Looking for the best place to stay in Istanbul?
Follow the guide, we have listed and detailed for you the best areas to stay in Istanbul as well as the best accommodation.
⏰ Don’t have time to read everything?
Here are our 3 favourite accommodations listed by price category:
🚨 These hotels are among the most popular, so don’t delay in booking. Plus, they offer free cancellation, so don’t worry if you change your mind.
The Ada Hotel Istabul is a superbly placed budget hotel just 150 metres from the Blue Mosque. The terrace offers panoramic views of the Sea of Marmara and the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque: Book here
Magnificent Regie Ottoman Hotel : Special Category occupies a renovated 150-year-old Ottoman building. The historic district of Sultanahmet is a 10-minute walk away: Book here
❤️ The Tan Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the most sought-after area for tourists (Sultanahmet), just a short walk from the heart of Istanbul. The rooftop restaurant offers one of the best views of the Bosphorus: Book here
🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈
Table des matières
The Galata district, to sleep in an authentic part of Istanbul
The district surrounding the famous Galata Tower is a very touristy and pleasant part of Istanbul.
This district is located in the part of Istanbul north of the Golden Horn. It is often known as the city’s artistic quarter, so you’ll find plenty of cafés and small shops, especially for musical instruments.
This charming atmosphere immerses you in the culture of Istanbul, making it a very pleasant part of town.
With its excellent location, you can reach the old town in just 20 minutes on foot via the Galata Bridge.
The district is also well served by public transport. We highly recommend this district for a relaxed and enjoyable experience in Istanbul.
Here are the monuments located near or in the Galata district : first of all, the Galata Tower, impressive at over 60 metres high, and Yeralti Camii, the underground Galata Mosque, are located in this district. Also nearby are Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, the Nusretiye and Kilic Ali Pasa mosques and the church of Saint-Antoine de Padoue.
Here are our 3 favourite accommodations in this district, sorted by price category:
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most reserved in Istanbul.
The Ada Hotel Istabul is an inexpensive hotel in a great location just 150 metres from the Blue Mosque. The terrace offers panoramic views over the Sea of Marmara and the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque: Book here
Magnificent Regie Ottoman Hotel : Special Category occupies a renovated 150-year-old Ottoman building. The historic district of Sultanahmet is a 10-minute walk away: Book here
❤️ The Tan Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the most sought-after area for tourists (Sultanahmet), just a short walk from the heart of Istanbul. The rooftop restaurant offers one of the best views of the Bosphorus: Book here
🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈
The Besiktas district, close to all points of interest
This is rather a very large district that includes the neighbourhoods of Ortakoÿ, Bebek, Etiler, or even Levent. The centre of Besiktas is lively, pleasant and authentic.
This is where you’ll find the big hotels. It is nevertheless an accessible and inexpensive district for tourists and locals alike.
You’ll find street food, restaurants, cafés and shops at very affordable prices.
We personally loved this district because of its prime location in the city: halfway between the old town and the banks of the Bosphorus.
With the help of public transport, it was easy to get around all the cool areas of the city.
In Besiktas you can catch a match at the Vodafone Arena, take a walk in Yildiz Park or visit the famous and impressive Dolmabahçe Palace.
Here are our 3 favourite accommodations in this district, sorted by price category:
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most reserved in Istanbul.
The Ada Hotel Istabul is an inexpensive hotel in a great location just 150 metres from the Blue Mosque. The terrace offers a panoramic view of the Sea of Marmara and the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque: Book here
Magnificent Regie Ottoman Hotel : Special Category occupies a renovated 150-year-old Ottoman building. The historic district of Sultanahmet is a 10-minute walk away: Book here
❤️ The Tan Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the most sought-after area for tourists (Sultanahmet), just a short walk from the heart of Istanbul. The rooftop restaurant offers one of the best views of the Bosphorus: Book here
🌃 F ind other accommodation at the best price 👈
Sleep in a lively area of Istanbul: Taksim Square and the surrounding districts
These neighbourhoods are interesting because they are so lively. They are also located to the north of the Golden Horn.
The Asmali Mescit and Nevizade districts have a good reputation, but we would recommend them to younger tourists, as they are very lively and sometimes noisy.
These are the ideal areas for partying in Istanbul. Another important point is that the historic centre and public transport are easy to reach from these areas.
Close to Taksim Square is the Galata district, where you’ll find plenty of monuments to visit.
Here are our 3 favourite accommodations in this district, sorted by price category:
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most reserved in Istanbul.
The Ada Hotel Istabul is an inexpensive hotel in a great location just 150 metres from the Blue Mosque. The terrace offers panoramic views over the Sea of Marmara and the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque: Book here
Magnificent Regie Ottoman Hotel : Special Category occupies a renovated 150-year-old Ottoman building. The historic district of Sultanahmet is a 10-minute walk away: Book here
❤️ The Tan Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the most sought-after area for tourists (Sultanahmet), just a short walk from the heart of Istanbul. The rooftop restaurant offers one of the best views of the Bosphorus: Book here
Cihangir, the city’s trendy district
Also close to Taksim Square, the Cihangir district is Istanbul’s trendy bohemian quarter.
