Istanbul 4 Day Itinerary, Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is a world class city that spans two continents-Asia and Europe. It has a distinct character, lively and bustling, but warmer and more welcoming than many other European cities. The skyline is dotted with minarets from mosques and the city is surrounded by water. It is a great place for a long weekend, but even if you had a whole week you wouldn’t be able to do it all!

We made a 4 day trip to Istanbul in November with kids. It was a great first introduction to the city and to Türkiye as a country. We left wanting more and plotting where else in Türkiye we could visit next. This Istanbul 4 Day Itinerary is designed for people who have never been to Istanbul before. This is an introduction to this fabulously interesting city!

The Grand Bazaar has been in operation since the 1400’s. It was the central marketplace of the Ottoman Empire. Today it houses over 4000 different shops and you can find everything from clothes, carpets, tea, Turkish delights, chess board, jewelry, lamps, and more here.

Some will say it is too touristy but I didn’t feel that way. We really enjoyed walking around and marveling at all the goods. The bazaar itself is beautiful and you should look up at the painted details and pretty arches. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).