Known for
Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace fill one quarter on the historic peninsula.
Hagia Sophia and Topkapı
Sultanahmet
Sultanahmet
Sultanahmet Meydanı, Divan Yolu, Soğukçeşme
One quarter: Hagia Sophia, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Basilica Cistern and Topkapı Palace. Beyazıt is next door. Galata is already across the water. The Asian shore is not in this ring.
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Why go
Come on the first day, when Hagia Sophia opens. After noon the courts are full of groups and the cistern is close.
Where to stay
Worth a night if the church and Topkapı should be on foot in the morning. Evenings go quiet earlier than in Beyoğlu. A suitcase is heavy on the cobbles.
Local guide
Fedor Samorodov · guide
Keep the walk inside this quarter: the square holds Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, and Topkapı is the walled grounds at the point. Beyazıt begins along Divan Yolu, and Galata lies across the Golden Horn.