Its nightlife and privileged position in the city (with a unique view of the Bosphorus) make it a fairly upmarket and very residential district. It is very popular with the Turkish jet-set and artistic circles.
You’ll find plenty of bars and cafés to liven up your stay. Not far away is the Cukurcuma district, home to many antique dealers. Cihangir is also close to the tramway.
Here you can visit the Cihangir Mosque, the Green Mosque and the Church of the Holy Trinity.
Here are our 3 favourite accommodations in this district, sorted by price category:
Note: Don’t delay in booking as these hotels are among the most reserved in Istanbul.
The Ada Hotel Istabul is an inexpensive hotel in a great location just 150 metres from the Blue Mosque. The terrace offers panoramic views of the Sea of Marmara and the Sokollu Mehmet Pasha Mosque: Book here
Magnificent Regie Ottoman Hotel : Special Category occupies a renovated 150-year-old Ottoman building. The historic district of Sultanahmet is a 10-minute walk away: Book here
❤️ The Tan Hotel is a boutique hotel located in the most sought-after area for tourists (Sultanahmet), just a short walk from the heart of Istanbul. The rooftop restaurant offers one of the best views of the Bosphorus: Book here
Where to stay in Istanbul? Nisantasi, the shopping and fashion district
This district is known as Istanbul’s fashion district, which is why tourists who love shopping will love staying here.
It is located in the city centre of Istanbul in the northern part of the Gold Coast. This is Istanbul’s trendy new district, where you can enjoy a wide range of bars, cafés and restaurants!
We recommend this district, which will immerse you in the vibrant life of Istanbul.
What’s more, this district is very well served by the metro, so you can get to all parts of Istanbul easily.
You’ll find plenty of shops here, as well as a shopping centre.
The Ortakoÿ district, near the banks of the Bosphorus
Having already told you about the centre of Besiktas, here’s one of Istanbul’s prettiest districts: Ortakoÿ. This colourful district on the banks of the Bosphorus is a very pleasant place to stay.
It is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, and is home to some of the city’s most famous clubs. It is also the university district, so you will find yourself in a young part of the city.
It is, however, a little far from the city centre and can be difficult to get to because of the traffic. Nevertheless, you can enjoy pleasant strolls along the banks of the Bosphorus.
You can visit the Ortakoÿ mosque, synagogue and church.
Where to stay in Istanbul? The Bebek district, a wealthy part of the city
Also located in the Besiktas district, the Bebek district is the epitome of chic in Istanbul on the banks of the Bosphorus.
It is a rather luxurious district where the wealthy Istanbulites live. If you’re travelling on a budget, this might not be the area for you, but its streets and access to the Bosphorus are very pleasant.
The Sultanahmet district, for cultural immersion
Let’s move on now to the south of the Golden Horn, with a district of the old town: Sultanahmet.
Close to many of Istanbul’s major monuments, this district is very popular with tourists looking for a short break to discover the city and its history.
Accommodation is affordable, but the area is better suited to a cultural discovery than a long stay, as it is noisy and the nightlife is fairly poor.
Among the monuments you can visit in Sultanahmet are the Basilica of Saint Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern, Sultanahmet Park, the Mosaic Museum and Hippodrome Square.
The Eminönü and Sirkeci districts, ideal places to stay in Istanbul
These two districts where to stay in Istanbul are located to the north of the Sultanahmet district, which puts them close to the city’s most emblematic monuments.
You’ll be within walking distance of Sultanahmet and Galata. These districts are also served by tram, boat and metro.
They are quieter and less touristy. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants, making it a good place to live.
In this district you can discover the Egyptian bazaar, which is the city’s second-largest covered market specialising in spices. You can also visit the New Mosque and the Orient Express station!
Istanbul’s Asian districts and their many monuments
One of the fascinating features of Istanbul is the city’s exceptional position straddling Asia and Europe.
So you can stay in Asia and walk around Europe all day! It’s very easy since the installation of a metro running under the Bosphorus linking Europe and Asia.
You can choose to live in the districts on the Asian side, such as Üsküdar, Kadikoÿ or Moda.
These districts have the advantage of being very authentic, some modern and others fairly traditional. The Asian side of the city offers some beautiful walks and a wide range of bars.
There are many mosques to visit, including Mihrimah Sultan and Yeni Valide. Beylerbeyi Palace and the Anadolu Hisari, the city’s oldest monument.
Choose your sleeping area carefully in Istanbul so you don’t miss out on any of the sights
In this quick selection, we’ve shown you all the areas of Istanbul where you can stay and visit on holiday.
When travelling, it’s very important to choose the right area and the right accommodation to ensure you have the best possible stay.
If you want to discover all the cultural wonders of Istanbul, choose a district close to the monuments and public transport.
If, on the other hand, you want to go out and enjoy the life of Istanbul, choose a lively district with bars, clubs and restaurants.
Whichever district you choose, we’re sure you’ll be able to discover Istanbul and make the most of your visit.
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