Türkiye
Istanbul: when to go, how much to budget
Two continents, two empires, and one of the lowest price levels reachable by direct flight from France.
- Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque
- The Grand Bazaar
- The Bosphorus
At a glance
- Currency
- TRY
- For €1
- 56 TRY
- Price level
- 33% of the US level
- Language
- turc
- Time zone
- Europe/Istanbul
- From Paris
- IST · 3 h 14 flight
Istanbul in a few lines
Istanbul ou Istamboul, appelé officiellement ainsi à partir de 1930 et auparavant Byzance et Constantinople, est la plus grande ville et métropole de Turquie. La population de l'ensemble de l'agglomération stambouliote est évaluée à 15 millions d'habitants en 2020 ce qui en fait l'une des plus grandes aires urbaines du monde. Istanbul est le principal centre économique de la Turquie mais aussi la vitrine culturelle du pays, la capitale de la Turquie étant Ankara.
When to go
Measured recordsOver the last three full years, the mildest months are June, September, October — highs between 21 and 28 °C, and few rainy days.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11 °C | 6 °C | 69 mm | 10 |
| February | 10 °C | 4 °C | 52 mm | 10 |
| March | 14 °C | 7 °C | 80 mm | 11 |
| April | 17 °C | 10 °C | 69 mm | 9 |
| May | 20 °C | 13 °C | 72 mm | 11 |
| June | 28 °C | 19 °C | 19 mm | 3 |
| July | 31 °C | 22 °C |
Public holidays in 2026
OfficialMuseums and public offices often close on these days, and transport is busy.
- 1 January 2026Yılbaşı
- 20 March 2026Ramazan Bayramı 1. Gün
- 21 March 2026Ramazan Bayramı 2. Gün
- 22 March 2026Ramazan Bayramı 3. Gün
- 23 April 2026Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı
- 1 May 2026İşçi Bayramı
- 19 May 2026Atatürk'ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı
- 27 May 2026Kurban Bayramı 1. Gün
- 28 May 2026Kurban Bayramı 2. Gün
- 29 May 2026Kurban Bayramı 3. Gün
- 30 May 2026Kurban Bayramı 4. Gün
- 15 July 2026Demokrasi ve Millî Birlik Günü
- 30 August 2026Zafer Bayramı
- 29 October 2026Cumhuriyet Bayramı
Formalities and practicalities
Entry requirements unavailable.
For guidance only. Entry requirements also depend on the purpose and length of the stay, passport validity and sometimes the transit country — none of which this table knows. Before buying a ticket, check the official advice page of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, which alone is authoritative.
- Power sockets
- Europlug, Schuko
- Voltage
- 230 V
- Dialling code
- +90
Top 20 to see
MeasuredThe 20 most-read places on Wikipedia over the last sixty days, among those you can visit within a few kilometres of the centre.
- 1Sainte-Sophie (Constantinople)monument byzantin à Istanbul, Turquie · 25,886 views
- 2Mosquée bleuemosquée d'Istanbul · 6,264 views
- 3Palais de Topkapıpalais d'Istanbul, résidence officielle du sultan ottoman de 1465 à 1853, Turquie · 6,108 views
- 4Stade Şükrü Saracoğlustade de football à Istanbul · 4,737 views
- 5Tour de Galata
What to see
VerifiableEvery place has a Wikipedia page, so its existence can be checked.
Loading the map…
- monument
- religious
- museum
- neighbourhood
- nature
- market
- culture
Getting around
MappedLines actually mapped within 7 km, read from OpenStreetMap. For timetables and fares, the operator’s website is the reference.
- Metro7 lines
- İstanbul Metrosu
- Tram7 lines
- İstanbul Metrosu · İstanbul Tramvayı
- Light rail1 line
- ̣İETT · İETT
- Urban and regional trains9 lines
- Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları · Marmaray
- Funiculars1 line
- İstanbul Metrosu
- Boats and ferries15 lines
- Istanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi · Şehir Hatları
- Buses420 lines
- İETT · İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyesi · Metrobus
Where to eat
Customer reviewsRestaurants rated by their customers on Google Maps: at least 4/5 and 30 reviews. Check opening hours and certification on the listing before you go.
Top rated
An itinerary for your dates in Istanbul
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