Why go
- Largest city in Turkey.
- 1 curated must-see attraction on record, including The Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii).
- Served by Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ).
History
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, a megacity, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical center. With a population of over 15 million, it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in the world by population. It is a city on two continents; about two-thirds of its population live in Europe and the rest in Asia. Istanbul straddles the Bosphorus – one of the world's busiest waterways – in northwestern Turkey, between the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. Its area of 5,461 square kilometers (2,109 mi2) is coterminous with Istanbul Province.
Must-see attractions
Cankurtaran, At Meydanı Cd No:7, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Airports
Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST) 34 km to the centre
Istanbul, 34, TR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 68 airlines (Turkish Airlines, Maldivian Air Taxi, Atlasjet, US Airways…) · direct flights to 227 destinations incl. Tehran, Izmir, Kiev, Munich, Odessa… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 68 airlines, 227 direct destinations
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-800, A321, A320, A319, 737-900, 330…) · 218 routes: Aalborg, Abu Dhabi, Accra, Adana, Addis Ababa, Adiyaman, Agri, Alexandria, Algier, Alma-ata, Amman, Amsterdam, Ankara, Antalya, Aqaba, Ashkhabad, Athens, Baghdad, Bahrain, Bakhtaran, Baku, Bangkok, Barcelona, Basrah, Batman, Batumi, Beijing, Beirut, Belgrade, Benghazi, Berlin, Bilbao, Billund, Bingol, Birmingham, Bishkek, Bodrum, Bologna, Bremen, Brussels … +178 more
- Maldivian Air Taxi 8Q (A320) · 16 routes: Adana, Alanya, Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Diyabakir, Elazig, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Izmir, Malatya, Nicosia, Odessa, Paris, Sanliurfa, Trabzon
- Atlasjet KK (A320) · 12 routes: Adana, Antalya, Bodrum, Erbil, Gaziantep, Izmir, London, Nicosia, Nizhnekamsk, Sulaymaniyah, Tbilisi, Tehran
- US Airways US (330, A321, 777-300ER, A320, 737-800, A330-200…) · 8 routes: Chicago*, Frankfurt*, Houston, Los Angeles*, Munich*, New York*, Washington*, Zurich*
- Scandinavian Airlines System SK (A321, 737-800, A319, 737-900) · 6 routes: Aalborg, Copenhagen, Gothenborg, Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm
- Asiana Airlines OZ (A321, A320, A330-300, 737-800) · 5 routes: Munich, Nairobi*, Seoul, Vienna, Zurich
- Egyptair MS (737-800, A319, A320, A321, 737-700, Embraer 170) · 5 routes: Alexandria*, Cairo, Hurghada, Kiev, Sharm El Sheikh
- Aeroflot Russian Airlines SU (A319, A320) · 4 routes: Moscow, Rostov, Sochi, St. Petersburg
- Air Algerie AH (737-800, 736) · 4 routes: Algier, Annaba, Constantine, Oran
- Air Astana KC (A320, 737-800) · 4 routes: Aktau, Alma-ata, Atyrau, Tselinograd
- Saudi Arabian Airlines SV (A320, A330-300) · 4 routes: Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh
- Ukraine International Airlines PS (737-800, A320, 734, 735, 73R) · 4 routes: Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kiev, Odessa
- Afriqiyah Airways 8U (A320, A319, A330-200) · 3 routes: Benghazi, MRA, Tripoli
- Air China CA (777-300ER, 330, A340-300) · 3 routes: Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai
- AlMasria Universal Airlines UJ (A320) · 3 routes: Donetsk, Kiev, Odessa
- Air Florida QH (A319, 737-800) · 2 routes: Bishkek, Osh
- Air France AF (A320, A319, A321) · 2 routes: Marseille, Paris
- Air India Limited AI (330) · 2 routes: Delhi*, Mumbai*
- All Nippon Airways NH (A330-200, 777-300ER) · 2 routes: Osaka*, Tokyo*
- Libyan Arab Airlines LN (A320, 330) · 2 routes: Benghazi, Tripoli
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A321, A320) · 2 routes: Frankfurt, Munich
- Adria Airways JP (A319, CRJ-900) · 1 route: Ljubljana
