What to Do in Istanbul: Two Continents, One Weekend

Daytime: Icons Before Ten

Beat the queues: Hagia Sophia at opening, the Basilica Cistern straight after, mosque courtyards before the tour groups land. Then get out of the old city — walk the Galata Bridge past the fishermen, climb through Karaköy's café streets to Galata Tower, and finish with a proper hammam: Kılıç Ali Paşa in Karaköy is the most beautiful of the accessible ones. The Grand Bazaar is worth an hour of getting lost; the Spice Bazaar is a faster, more atmospheric alternative.

The Ferry Rule

Whatever your plans, take a public ferry across the Bosphorus at golden hour — Karaköy or Eminönü to Kadıköy, tea in hand, gulls trailing the boat between two continents. It's the single most Istanbul thing you can do and it costs pocket change.

The Night: Meyhane to Morning

• Start: a meyhane on or around Nevizade Sokak in Beyoğlu — order meze rounds and rakı, stay for the live music.
• Rooftops: Beyoğlu and Karaköy terraces do skyline cocktails; go before 10 PM for a table.
• Clubs and late bars: the scene splits between Beyoğlu's alleys and Kadıköy's Kadife Sokak ("Barlar Sokağı") — our Istanbul nightlife guide maps it fully.
• 3 AM ritual: lentil soup or a wet burger (ıslak burger) at Taksim — the traditional end to a Beyoğlu night.

Getting Around

Get an Istanbulkart immediately — it covers metro, tram, funicular and ferries. Traffic is brutal, so default to rail and boats. Taxis are cheap but insist on the meter; the metro runs roughly 6 AM to midnight with extended weekend hours on some lines.