8-Day In Istanbul Turkey - Top 9 Photo Spots
Istanbul, straddling two continents with its captivating blend of East and West, is a vibrant metropolis in Turkey renowned for its iconic landmarks, including multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city’s historical significance as a crossroads of cultures, together with centuries of architectural and artistic influences have shaped its enchanting skyline and contributed to its status as a cultural bridge between Europe and Asia. It’s a perfect location to explore photogenic wonders!
We wrapped up our 8-day trip in Istanbul, 2 days before Cappadocia and 6 days after.
As much as I’d like all my travels to be beautiful and colorful like the photos, there were definitely ups and downs. We arrived in Istanbul for the second time in the evening, only to find out our airbnb was flooded (due to a serious plumbing leakage) when we opened the door.
It was after 10pm. I had to contact multiple parties, scrambled to find a new place. Finally at 11pm, I woke up my 6 yo who already fell asleep, dragged our luggage in the cobble stoned neighborhood with two kids, and settled in the closest place I was able to find.
Social media doesn’t always tell the whole picture. Behind each “rosy picture”, there’s always some level of effort, and perhaps an untold story. That’s why I’ve always enjoyed documentary style. I want my pictures to look beautiful from my capture, not from photoshop creation. They have to reflect our true experiences and memories, something worth remembering in the years to come.
Enough said…
Get ready to capture the perfect shot in Istanbul! From historic landmarks to hidden gems, here are some of my favorite 9 photo spots and experiences in this vibrant city:
1️⃣ Bosphorus Cruise
Sail between Europe and Asia for breathtaking views. If you have only one day in Istanbul, skip all the crowds and just take the cruise, ideally during sunset, you'll get many great shots.
There are many sunset cruise options, typically around 2 hours, that came with English tour guide, free drinks and snacks. Price was very reasonable. We took the cruise on our last evening and wrapped up our trip perfectly! I’d highly suggest doing this on day 1 or 2, so you can decide which attractions and neighborhoods you want to deep dive as top priority later.
2️⃣ Galata Tower
The Galata Tower, a historic landmark in Istanbul, stands tall on the city's skyline, offering panoramic views of the Bosphorus and the Old City. Originally built in the medieval period, this iconic structure has become a symbol of Istanbul, attracting visitors with its unique cylindrical shape and rich history.
Climb to the top for panoramic cityscapes. It was absolutely worthwhile to go up, especially during sunset, when the line was shorter and the view was spectacular!
View from Galata Tower during sunset
Perhaps we stayed right outside the tower, literally within 2-minute walk, we didn’t take the tower tour until almost the end of our trip. It was definitely one of the best views we’ve had for our week-long trip.
However, prepare for the crowd. For landscape photography lovers, you can definitely leave your tripod at home as there’s no space for it. I did most of the sunset shots with the camera in my hand over my head.
If you want to photograph people, a closeup might be the only option, or you’ll get strangers in your frame for sure.
You can theoretically walk around the viewing platform for 360 degrees and enjoy the city view, but due to the crowd, I only squeezed myself into a few angles. That being said, Galata Tower was totally worth the visit.
We took the elevator up but walking down the tower was mandatory. There were different show rooms at separate levels. You can easily spend one hour or two in the tower to soak in everything.
3️⃣ Balat Neighborhood
Balat, a neighborhood in Istanbul, is a colorful and charming district that boasts narrow cobblestone streets, vibrant houses adorned with street art, and a lively atmosphere. Known for its diverse cultural heritage, Balat is a melting pot of history and modernity, with historic synagogues, churches, and Ottoman-era architecture coexisting alongside trendy cafes and boutiques.
Colorful houses in Balat, Istanbul
Known for its colorful houses and charming streets in a historic part of the town, Balat is worth your camera click in almost every corner.
Honorable mention to Sago Balat, a lovely ice cream shop that we loved.