- Aegean Airlines A3 (A320) · 1 route: Athens
- Air Bosna JA (ATR 72) · 1 route: Sarajevo
- Air Canada AC (767-300, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Toronto
- Air Malta KM (A319, 737) · 1 route: Malta
- Air Moldova 9U (A320, Embraer 190) · 1 route: Chisinau
- Alitalia AZ (A320, A321, 32S) · 1 route: Rome
- American Airlines AA (A320) · 1 route: London*
- Austrian Airlines OS (Fokker 100, A319, A320) · 1 route: Vienna*
- Azerbaijan Airlines J2 (767) · 1 route: Baku
- Belavia Belarusian Airlines B2 (737-300, Embraer 175) · 1 route: Minsk 2
- British Airways BA (A320, 767) · 1 route: London
- China Southern Airlines CZ (330) · 1 route: Urumqi
- Croatia Airlines OU (A319) · 1 route: Zagreb
- Emirates EK (777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai
- Etihad Airways EY (A320, A330-200, A330-300, 737) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi
- Garuda Indonesia GA (A330-300) · 1 route: Singapore*
- Gulf Air Bahrain GF (A320) · 1 route: Bahrain
- Iran Air IR (A320) · 1 route: Tehran
- Iran Aseman Airlines EP (340) · 1 route: Tehran
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (737) · 1 route: Amsterdam
- Korean Air KE (777-200) · 1 route: Seoul
- Kuwait Airways KU (A321) · 1 route: Kuwait
- LOT Polish Airlines LO (734, Embraer 195) · 1 route: Warsaw
- Mahan Air W5 (AB6) · 1 route: Tehran
- Malaysia Airlines MH (330, 777-200) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- Middle East Airlines ME (A320, A321, A330-200) · 1 route: Beirut
- Olympic Airlines OA (A320) · 1 route: Athens
- Oman Air WY (A321) · 1 route: Muscat
- Pegasus Airlines PC (737-800) · 1 route: Izmir
- Qantas QF (777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai*
- Qatar Airways QR (A330-200, A330-300) · 1 route: Doha
- Royal Air Maroc AT (737-800) · 1 route: Casablanca
- Royal Jordanian RJ (A319, A320, Embraer 175, Embraer 195) · 1 route: Amman
- Rwandair Express WB (737-900) · 1 route: Kigali
- Salzburg arrows SZ (737) · 1 route: Dushanbe
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (777-200) · 1 route: Singapore
- Swiss International Air Lines LX (A320, A320) · 1 route: Zurich
- Tajik Air 7J (735) · 1 route: Dushanbe
- TAP Portugal TP (A321) · 1 route: Lisbon
- Tarom RO (318) · 1 route: Bucharest
- Thai Airways International TG (330, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Bangkok*
- Transaero Airlines UN (737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Moscow
- Tunisair TU (A320, 736, A320) · 1 route: Tunis
- Turkmenistan Airlines T5 (737-800, 757-200) · 1 route: Ashkhabad
- Uzbekistan Airways HY (767) · 1 route: Tashkent
- ZABAIKAL AIRLINES Z6 (ERJ-145) · 1 route: Dnepropetrovsk*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) 31 km to the centre
Pendik, Istanbul, 34, TR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 20 airlines (Pegasus Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air Berlin, Germanwings…) · direct flights to 98 destinations incl. Kuwait, Amsterdam, Antalya, Cologne, Duesseldorf… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 20 airlines, 98 direct destinations
- Pegasus Airlines PC (737-800, A320) · 75 routes: Adana, Alanya, Alma-ata, Amsterdam, Ankara, Antalya, Athens, Baku, Balikesir Korfez, Barcelona, Batman, Beirut, Belgrade, Bergamo, Berlin, Bishkek, Bodrum, Bologna, Bucharest, Charleroi, Cologne, Copenhagen, Dalaman, Denizli, Diyabakir, Doha, Donetsk, Dubai, Duesseldorf, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Frankfurt, Gaziantep, Hatay, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Kayseri, Kharkov, Konya … +35 more
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-800, 737-700, A320, 737-700) · 36 routes: Adana*, Amsterdam, Ankara, Antalya, Astrakhan, Bodrum, Brussels, Diyabakir*, Duesseldorf, Elazig*, Erzurum*, Frankfurt, Gaziantep*, Hatay*, Izmir, Kars*, Kayseri*, Kiev, Konya*, Kuwait, London, Malta*, Mardin*, Milano, Munich, Nicosia, Paris, Sarajevo, Sivas*, Stavropol, Tbilisi, Tehran, Tel-aviv, Trabzon*, Van*, Vienna
