Food & drink
Karaköy Güllüoğlu
A long-established baklava shop a few minutes' walk from the ship, good for a tray of pistachio baklava and a Turkish tea or coffee.
6 things within 20 minutes of the ship in Istanbul
For short stops, hot days and anyone who'd rather not watch the clock. Times are from the Galataport Istanbul cruise terminal.
Boat & day trips
Bosphorus boat tour from Galataport
Tour boats leave the Galataport pier every half hour from the early afternoon (first sailing 13:30 when we checked) for a loop of about 70 minutes past palaces and waterside mansions. Buy tickets at the kiosks on Clock Tower Square.
SightsClosed Mondays
Istanbul Modern
Türkiye's best-known museum of modern and contemporary art, in a waterfront building right next to the cruise terminal. It has a café with Bosphorus views.
Sights
Galata Tower
A medieval stone tower above Karaköy with a balcony that looks over the Golden Horn and the domes of the old city. Queues can be long at busy times.
Sights
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
A working mosque with six minarets and an interior lined with blue tiles, facing Hagia Sophia across a park. Entry is free; it closes to visitors at prayer times.
SightsClosed Mondays
Dolmabahçe Palace
A lavish 19th-century waterfront palace with crystal chandeliers and gilded halls, about 2 km up the shore from the ship. Visits follow a set route.