I just spent another day taking friends around Istanbul which inspired me to write a short “how to” article for those of you wondering what you might do in Istanbul in less than 24 hours. Perhaps you have a short lay over and want to see the significant sites. Before you embark on a journey of Istanbul you’ll want to know a few important facts.

1. If you’re going into town and you’re traveling alone you can stow your bags at the airport for 20-50 Turkish Lira (roughly $10-$30) and then follow the sings to the subway which has its terminus station under Ataturk International Airport (map here). If you are part of a group of three or four travelers and you intend to stay the night in Istanbul it will be more cost efficient to take your bags with you and hail a taxi at the exit. One taxi will cost roughly 45 Turkish Lira to take you to Sultanahmet but will likely have to wander to find any particular address. So, unless you know exactly where you’re going you might want to bring your GPS and an address.

2. You will want to make sure to note what day of the week you will be in Istanbul. This is important because of the varying schedule for different sites. The Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays but the Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays. Traveling on the weekend will likely give you the opportunity to visit both of these fascinating sites without the fear of them being closed upon your arrival.

3. Getting around town on public transport can be limited to the main rail systems which use different forms of plastic tokens for one time entry. Because the rail systems sometimes use different types of tokens it is wise to purchase only as many tokens as you will need to enter the subway at any given point because you can always buy more from the Token dispensers just outside any stop. I’ve pasted a picture of the tokens to the map of the metro system in Istanbul. The map is fairly self-explanatory. If you’re wanting to get to Sultanahmet (probably the most dense portion of tourist attractions in Istanbul) then you’ll want to get off at Zeytinburnu and change lines over to the light rail line that runs through downtown all the way to Sultanahmet.

4. Some of the main attractions are found at these locations:

Beyazit – Grand Bazaar

Sultanahmet – Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque), Topkapi Palace, Yerebatan Sarayi (Underground Cistern), Hippodrome and many other sites.

Gulhane – Just one stop down from Sultanahmet but where you want to get off if Gulhane Park which sits beneath the Topkapi Palace Grounds and houses the Istanbul Archaeology Museum.

Eminonu – Is where you want to get off if you’d like to take a ferry ride up and down the waterways along the Golden Horn or if you’d like to jump off for one of several of the islands around Istanbul.

Taksim – Sits at the top of the underground cable car which takes you from Kabatas to Taksim and Istiklal Street – the biggest walking street in Istanbul and some of the best high fashion shopping to be had in Istanbul. This is the gathering point of Istanbul and easily reached by several different lines. You might visit the Galata Tower at the end of the mile and half walking road.

5. All of these sites can be visited on a day tour of Istanbul, but to truly enjoy them all it would be better to travel with us utilizing a guide and the extra comfort of your own transportation, if for nothing else than your feet which will be aching after a long day of gezzing (walking around).