- Air Berlin AB (737-800, A320) · 6 routes: Berlin, Cologne, Duesseldorf, Munich, Nuernberg, Stuttgart
- Germanwings 4U (A319, A320) · 6 routes: Berlin, Cologne, Dortmund, Hamburg, Hannover, Stuttgart
- Nas Air XY (A320) · 3 routes: Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh
- SunExpress XQ (737-800) · 3 routes: Antalya, Dortmund, Izmir
- Transavia Holland HV (737-800, 737-700) · 3 routes: Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rotterdam
- Air Arabia G9 (A320) · 1 route: Sharjah
- Air Arabia Maroc 3O (A320) · 1 route: Casablanca
- Air Baltic BT (735) · 1 route: Riga
- Air Malta KM (A320) · 1 route: Malta
- Air Serbia JU (737-300) · 1 route: Belgrade
- Azerbaijan Airlines J2 (A319) · 1 route: Baku
- Fly Dubai FZ (737-800) · 1 route: Dubai
- Jazeera Airways J9 (A320) · 1 route: Kuwait
- Kuwait Airways KU (737-800) · 1 route: Kuwait
- Svyaz Rossiya 7R (CRJ-200) · 1 route: Mineralnye Vody
- Transavia France TO (737-800) · 1 route: Paris
- Ukraine International Airlines PS (737-800) · 1 route: Kiev
- Wizz Air W6 (A320) · 1 route: Budapest
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
İstanbul Atatürk Airport (ISL) 17 km to the centre
Istanbul(Bakırköy), 34, TR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather.
Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ) 91 km to the centre
Çorlu, 59, TR — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 1 airline (Turkish Airlines) · direct flights to 1 destination incl. Ankara (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 1 direct destination
- Turkish Airlines TK (737-700) · 1 route: Ankara*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
İstanbul Hezarfen Airfield 38 km to the centre
Çatalca, 34, TR
Getting there by ferry
Besiktas
Ferry terminal · 0.8 km from the centre
Beşiktaş
Ferry terminal · 0.8 km from the centre · Şehir Hatları
Beşiktaş Motor İskelesi
Ferry terminal · 0.8 km from the centre · Turyol, Avrasya Dentur
Kabataş
Ferry terminal · 1 km from the centre · Dentur Avrasya
Kabatas - Kadıkoy Boat Port
Ferry terminal · 1 km from the centre
BUDO
Ferry terminal · 1.3 km from the centre
Kabataş - Beşiktaş
Ferry route
Üsküdar - Beşiktaş (Dentur Avrasya)
Ferry route · Dentur
Beşiktaş - Ortaköy
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Kuzguncuk - Beşiktaş (Boğaz Hattı)
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Üsküdar - Kabataş (Dentur Avrasya)
Ferry route · Dentur
Kabataş-Üsküdar
Ferry route
Üsküdar - Ortaköy
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Eminönü - Üsküdar
Ferry route · Şehir Hatları
Where things are
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping
base map © OSM
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
Tourist season
May – September
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Shoulder season
April, October
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Worth avoiding
Deep winter
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ); 5 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: IST has direct flights to 227 destinations on 68 airlines (incl. Tehran, Izmir, Kiev, Munich, Odessa…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Besiktas, 0.8 km); routes include Kabataş - Beşiktaş, Üsküdar - Beşiktaş (Dentur Avrasya), Beşiktaş - Ortaköy.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for İstanbul, Turkey. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Bus, Metrobüs · Istanbul's buses and the Metrobüs; Metro Istanbul runs the rail lines. · Fares: Istanbulkart · Airport: Havaist buses and the M11 metro from Istanbul
Metro, tram, funicular · The metro, tram and funicular lines on both sides of the Bosphorus. · Fares: Istanbulkart · Airport: M11 metro from Istanbul Airport
Trains & rail
National rail
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.
Tours & experiences
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Food & Wine