue Mosque' was given by Western tourists in the past because of the blue tiles covering the interior of the gigantic building. Expect to wait in line at least an hour to enter on a busy day!

There is at least one bigger and more magnificent mosque in the city than the Blue Mosque. However, its location is not as convenient as the Blue Mosque! (I will give you the answer at the end ;)) There is a gate of Blue Mosque opening to the Hippodrome. So, we will use that gate and enter the mosque! Click to go.

Entrance to the Blue Mosque from Hippodrome

Hürrem Sultan Bath

We entered the Blue Mosque through the Western side, and we exit through the Northern exit. On our way to Hagia Sophia, we have Hürrem Sultan's Baths on the right. Hürrem Sultan, originally named Roxelana, was a slave from what is today Ukraine. Brought to the Sultan's Palace as a concubine, she climbed up the ranks and bore many children to the great Sultan Süleyman I (also known as 'Solomon the Magnificent' in Europe). She was also the first concubine to have something of an official marriage with a Sultan. You can have a look at the classic Turkish TV series 'Muhteşem Yüzyıl' to learn about the period and Hürrem Sultan.

This is a functioning bath that you can visit. Click to go.

Hagia Sophia

We have come to the heart of the city, which is Hagia Sophia. This short section can't offer Hagia Sophia the description it deserves. Please check our page on Hagia Sophia. The square in front of Hagia Sophia was once called the "Augustaion," a name reportedly given in honor of Constantine’s mother, who held the official title of Augusta. You can imagine an equestrian statue of the emperor Theodosios I , standing on a huge column at the Western end of the square.

Next to the Augustaion, we have the beginning of the 'Mese', the main road connecting the city walls to Hagia Sophia and the Roman palace complex. Marking the beginning of the 'Mese' stands the Milion stone. In Roman times, it was considered the 'zero point' of the Empire. This poor stone block stands here all day, without even being noticed by many passersby. Click to go.

Million Stone, the 'zero point' of the Empire

Now, turn to the other end of the Augustaion (the eastern end) and walk behind the Hagia Sophia. You will find yourself on Kabasakal Caddesi. At the Northern end of the street, you will see the gates of the Sultan's mighty palace. Click to go.

Topkapı Palace

As you walk towards the gates of the Topkapı Palace, you have the old Roman palace complex on your right, starting here and going all the way down to the sea. It was the main palace of the Roman Empire from the 4th century until the 13th century, when it was pillaged and sacked by the invading Crusader army. Now, it is an Archeopark under construction. When it is opened to visitors, it will surely add a new dimension to the tourism of Istanbul.

Topkapı Palace stands at the tip of the peninsula. It is the eagle's nest on the Bosphorus, overseeing the sea route, as well as the European and Asian continents. Before the palace was built here in 1461, the area was the necropolis of the city. Topkapı Palace is open to visits, and you can easily spend a whole day in it. The palace consists of four adjacent sections surrounding four courtyards. We will, however, only visit the first courtyard - which is open to visitors without tickets.

In the first courtyard, you will see a very old Roman church, Hagia Eirene. Hagia Eirene, originally built by Constantine and later rebuilt by Justinian, is a Byzantine church in Istanbul notable for its early Christian significance and rare Iconoclastic mosaic cross. It served various roles over centuries—from cathedral to arsenal to museum—and was reopened to the public in 2014. It can be confused with Hagia Sophia by new visitors at first sight.

Hagia Eirene (on the left) next to Hagia Sophia

Now, lets exit from the same gate we used to enter the first courtyard of Topkapı Palace; turn right, and you will find yourself on the Soğukçeşme Sokak.

As you walk along the Soğukçeşme Sokak, you will find cute wooden houses on your left, leaning their backs on the palace walls - at least they used to be cute before being restored and turned into a 5-star hotel. I won't go into much detail, but one of the houses in the row is a museum and a library that you can visit on scheduled times. At the end of this street, you will turn left, and walk all the way until you reach the tramline. Once you reach the tram line, the building across you is the entrance to our next destination, Basilica Cistern. Click to go.

Basilica Cistern

Welcome to the Basilica Cistern—yes, we’re literally heading underground now. This massive water reservoir was built in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian, and it once held up to 80,000 cubic meters of water brought in from the Belgrade Forest. As you walk inside, you’ll notice the forest of columns (there are 336 of them!), some recycled from older Roman buildings—nothing went to waste back then. Keep an eye out for the two Medusa heads tucked away in a corner, used as column bases for reasons no one can really explain… There are two explanations:

Explanation A: The Medusa heads were relics of the old pagan religion, and they didn’t mean much to the newly converted, zealous Christians—so they saw no issue in reusing these scavenged heads as column bases for their new, purely functional structure.

Explanation B: The Romans believed that many of the guts diseases were transmitted through or caused by water. So, they used the Medusa heads to keep the water clean. Back in the day, Medusa’s face—known as the Gorgoneion—was basically an ancient “keep out” sign, used to scare off evil. So tossing her into the corner of a cistern might’ve just been a smart bit of recycling, but also a way to symbolically guard the water—because who’s going to mess with a snake-haired monster staring up from the shadows?

Basilica Cistern is also the location for the final scene of 2009 Hollywood movie 'Angels and Demons'.

Bonus Locations

Süleymaniye Mosque

Built by Sultan Süleyman (Suleiman the Magnificent), this is the biggest and most grand mosque in the city. It was built as an attempt to challenge the grandeur of Hagia Sophia. However, it failed like many of its predecessors, as no architect could achieve a bigger dome in the city of Istanbul until modern times. Still, Süleymaniye is a must-visit stop in Istanbul. The view from its front yard is phenomenal, and the area around it is also enjoyable to walk.

Perched like an eagle on the third hill of the city, it commands a view of the Golden Horn.

Süleymaniye Mosque, perched on the third hill like an eagle

Archeological Museums of Istanbul

Tucked just behind the Topkapı Palace, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums are a treasure trove of the ancient world—quite literally. This trio of museums (yes, three!) is home to over a million artifacts that span from the prehistoric to the Ottoman era. Think of it as a crash course in civilizations that once ruled the lands we now call home.

The complex is surprisingly calm compared to the hustle of Sultanahmet, making it a great spot to slow down and wander through time. Plus, the museum courtyard is a shady oasis perfect for a short break between ancient gods and forgotten empires.

All-time highlight of the show is the Alexander Sarcophagus, depicting Alexander's battles against the Persians; and the recent highlight is the Troy section, explaining the archaeological history of the ancient city and its eleven layers of different periods. It is a must-visit attraction in the city.