4️⃣ Sultanahmet Square
Among the four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Istanbul, the iconic Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque were built in the 6th and 17th century respectively, showcasing architectural marvel with impressive interior. Perhaps due to the free entrance, crowd was over the top.
But who says you can't get good shots of a masterpiece architecture ceiling or yourself with hijab that you never wore before?
Temperature was back up to 86F, but I kind of enjoyed wearing my new hijab. I bought it right outside the Blue Mosque. It cost 50 Turkish Lira, less than 2 Euro.
5️⃣ Istiklal Caddesi
Istiklal Caddesi is a pedestrian shopping boulevard, lined with 19th-century buildings, stores with international brands, restaurants and cafes. It was right outside our Airbnb, so we walked along this street several times.
Although it’s a pedestrian street, the red vintage tram also goes along in the middle of the wide street, often among crowds. It is pretty eye catchy and can serve as a pop of color in your snapshots.
Apollo got a new pair of Nike sneakers, finally saying bye bye to the broken pair he'd been wearing for weeks. We travel light, and have made conscious effort of minimizing our luggage - my camera gear has always been the heaviest part.
The only "luxury" purchase was Orion's sunglasses - he’s sensitive to strong light and was wearing his 7th pair. The previous 6 were all lost in different European countries over the past 12 weeks, with a short life span averaging 2 days to 2 weeks.
Beyond the essentials above, we consumed too much baklava and ice cream on this street. There are tons of restaurants on the side streets along Istiklal Caddesi, and you won’t run out of baklava or ice cream options on a hot day for sure.
If you are looking for a clean portrait, go somewhere else. But if you like street photography, you'll have tons of opportunities!
6️⃣ Beyoğlu neighborhood
If you are a foodie, you'll love this neighborhood.
Beyoğlu neighborhood in blue hour seen from Galata Tower
Get a traditional Turkish breakfast, and photograph from above with a wide angle lens. Or simply walk around the cobble stoned streets and do some candid shots in this hustle and bustle neighborhood.
7️⃣ Gülhane Park
Near the iconic mosques mentioned above, Gülhane Park has big trees and nice fountains and a small kid's playground that helps relax your day after the long walk. Do some action shot!
8️⃣ Taksim Square
In the end of Istiklal Caddesi, the shopping street mentioned above, you’ll find the main square of Istanbul’s European side. Taksim Square might not be of particular interest, but its sheer size is certainly noticeable.
You may be able to find different photo subjects:
👉Republic Monument in the middle of the square
👉Ataturk Cultural Center next to the square
👉a newly built Taksim Mosque that can accommodate 3000 worshippers, and
👉Gezi Park with a small playground for kids.
Taksim Mosque at night
As usual, the size of the crowd is the main challenge to take a quality photo. You really have to be quick to snap your photo or you’ll simply photograph strangers.
9️⃣ Rooftop cafes
These might be the only photo spots we should have explored but missed.
Apollo picked up my Sony A7IV on my birthday in Switzerland, right before our Turkey trip. He offered to take photos for me as “mommy has no photos”.
These are some photos he took of me during our first two days in Istanbul. We spent the entire time in Ritz Carlton hotel pool as Apollo just learned swimming in Albania and wanted to practice.
Other than swimming, we often hung out at The Roof, a rooftop bar restaurant with an outdoor pool overlooking the Bosphorus Strait. That’s why we didn’t specifically look for another rooftop cafe when we returned to Istanbul.
We also heard people pose for pictures while feeding seagulls in those rooftop cafes. Going back to my preference of “documentary style”, I just didn’t feel like those rooftop cafes were the right choice for us and my photos. But I could be wrong and perhaps it’s worthwhile to try them out.
Our airbnb host called a large Benz Limo to the airport, a surprise and perfect treat for our last day in Turkey. Coming up next is Marseille, France.
If you’d like to know which mirrorless camera is right for you, please watch my free video guide Mirrorless Camera Ultimate Buying Guide.
If you’d like to know how Apollo learned to take photos of me without stress, check out my free video tutorial.
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