Türkiye · Europe

Discover Istanbul

Free & non-binding — hand-planned by Swiss Travel Designers.

Plan Istanbul for free

CountryTürkiye

RegionEurope

Experiences0

Stays0

Today in Istanbul12°Cloudy

14 km/h

Must-see

What to experience in Istanbul

sehenswuerdigkeit

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

Iconic, storied mosque set within a vast, domed former Byzantine church with stained-glass windows.

sehenswuerdigkeit

The Blue Mosque

Well-known site, also known as the Blue Mosque, built in 1616 & containing its founder's tomb.

sehenswuerdigkeit

Dolmabahçe Palace

Grand, domed sultan's palace, now a museum, including collections of art, calligraphy and carpets.

sehenswuerdigkeit

Gülhane Park

Venerable, tranquil forested park featuring gardens, paths, a creek & a science museum.

sehenswuerdigkeit

Sultanahmet Square

Public square with remnants of an ancient hippodrome, plus prominent & historic buildings.

sehenswuerdigkeit

Galata Tower

Restored 14th-century tower and former prison overlooking the Bosphorus with a top-floor restaurant.

sehenswuerdigkeit

Topkapi Palace Museum

Huge, opulent 15th-century palace, occupied by sultans for 400 years, housing Ottoman treasures.

sehenswuerdigkeit

Grand Bazaar

Historic sprawling network of indoor souks & market streets peddling leather, jewelry & gifts.

Dining

Where to eat in Istanbul

Restaurant

Michelin

TURK Fatih Tutak

Modern Türkisch/Anatolisch

Restaurant

Michelin

Nicole

Modern Türkisch/Mediterran

Restaurant

Michelin

Casa Lavanda

Anatolisch/Mediterran

Restaurant

Michelin

Mikla

Anatolisch-Mediterran

Restaurant

Michelin

Neolokal

Anatolisch (Grüner Stern)

Restaurant

Michelin

Arkestra

Fusion/Modern

Restaurant

Michelin

Sankai by Nagaya

Japanisch

Restaurant

Michelin

Araka

Kreativ/Anatolisch

Restaurant

Garden 1897 Restaurant

Traditional small plates & mains served in a relaxed venue with a garden & a terrace.

Restaurant

Hidden Garden Restaurant Sultanahmet

Restaurant

Turgut Kebab Restaurant -Sultanahmet-

Restaurant

Hanzade Bosphorus Restaurant

Easygoing eatery featuring local meat & fish plates, plus drinks, a rooftop terrace & water views.

Restaurant

Ararat Terrace Restaurant & Rooftop

Restaurant

Deraliye Terrace

Impressions

Istanbul in pictures

Garden 1897 Restaurant — Istanbul — Garden 1897 Restaurant

Hidden Garden Restaurant Sultanahmet — Istanbul — Hidden Garden Restaurant Sultanahmet

Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque — Istanbul — Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque

Turgut Kebab Restaurant -Sultanahmet- — Istanbul — Turgut Kebab Restaurant -Sultanahmet-

Hanzade Bosphorus Restaurant — Istanbul — Hanzade Bosphorus Restaurant

Ararat Terrace Restaurant & Rooftop — Istanbul — Ararat Terrace Restaurant & Rooftop

Deraliye Terrace — Istanbul — Deraliye Terrace

The Blue Mosque — Istanbul — The Blue Mosque

Dolmabahçe Palace — Istanbul — Dolmabahçe Palace

Sultanahmet Square — Istanbul — Sultanahmet Square

TURK Fatih Tutak — Istanbul — TURK Fatih Tutak

Stays

Hand-picked hotels in Istanbul

★ 4.8

Swissôtel The Bosphorus Istanbul

Sleek property with a rooftop pool & restaurant, plus a spa with steam rooms & saunas.

luxury

★ 4.8

Radisson Blu Hotel, Istanbul Ottomare

Modern quarters in a high-end hotel with a sleek restaurant & a poolside bar, plus a spa & pools.

★ 4.8

Raffles Istanbul

Chic quarters in a luxe hotel with indoor & outdoor pools, plus 2 restaurants, 2 bars & a helipad.

luxury

★ 4.7

Ciragan Palace Kempinski

Lavish lodging in an ornate former palace with dining & a spa, plus an infinity pool & a helipad.

luxury

★ 4.7

Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul

High-end hotel on the Bosphorus featuring a restaurant & a spa, plus indoor & outdoor pools.

luxury

★ 4.7

AJWA Sultanahmet

Ornate rooms & suites in a luxury hotel offering a sophisticated restaurant & a spa.

luxury

★ 4.7

Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton

Refined rooms in an old-world hotel offering dining & a courtyard, plus free Wi-Fi.

luxury

★ 4.6

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At The Bosphorus

Luxe waterfront hotel set in a 19th-century palace offering posh dining, a spa & an outdoor pool.

Plan Istanbul with Swiss Vibes

We check availability & price for your preferred dates.

Best time to travel

When to go to Istanbul?

Based on real measurements from 2020–2024. The months marked in red combine pleasant temperatures with the fewest rainy days.

10°

11°

12°

17°

21°

26°

29°

30°

26°

21°

16°

13°

Best time to travel: Aug, Jul, Oct, Jun

Average daily highs · Open-Meteo measurements 2020–2024

Warmest month

Aug · 30°

Driest month

Aug · ~4 rainy days

Recommended

Aug, Jul, Oct, Jun

Country

Good to know about Türkiye

Good to know

Türkiye essentials

CapitalAnkara

CurrencyTürkische Lira (TRY)

LanguageTürkisch

Time difference from CET+2 Std.

Flight time from Zurichca. 3 Std.

Visa for Swiss passport holdersvisumfrei bis 90 Tage

ElectricityType C / F · 230 V

Emergency number112

General guidance only — your Travel Designer will check visa, entry and insurance requirements for your passport and travel date.

Kosten

How much does a trip to Istanbul cost?

Was kostet Türkei? — Tagesbudget

Dank schwacher Lira bleibt die Türkei günstig – bezahlt wird vor Ort in Lira, hier alles in CHF.

Kategorie	Kleines Budget	Mittleres Budget	Hohes Budget
Unterkunftpro Nacht	CHF 15	CHF 55	CHF 150
Essen & Trinkenpro Tag	CHF 10	CHF 40	CHF 85
Lokaler Transportpro Tag	CHF 5	CHF 20	CHF 45
Aktivitäten & Ausflügepro Tag	CHF 10	CHF 30	CHF 90
Tagesbudget gesamtpro Tag	CHF 40	CHF 145	CHF 370

How long will you stay?7 nights

Your budget (Comfort, 7 nights): CHF 1'015 per person

Plan this trip →

Details on the figures

Richtwerte in CHF pro Person, recherchiert im Juli 2026 (Numbeo, BudgetYourTrip, lokale Anbieter, offizielle Gebühren-Seiten). Kurs 1 CHF ≈ 57 TRY ≈ 1.08 EUR ≈ 1.22 USD. Die Lira verliert laufend an Wert — Kurs vor Buchung erneut prüfen. Luxus-Unterkunft hat eine grosse Spanne (Istanbul vs. exklusive Antalya-Resorts).

Based on CHF · guide values per person · switch currency above.

Istanbul

Travel guide · Istanbul

Our experts are continually adding to this guide — you can already start planning your trip with us personally.

Explore the area