What to do in Istanbul in 6 hours

3 self-guided 6-hour routes through Istanbul — every stop timed, mapped and in the order that works on the ground.

The last sultans' palace on the water, their hilltop park, Ortaköy's mosque under the bridge, the village of Bebek and the fortress at the narrowest point of the Bosphorus.

Dolmabahçe Palace · Yıldız Park · Ortaköy Mosque · Ortaköy square · Bebek · Rumeli Hisarı

4.2 km on foot 6 stops 5h 36m total

6h Mid-range

Süleymaniye, the aqueduct and Zeyrek in six hours

The spice bazaar, a mosque lined with İznik tiles, Sinan's masterpiece, the Roman aqueduct and the hilltop church of the Byzantine emperors.

Spice Bazaar · Rüstem Paşa Mosque · Süleymaniye Mosque · Şehzade Mosque · Valens Aqueduct · Zeyrek Mosque · Fatih Mosque

2.6 km on foot 7 stops 4h 40m total

6h Mid-range

Sultanahmet in six hours

Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the cistern, the sultans' palace, and the covered market at the end.

Hagia Sophia · Blue Mosque · Basilica Cistern · Topkapi Palace · Grand Bazaar

2.9 km on foot 5 stops 5h 38m total

Planning the rest of the trip

These routes cover the walking. The Istanbul guide has where to stay, what a day costs at each tier, and what to book before you go.