We went there first.
We've walked, tasted and spent time in the places you see here. If we didn't like it, we don't recommend it.
Istanbul, through our eyes.
Not every place. Only the ones worth going to.
Great tables, curated routes, hidden stories and the corners of Istanbul truly worth living.
Where to start?
So much to choose from. So little time.
So you don't get lost in a hundred lists, we picked the places we genuinely find worth seeing, tasting and making time for.
In short: Istanbul, filtered.
Editors' Picks
Routes
Sometimes you don't need to know where to go, just which way to walk. We strung together stops, stories and good breaks that genuinely belong together. Whether you have a few hours or the whole day, open a route and start walking.
We drew the path. Leave the rest to Istanbul.
Bağdat Avenue Tour
An 11-stop walk starting at Suadiye Marmaray and heading up Bağdat Avenue toward Erenköy, with a book-and-coffee break, street food, and a sunset finish on Caddebostan shore.
İlber Ortaylı Route
The historic-peninsula walk described by historian İlber Ortaylı in interviews and TV programs — starting at Eminönü and ending at Sultanahmet via Süleymaniye, Zeyrek, Balat, the city walls and Yedikule.
In the Shadow of İstiklal: Beyoğlu’s Back Garden
A 25-stop walking route from Taksim through Nevizade, Çiçek Pasajı and Pera, down into Galata, ending at Bankalar Caddesi — bringing together street food, historic buildings, and bar streets.
© Mimar77
Istanbul's Iconic Buildings: From Pera to Galata
A walk in the footsteps of Istanbul’s finest architectural stories, from the elegant apartment buildings of Pera to the century-old streets of Galata. As you uncover the stories left behind by imperial tailors, Levantine families, artists and guests who marked world history, the city’s often-overlooked layers reveal themselves one by one. Don’t just look at Istanbul — discover it through its stories.
© Josep Renalias
Istanbul's Iconic Buildings: From Karaköy to Sirkeci
From Karaköy, the Ottoman Empire's financial centre, to Sirkeci, its gateway to Europe, this route sets out to discover the Istanbul of bankers, merchants, travellers and state institutions. Along a road running from historic bank vaults to magnificent hans, from Sirkeci Station where the Orient Express arrived to the Grand Post Office, trace the city's story of trade, travel and modernisation. Every building tells a different story from the Istanbul through which the empire opened onto the world.
From Cihangir to the Shore: Çukurcuma and the Tophane Descent
From the art-filled streets of Cihangir to nostalgic Çukurcuma, a step-by-step Beyoğlu walk that reaches the Tophane waterfront without climbing a single slope.
Michelin
The Michelin Selection
Istanbul venues with a Michelin star, Bib Gourmand or guide listing.
Michelin Star8 places
Bib Gourmand15 places
Michelin Guide12 places
Why are they here?
We don't add just anywhere.
If a place, a building or an experience is on this map, it's here for a reason. Sometimes a hundred-year-old story, sometimes a single dish, sometimes the view, sometimes that feeling you can only get in Istanbul.
You'll find the door.
We check every location one by one. Because in Istanbul, ending up on the wrong street while looking for a great place is easy enough.
If we're not sure, we don't say it.
If a story is a legend, we say it's a legend. If it can't be verified, we say so.
A good guide isn't the one who knows everything, but the one who knows what to recommend.
Who are we? →
Some cities you visit. Istanbul, you live.
Open the map. Pick a route. Get lost in Istanbul.