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 in Istanbul
Add your ship's times on the port page to see what fits.
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.
SightsClosed Tuesdays
Topkapı Palace
The Ottoman sultans' palace: courtyards, kiosks, treasury and the Harem (extra ticket), with terraces over the Bosphorus. It needs at least two hours.
Sights
Süleymaniye Mosque
Sinan's great mosque on one of the city's hills, often quieter than the Sultanahmet sights, with fine views over the Golden Horn from its gardens.
Sights
Hagia Sophia
The vast sixth-century domed building, now a working mosque. Visitors take a separate route to the upper gallery to see its Byzantine mosaics; visits pause at prayer times.
Sights
Basilica Cistern
A huge underground Byzantine water store held up by rows of lit columns, including two carved Medusa heads. Cool and atmospheric on a hot day.
SightsClosed Sundays
Grand Bazaar
One of the world's oldest covered markets, a maze of lanes selling carpets, lamps, jewellery and leather. Easy to get lost, so agree a meeting point.