Istanbul Filming Locations: TV Series and Films Shot in Istanbul
Istanbul has played a spy's playground, a kidnapper's maze and the backdrop to some of the most-watched TV dramas in the world. Some of those locations are museums you can walk into. Others are private homes you can only glimpse from a ferry. Here is where the big titles were filmed, and what you can actually visit.
A note on privacy: Many of the mansions and houses you see on screen are private homes or offices. We give only the neighbourhood, never a street address. Please be respectful when you walk through residential streets: don't knock on doors, enter courtyards or photograph people's windows.
James Bond in Istanbul
From Russia with Love (1963) is the Istanbul film. Sean Connery's Bond meets Tatiana inside Hagia Sophia. Kerim Bey's secret underground network runs through the Basilica Cistern, and his office hides in the lanes of the Grand Bazaar. The finale leaves from Sirkeci Station, the old Orient Express terminus; the same station also stood in for two other stops on the line. All four are open to visitors. Hagia Sophia is a working mosque again, so check prayer times and the ticketing rules for foreign visitors before you go. Basilica Cistern · Sirkeci Station
The World Is Not Enough (1999) gave the villain Renard a lair in the Maiden's Tower, the small tower on a rock off Üsküdar. Elektra King's villa exteriors were shot at Küçüksu Pavilion, an Ottoman summer palace on the Asian shore. Both are museums today; the tower is reached by a short boat ride. Maiden's Tower · Küçüksu Pavilion
Skyfall (2012) opens with Daniel Craig's motorbike chase across the Grand Bazaar rooftops. The production's filming plan also included Eminönü Square and the front of the Spice Bazaar. The bazaar is open daily except Sunday; the rooftops are off-limits. Grand Bazaar · Spice Bazaar
You can do a Bond day on foot: Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern in the morning, the Grand Bazaar at lunch, Sirkeci in the afternoon, then sunset over the Maiden's Tower from the Salacak waterfront.
Taken 2 (2012)
Liam Neeson's sequel is set in Istanbul, and its city scenes lean on Sultanahmet and the Bosphorus. When local viewers complained about how the city was shown, the producer said the film featured Eminönü, Balat and Süleymaniye. Beyond that, exact shooting spots were not published, so we won't guess. All three neighbourhoods are easy to explore on foot from Eminönü.
The Night Agent, season 3 (Netflix, 2026)
Netflix's thriller shot its third season in Istanbul between late 2024 and 2025, and released it in February 2026. Turkish press reports name Tüpraş Stadium (home of Beşiktaş football club, on the Dolmabahçe waterfront), the Grand Bazaar and Hagia Sophia among the locations. The stadium is open on match days and for stadium tours. Tüpraş Stadium · Hagia Sophia
Turkish dramas with a global audience
Turkish series travel. Habertürk reports that Kızılcık Şerbeti alone has been sold to more than 100 countries. We could not confirm an official English title or a Netflix listing for it, but here is where it and other internationally known shows were filmed.
Forbidden Love (Aşk-ı Memnu, 2008–2010). The Ziyagil family mansion is the Vehbi Koç Büyükdere House in Sarıyer, owned by the Vehbi Koç Foundation. After the show it became an exhibition space. Sources list it as open free of charge 10:00–17:00 except Wednesdays; arrangements can change, so check with the foundation first. Vehbi Koç Büyükdere Evi
Golden Boy (Yalı Çapkını, 2022–2025). The Korhan family's waterfront mansion is in Beylerbeyi, on the Asian shore. Turkish press disagrees on which yalı it is. It's private; the best view is from a Bosphorus cruise boat. Sit on the right-hand side heading north. See our Bosphorus cruise guide.
Kızılcık Şerbeti (2022–). The white mansion of the Ünal family is in Bebek according to some reports and Sarıyer according to others; the production has not confirmed it. Private property.
Endless Love (Kara Sevda, 2015–2017). Kemal's family home is in Kuzguncuk, a village-like neighbourhood of wooden houses on the Asian shore. The house is private, but the streets are open and lovely to wander. Kuzguncuk
The Pit (Çukur, 2017–2021). The show's neighbourhood is Balat, on the Golden Horn. Balat has since become the go-to set for street scenes; newer series such as Altı Üstü İstanbul and Haysiyet also film here. Balat
Magnificent Century (Muhteşem Yüzyıl, 2011–2014). The palace was largely built on sets, and our sources don't name where they stood. The one Istanbul location we could verify is Yarımburgaz Cave, on the city's western edge, where filming made headlines in 2012 after complaints that the archaeological site was damaged. It is not a tourist site.
Frequently asked questions
Which James Bond films were shot in Istanbul?
From Russia with Love (1963), The World Is Not Enough (1999) and Skyfall (2012).
Where is the Skyfall rooftop chase?
On the rooftops of the Grand Bazaar. The bazaar is open to visitors; the roofs are not.
Can I visit the Basilica Cistern from From Russia with Love?
Yes. It is a ticketed museum in Sultanahmet, a short walk from Hagia Sophia.
Where was Taken 2 filmed in Istanbul?
Sultanahmet and the Bosphorus feature heavily. The producer named Eminönü, Balat and Süleymaniye, but specific spots were not published.
Was The Night Agent filmed in Istanbul?
Season 3 was. Reported locations include Tüpraş Stadium, the Grand Bazaar and Hagia Sophia.
Can I visit the mansions from Turkish TV series?
Mostly no; they are private. The exception is the Forbidden Love mansion (Vehbi Koç Büyükdere House), which is open to visitors (check current hours with the foundation).
Where are Turkish TV series filmed in Istanbul?
Most often in Balat and Fener, Bosphorus neighbourhoods such as Bebek and Beylerbeyi, Üsküdar and Kuzguncuk, Galata and the Historic Peninsula.
Kept up to date
This page is updated as new series and seasons air. We only add a location once it can be confirmed.