Istanbul is a huge city, consisting of no less than 27 districts. Each of these districts contain several towns – among which famous ones like Sultanahmet and Taksim. Luckily, finding your way around town as a tourist is not that difficult as long as you keep the big picture in mind. I therefore divided the city into the following six (not too big) areas, housing most of the tourist attractions:

• the historical part, south of the Golden Horn
• the modern part, north of the Golden Horn
• the area along the Golden Horn
• the European shores of the Bosphorus
• Kadıköy and its surroundings on the Asian shore

Not on the map below (click to enlarge), but also an important tourist area are the Princes’ Islands.

Overview map of Istanbul's main tourist areas.

The Historical Part

Boroughs: Beyazit, Eminönü, Fatih, Kumpkapı, Mercan, Sirkeci, Sultanahmet, Tahtakale
Sightseeing spots: Archaeology Museums, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Haghia Sophia, Harem, Hippodrome, Museum of Haghia Eirene, Topkapi Palace, Spice Bazaar and Süleymaniye Mosque

The Modern Part

Boroughs: Beşiktaş, Cihangir, Galata, Karaköy, Nişantaşi, Ortaköy, Şişli, Taksim, Tophane, Tünel, Yıldız
Sightseeing spots: Dolmabahçe Palace, Flower Passage, Galata Tower, Istanbul Modern, Istiklal Caddesi, Nevizade, Taksim Square, Tunnel, Shopping Centers

Along the Golden Horn

Boroughs: Eyüp, Sütlüce
Sightseeing spots: Rahmi Koç Museum, Miniatürk, Pierre Lotti

The European Shores of the Bosphorus

Boroughs: Arnavutköy, Bebek, Hisar, Istinye, Kuruçeşme
Sightseeing spots: Fortress of Europe, Historical Houses, Istinye Shopping Center, Openair Night Clubs

Kadıköy on the Asian Shore

Boroughs: Fenerbahçe, Kadıköy, Moda
Sightseeing spots: Bahariye Caddesi, Bağdat Caddesi, Fenerbahçe Marina, Hotair Balloon

The Princes’ Islands

Islands: Büyükada, Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada
Sightseeing / Activities: Monastery of St George, wooden mansions, horse-drawn carriage rides, bicycle tours, beaches

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The map below gives an overview of the five main tourist areas in Istanbul:

• the historical part, or south of the Golden Horn
• the modern part, or north of the Golden Horn
• along the Bosphorus
• the Asian shore
• along the Golden Horn

Just click on one of the five colored (red, blue, green, pink and brown) areas to see more details.
The Princes’ Islands are not colored in and can be found south of the green area by moving the map upwards.

View Finding Your Way Around Istanbul as a Tourist in a larger map

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There are basically two options: south of the Golden Horn or north of it.
The good news is that there is no good or bad area. It’s just a matter of preference. The bad news is that you should expect to spend plenty of time in taxis, regardless of the area you choose. Why? Because most visitors tend to spend a fair amount of time in both areas. Luckily taxis come rather cheap!

North or South of the Golden Horn?

Map of Istanbul with the Golden Horn, the Modern Part of Istanbul, and the Historical Part of Istanbul.

The Golden Horn (Haliç, see blue area on map) is the river-mouth that is spanned by the Galata and the Atatürk bridges. South of the Golden Horn, you’ll find the historical part of Istanbul (red area on map). North of the Golden Horn is the modern part of Istanbul (purple area on map) and basically means Beyoğlu (Taksim), the business and entertainment district.

South of the Golden Horn has traditionally been the centre for the city’s budget and mid-range accommodation, with a lot of historical hotels and pensions, while Beyoğlu (and Taksim in particular) was the place to be for four star and deluxe hotels. To a certain extend this is still the case, but in recent years both areas can offer a wide variety in hotel choices. For an overview of my favorite hotels, check out recommended hotels in the historical part of Istanbul and recommended hotels in the modern part of Istanbul.

So, based on what should I pick an area?

Both areas have their pros and cons. If you want to sleep within walking distance of top sightseeing attractions like Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar and the Basilica Cistern or enjoy breakfast on a rooftop terrace while admiring the cleavage created by the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia, then you can’t go wrong south of the Golden Horn. The downside is however that the streets tend to get less crowded after sundown and good night-entertainment is rather scarce.

Beyoğlu on the other hand misses out on the romance and views offered in Sultanahmet, but largely compensates this with its Bosphorus views, countless cozy (rooftop) restaurants and lively bars and nightclubs, all just a short stagger home afterwards.

And the winner is…

Over the years I have stayed in both areas and had to find lodging for numerous visitors. Based on those experiences I favor a stay north of the Golden Horn. Certainly if your city-trip exceeds a three-night stay, since this means you’ll travel outside the boundaries of Sultanahmet and its neighboring districts. In which case Taksim is ideally located as the centre for your excursions. Even if this means you need to take a 15-minute taxi ride (or double in rush hour but still only TL 10) to reach Sultanahmet.

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