The skyline of Istanbul is a dramatic combination of domes, minarets, towers and bridges which narrate the history of empires, religions and contemporary life. This is an action oriented guide to a route that explores all the angles of the city.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia, a former Byzantine church and subsequently an imperial mosque, is at the heart of the Historic Peninsula with its huge central dome. Action: Be at opening time, make a circuit of exterior, taking photographs, and go to upper gallery, where you can get sweeps of interior.

Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)

The Blue Mosque is a reflection of Hagia Sophia, with six minarets and cascading domes, over the square. Action: Wear simple clothes, go between praying sessions and shoot out of the courtyard to create a skyline of minarets.

Süleymaniye Mosque

It is situated on one of the seven hills of Istanbul and provides city views as well as architectural beauty. Action: Go there in the afternoon, not much before sunset, and take tea in the terraces that are near by.

Topkapi Palace

The tip of the peninsula is crowned by the seat of former Ottoman sultans. Action: The terraces and Harem should be prioritized; the views of the palace roofs should be taken into the water using the Bosphorus facing perspectives.

Galata Tower

This is a medieval tower made of stone giving the 360 degree view of the city. Action: You should reserve tickets in advance and plan to visit in the evening during the sunset; then walk down to Karakoy to take some night shots of the tower being lit up.

Grand Bazaar Roofline

The domes and low roofs of the bazaar create a unique stratum in the skyline. Action: First investigate interior alleys, and then locate higher streets nearby to shoot the clustered domes overhead.

Dolmabahçe Palace

It has a palace on the water, bordering the Bosphorus and its ornate facade contrasts with the mosques on the hills. Action: Enter by ferry or cruise to take a photograph of all the facade with the city behind.

Bosphorus Bridges

The suspension bridges are enormous bridges connecting continents that light up at night. Action: Go on an evening cruise of Bosphorus; pay attention to the shots when the bridges with the silhouette of mosques and the city lights are in the background.

Çamlıca Mosque and Hill

This new mosque is the one that is on the top of the Asian side and it is the most dominant on the horizon. Action: Go there just before sunset, and enjoy the blue hour to have the glittering European skyline across the water.

Maiden’s Tower (Kız Kulesi)

This tower, which is situated on a small island, is a romantic center point at the entrance to the Bosphorus. Action: Have it photographed on the shore at Uskudar, and then board a small boat, so that you can be close to the city skyline with a close-up of the building to the background.

3-Day Action Plan

Day 1: Old Peninsula (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi, Grand Bazaar, Süleymaniye).

Day 2: Galata tower, Dolmabahce, Bosphorus night cruise.

Day 3: Çamlıca Hill and Maiden Tower at Üsküdar. Bring good shoes to wear, a power bank, and a flexible schedule to be able to hang about whenever the skyline robs you of breath.

Istanbul is also fast becoming an active crossroads of European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian markets and thus a strategic launchpad of startups and investors. The young, technologically aware population, which is enhancing digital infrastructure, and its low costs provide viable innovation opportunities in the fields of fintech, e-commerce, gaming, and logistics.

Early-stage ecosystems are being driven by government-supported incentives, tech parks, and incubators, as well as international VCs are increasingly looking at the city as a gateway to regional opportunities. Action: Founders are urged to use local Accelerators, university labs, and co-working spaces to generate networks within a short duration of time.

Istanbul-based teams have a high potential to grow on a global scale because the city boasts of a high talent pool in engineering and design, and bilingual professionals. Its geographic and cultural connectivity is especially advantageous to cross-border payment solutions and startups that are export-oriented.

Action plan:

Local grants and incubators.

Participate in regional startup events and demo days.

Construct bilingual pitch decks that will focus on regional and international investors.

Istanbul is quickly becoming a startup powerhouse, being the only city in the world that is simultaneously in Europe, Middle East, and Asia, making the founders an immediate access to numerous markets. Its young and tech-savvy population and relatively low operating costs are also the reasons why it is appealing to early-stage companies in the fintech, e-commerce, gaming, logistics, and SaaS sectors.

Ecosystem Growth and Support

Technology parks, incubators, and co-working centers are on the rise providing mentorship, seed capital and networking facilities. Action: To create relationships quickly, founders ought to attend local accelerators, demo days, and connect into community meetups.

Funding and Global Reach

VCs International VCs and regional funds are becoming more supportive of startups based in Istanbul due to its high engineering talent and scalable business models. Niche payments across borders, export-oriented e-commerce, and logistics can be among the startups that can capitalize on the geographic benefit of Istanbul. Action: Prepare bilingual (English + Turkish) pitch decks and appeal to both local and global investors.

Talent and Infrastructure

Teams are made stronger by having a strong pipeline of engineers, designers and product managers which are available in the local universities. Advancing digital infrastructure and ubiquitous mobile enable quick product testing and cycle. Action: Hire early and recruit at universities, provide equity and focus on remote friendly operations to recruit the best talent as it expands outside of Turkey.

The history of Istanbul is almost 3000 years old and full of the empires, religions, and cultures. It is a walk through its streets that seems to be a living timeline out of stone, water and skyline.

Byzantium: The Ancient Foundations

The city was established by Greek colonists who developed around the natural harbor of the Golden Horn and was named Byzantium. Action: Go to the place between Sarayburnu and the old city walls to imagine its defensive significance in the early days.

Constantinople: Christian Empire Capital

It was converted into Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire by Emperor Constantine. The immense dome of Hagia Sophia has been the symbol of the Christian imperial power throughout centuries. Activity: Visit Hagia Sophia and surrounding cisterns to understand Byzantine engineering and religion.

Ottoman Istanbul: Imperial Metropolis

Mehmed the Conqueror took the city in 1453, and he renamed it Istanbul and the center of the Ottoman Empire. The skyline was transformed by mosques, bazaars and palaces. Activity: Take a stroll across the Topkapi palace, through Sultanahmet to the Grand Bazaar to follow the Ottoman civic life.

Modern Republic to Global City

As the Turkish Republic emerged, Istanbul transformed into a modern, multicultural metropolis and retained its stratified culture. Action: Take a ride around the Historic Peninsula to contemporary areas of the city such as Karaköy and Beyoğlu- observe how old walls and Ottoman mosques and glass towers co-exist, expressing the current change in the city.

The food industry in Istanbul is a blend of Ottoman traditions, local Anatolia cuisine, and contemporary world cuisine. Within one day you can eat like a sultan, a local commuter and an avant-garde foodie.

Street Food Essentials

Begin with a simit, a bread, topped with sesame seeds, of a red street cart and Turkish tea. Take a fish sandwich (balik ekmek) by the Bosphorus and late-night durum or kokorec by major squares. Action: Map out a walk path that takes you to ferry docks, markets, and nightlife streets to have one bite in another.

Markets and Meze Culture

Explore spice markets and local bazaars to sample olives, cheeses and lokum. In meyhane taverns, divide meze dishes, hummus, eggplant salads, stuffed vine leaves, on raki. Action: Have a combination of cold and hot meze ordered; allow server to recommend specials of the season.

Fine Dining and Modern Twists

The fine dining industry of Istanbul reinvents the old recipes using modern methods- such as lamb in pistachio crust or deconstructed baklava. Rooftop restaurants are located with views of the skyline and tasting menu with local seafood and wines of the region. Action: Make at least one reservation in advance, select one of the seasonal tasting menus, and request wine pairings or non-alcoholic local options such as sherbets to fully enjoy the changing culinary art in Istanbul.