Three days in Istanbul adds the Asian side to the standard Old City and Galata itinerary, crossing the Bosphorus by commuter ferry to spend a morning in Kadıköy before returning to cover the Grand Bazaar. The route averages 5-7 km of walking per day, with two ferry crossings on Day 3.

Day by day

Day 1: Old City: Sultanahmet and Eminönü

  • Hagia Sophia — 1.5 hr. Arrive at 8:15 AM. Ground floor free (cover shoulders and remove shoes); upper gallery $32 with timed entry, booked in advance at sultanahmetmosque.gov.tr.
  • Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) — 45 min. Free entry. Closed to visitors during the five daily prayer windows; schedule posted at the north gate.
  • Basilica Cistern — 1 hr. $4.25 entry. Book online at yerebatan.com to skip the walk-up queue. Cool, dim, and uncrowded before 10am.
  • Rest valve — Tarihi Sultanahmet Köftecisi, Divan Yolu Caddesi — 45 min. Köfte and red lentil soup from a lokanta at the same address since 1920. $4-7 per person.
  • Topkapi Palace — 2.5 hr. $15-18 palace entry; $10 Harem add-on with timed slot. Book at muze.gov.tr. Follow the second and third courtyards before the Harem.
  • Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) — 45 min. Free entry. Outer-ring vendors undercut the main hall by 20-30%.
  • Eminönü waterfront and Galata Bridge lower deck — 1 hr. Balık ekmek from the stall 50 m west of the moored boats; $3-4.
  • Total: ~6 km walking; 0 transit segments.

Day 2: Galata, Beyoğlu, and the Bosphorus Shore

  • Galata Tower — 1 hr. $27 entry. Arrive at 8:30 AM opening for an unobstructed deck.
  • Walk from Karaköy up through Galata streets to Tünel — 45 min. Steep lanes with original 19th-century buildings and independent coffee roasters.
  • Istiklal Avenue from Tünel to Taksim Square — 1 hr. The Pera Museum on Meşrutiyet Caddesi costs $8 and holds the Osman Hamdi Bey paintings collection.
  • Rest valve — börek and tea at any fırın (bakery) in Beyoğlu — 45 min. $2-4. Bakeries between Galatasaray Square and Taksim are cheaper than the cafes on Istiklal.
  • Ferry from Eminönü to Beşiktaş — 20 min. $0.80 Istanbulkart. Commuter ferry with open-water Bosphorus crossing.
  • Walk along the Bosphorus shore from Beşiktaş to Ortaköy — 1 hr. The path passes the Çırağan Palace exterior — the only 19th-century Ottoman palace facade still visible from the water.
  • Ortaköy waterfront and kumpir — 1.5 hr. Kumpir (stuffed baked potato, loaded at the counter) $4-6. Büyük Mecidiye Mosque is free outside prayer times.
  • T1 tram or bus 25E from Kabataş back to Sultanahmet — 25-30 min. $0.80 Istanbulkart.
  • Total: ~7 km walking; 1 ferry, 1 tram segment.

Day 3: Asian Side: Kadıköy and the Grand Bazaar

  • Ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy — 20 min. $0.80 Istanbulkart. Catch the 9am departure to reach the market before the lunch crowd.
  • Kadıköy Market (Tarihi Kadıköy Çarşısı) — 1.5 hr. The covered produce market on Muvakkıthane Caddesi has spice vendors, cheese sellers, and fresh pastry stalls. Buying a börek here costs half what you pay on the European side.
  • Moda neighborhood coastal walk — 1 hr. The Art Nouveau apartment blocks along Moda Caddesi date from the 1890s; the seaside path ends at a small pier with open water views over the Princes' Islands.
  • Rest valve — lunch at a lokanta on Muvakkıthane Caddesi — 45 min. A plate of stuffed peppers or grilled lamb with pilav runs $5-8. These are the restaurants where local office workers eat, not tourists.
  • Ferry from Kadıköy back to Eminönü — 20 min. $0.80 Istanbulkart.
  • Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) — 2 hr. Free entry from the Beyazıt Square gate; the Nuruosmaniye gate has a queue. Kuyumcular Caddesi (Jewelers Street) has the original 1890 painted dome. Open until 7pm most days.
  • Spice Bazaar outer streets — 45 min. The lanes between the Spice Bazaar and the ferry dock hold spice shops and bulk tea sellers at 30-40% lower prices than inside the bazaar.
  • Total: ~6 km walking; 2 ferries, 0 metro segments.
Traveller Tips
  • Load your Istanbulkart at the airport; the M11 metro to the city is card-only.
  • Days 1 and 2 match the 2-day itinerary exactly — if you have already done either, skip ahead to Day 3.
  • The Kadıköy ferry from Eminönü runs every 15-20 min from 7am. The 9am departure puts you at the market before the fruit vendors sell out of the best produce.
  • The Grand Bazaar on Day 3 follows the ferry back from Kadıköy — both the Eminönü ferry dock and the Beyazıt Square gate are on the same 10-min walking axis.
  • If you have energy on Day 3 evening, the Arasta Bazaar near the Blue Mosque is open until 7pm and has lower prices and shorter queues than the Grand Bazaar.