Istanbul in 4 days

Best time to go: April, May, June, September or October are goods months to travel to Istanbul so you can avoid the hot months of the summer and the cold winter.

General Advice: you will definitely will need approximately 4 days to explore the city properly so take that into account when booking your trip.

I would recommend staying in the Galata area which has fantastic views over the Bosphorus and great places to go for dinner or drinks. The suggested hotel is "The Galata Istanbul Hotel MGallery". I would not recommend staying in Sultanahmet as this area is very touristic and not very charming.

Day 1: Sultanahmet

On the next day you can start by visiting the most touristic parts of Istanbul. You can walk the full itinerary as everything is on the same 10 min radius:

• Hagia Sophia - built as a Christian church in the 6th century CE under the Byzantine emperor Justinian. In subsequent centuries it became a mosque, a museum, and a mosque again.

• Basilica Cistern - this immense underground water container was built during the reign of Emperor Justinian I in 532 to meet the water needs of the Great Palace. It is a marvellous piece of engineering.

• The Blue Mosque –built between 1609 and 1616 during the rule of Ahmed I. it comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasa and a hospice. Women should wear a head covering when entering and legs should be covered for both men and women.

• Sultanahmet Square - a park that was once the Hippodrome of Constantinople. It was a race track in its heyday that served as the sporting and social centre of the city. Today, only four fragments from the original structure remain.

• Topkapi palace - home of the Ottoman sultans for nearly 400 years, the palace was the heart of the Ottoman Empire. The monarch lived in Topkapı’s with concubines, children, and white and black servants. The visit is highly recommended! Very different to the typical European palaces.

Recommended dinner at "Eleos Restaurant" so you can taste delicious fish and seafood. Make sure that you book in advance to get a table with the best view.

Day 2: Galata and Markets

The next day will be more focused on markets and less focused on monuments sightseeing. You can walk the full itinerary however things are slightly further that the previous day, I will indicate how long it takes you to walk from point to point:

• Galata Tower - a medieval stone tower with a high, cone-capped cylinder that dominates the skyline and offers a panoramic vista of Istanbul's historic peninsula and its environs.

• The Galata Tower area´s is especially nice to have a walk and explore the charming shops around.

• Recommended lunch at "Moise Karaköy" good opportunity to try Turkish food on a beautiful rooftop.

• Spice Bazaar – after crossing the Galata Bridge, the next stop is the Spice Bazaar. I personally prefer this one to the Grand Bazaar as it is smaller and more manageable. (22 min walk from Galata Tower)

• Grand Bazaar - one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with 61 covered streets and over 4,000 shops. If you are planning in buying something, don’t forget to barter! (10 min walk from Spice Bazaar)

Recommended dinner at "Banyan" amazing view throughout Bosphorus, especially at night. The food is Thai fusion with some Japanese sushi thrown in for good measure.

Day 3: Dolmabahçe and Taksim

For the third day I recommend to spend the morning exploring Dolmabahçe and the afternoon exploring Taksim area. The distance between the two is just 25 min walk.

• Dolmabahçe Palace - served as the main administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1887 and from 1909 to 1922. It was built following the European contemporary style decorated with Baccarat Chandeliers and European furniture.

• Taksim Square - Fanning out from Taksim Square with its Republic Monument, it is a busy shopping and dining area. Vintage trams shuttle along Istiklal Caddesi, the city’s main pedestrian boulevard. The side streets are filled with bars, antiques shops and rooftop eateries with Bosphorus views.

Recommended dinner at "Parle" slightly further from the centre but completely worth it offering Southern French and Mediterranean cuisine.

Day 4: Kadıköy

Spend your next day enjoying Kadıköy a residential neighbourhood on Istanbul’s Asian side, famous for their market, colourful murals and the views across the Sea of Marmara toward Sultanahmet showcasing the skyline.

To get here there are 2 options:

1. If the traffic is good it will be 30 min by taxi – definitely the most comfortable option

2. Take the ferry from Karaköy to Kadıköy Çayırbaşı – this is my favourite option as you can enjoy a "mini cruise" at the same time and it only takes 45 min.

Once in Kadikoy, I would recommend visiting the following:

• Kadikoy Market - famous for its bustling fish and produce market offering Turkish pizza, olives, stuffed mussels…

• Tellalzade Street - famous for its antique shops and second-hand bookstores.

• Sanatcilar Street - you may find variety of pretty ceramics, paintings and art shops by the local ceramics artists.

• Bahariye Street - the most lively and famous place in Kadikoy.

• Moda - neighbourhood of Kadikoy . You may get to Moda by walking along the Kadikoy shoreline within 15 mins. There variety of lovely cafes, tea gardens and restaurants along the Moda coasts and inland. Having a rest at the cafes of Moda and watching sunset is also great attraction in Moda.

If you plan on having dinner while visiting Moda, one of the best places to do so is "Brasserie Noir" the meat is excellent!

If you have more days in Istanbul you can visit the Princes’ Islands that are a chain of nine small islands in the Sea of Marmara. A popular destination for tourists and Istanbulites to escape the hectic city life for a day. Of those nine islands, only four of them are open to the public: Büyükada, the biggest and most popular, Burgazada, Heybeliada and Kınalıada. All motorised vehicles are banned, making the islands an oasis of peace and quiet. If you are visiting, make sure you do so during a week day as otherwise it gets too busy.