We (a family of 2 adults and 2 kids aged 12 and 8 years) visited Istanbul for 8 days during the Christmas/ new year holidays (2024-25). Istanbul can be a stressful place to visit, especially if go there without any preparation. It is notorious for scams and being a tourist you can easily feel overwhelmed. We have been to Istanbul once earlier before having kids (in 2010) so it was our second time. Based on our experience, we’re sharing some insights which will be helpful for you if you’re planning a visit there.
Transportation
Assuming that you will fly either to Istanbul international airport or Sabiha Gökçen Airport, you will need to arrange a transport to your hotel/lodging. Many of the hotels offer pick up services from the airport, which depending on the location can cost €50-55 (in 2025). If you are traveling with kids/family and have heavy luggage with you, this might be the best choice, which is what we did. However, if you are flexible and willing to take some extra effort, do take the public transport, which costs roughly €5 per person. Google maps guide you really well which connections you need to take. Make sure to have internet (details below) if you are planning to take this option so you can navigate without issues.
For traveling within Istanbul try to avoid taxi. Taxi drivers are notorious for scamming tourists. Istanbul has good public transport network. To use it, you will need to buy a card called Istanbulkart (pictured below). It is sold at the yellow colored machines located outside the tram stops or inside the metro station. Please note that in 2025, a card costed 130 TL and can be topped up to a limit of 500 TL. You pay per trip with the card which is 20 TL per person (kids up to 6 travel free). If you’re paying by card, an extra fee has to be paid. So it’s better to pay by cash for the Istanbul kart.
Bonus tip: You can also use this card to pay for public toilets.
Internet
Whether to navigate the streets of Istanbul or to keep connected to your loved ones, you will need internet on your phone. You can of course go the classic way and buy a sim card at the airport, but to save the time and hassle we opted for an e-sim. To get it you need to install an app called ‘Airalo’ (pictured below) and select the country of your travel (Turkey in this case). It will show you different data options to choose from. Select the one based on your needs (we got the 10 GB option for €18). Once you have installed it on your phone, you will need to activate it when you land in Istanbul and you will have a functioning internet. Just keep in mind that this e-sim provides you with data only (internet). You cannot make cellular calls with it but app based calls are not a problem.
Clothes
This will highly depend upon the weather. Download the app weather24 and start keeping a track of the weather a few days before your trip. Pack suitably. Istanbul has some of the most beautiful mosques. So even if you are not praying, you can get inside the mosque as a visitor. Hence, it is recommended to pack modest clothes (also a headscarf for ladies) not to miss the opportunity of getting into a mosque whenever you come across one. You can also find scarf and long skirts outside the major mosques (to borrow) in case you need it.
Shoes
In Istanbul, there are many steep slopes and cobbled uneven streets. Moreover, it is a big city that you will need to explore on foot to experience it properly. Pack footwear that is extremely comfortable. Wear warm (and waterproof) shoes in winter and light sports shoes in summer. Shoes that are easy to take off/on are your best friends because you need to take them off at the mosques.
Money
It is recommended to have cash on hand. This will give you good negotiating power as small shopkeepers prefer to get paid by cash rather than with card. You will find the best conversion rates outside the grand bazaar. We got Euros converted at this place. Don’t forget to take your passport because they do proper paperwork and need your passport for processing the conversion.
In case you want to have a digital mode of payment too, revolut worked great. Download the app on your phone and load an amount in the currency you want. It has good conversion rates and you will feel secure having some amount in Turkish Lira digitally as well.
Note that the prices in Istanbul have skyrocketed post corona and everything costs much higher than it did 3 years ago.
Accommodation
You can either stay in the Sultanahmet area if you want to be near the blue mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi palace, or near the Galata tower (Beyoğlu area) for the hustle bustle where the famous shopping street (Istiklal street) is located. Being in the Sultanahmet area gives you the benefit of being near the top attractions but it doesn’t have a good choice of restaurants. Beyoğlu area has good choices of restaurants but you will need to travel to Sultanahmet to visit the attractions, which isn’t too bad too because of the efficient public transport.
Whether you chose a hotel or an airbnb depends upon how much you want to spend. Hotels are usually more expensive than an airbnb (apartment) and staying at an airbnb also allows you to be flexible. You will have more space and can make some of the meals yourself. We stayed at two airbnbs. Two nights at this one in the Sultanahmet are and 5 nights at this one in Beyoğlu are.
Our experience with the airbnbs was good. The one is Sultanahmet was close to the main attractions, but was compact and didn’t have a good choice of restaurants in the area. The one in Beyoğlu was spacious but lacked some amenities. We needed to take the public transport to get to places like Eminönü, Grand bazaar etc but the tram stop was close by so it was not a problem.
We usually had our breakfast at our airbnb which comprised of fried eggs, sucuk, simit and tea. Visiting the local grocery stores to get ingredients for our breakfast was also fun. Lunch and dinner were usually had outside. If you want to know our recommendations for foods/drinks to try in Istanbul, read below.
Food/drinks
Istanbul is a hotspot for food lovers. There are certain things that you must try in Istanbul. We are listing the items name-wise, along with the places we tried them and our recommendation/feedback. All of the recommendations are organic and not sponsored.
- Simit: It’s a bread that is shaped in ring, coated with sesame. It’s the grab and go snack whenever you feel like you can much onto something but you aren’t hungry enough for a full meal. There are street hawkers selling them everywhere in Istanbul. As in early 2025, a plain simit coted 15 TL and a filled one (cheese spread or nutella) costed 35 TL. It’s best to buy in the morning hours when they are freshly baked and delivered. Look for fluffy looking simit and avoid the wrinkled ones as those could be stale. The best that we had was near the Fatih mosque.
2. Sahlep: On our way from the airport to our accommodation, our driver took the transport ferry to get us from the Asian to the European side. We were tired from the flight and wanted to have some Turkish chai (tea). There was a small kiosk on the ferry selling chai and another drink called Sahlep. On the recommendation of our driver, we got Sahlep for the kids and that’s how we got introduced to it. It is a thick hot drink (sweet) that is served with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon on top. From that day onward, the kids tried Sahlep from many nooks and corners of Istanbul. The best that we liked was from a Turkish cafe chain called Dünya Kahvesi. Do try it, especially if you are visiting in the colder months.
3. Yemeni Food: Yemeni food in Turkey might sound odd to you but trust me on this one. We went there thrice just because the food here was so good and reasonably priced (approx 1500TL for a family of 4). I came across this restaurant while scrolling on Instagram. The person said that the food is very similar to desi food. And to our surprise it was. We had nihari, naan, biryani and karak chai. The food was so good that we came back here multiple times during our stay. It is situated a little outside of Istanbul on the west side. You will have to take the tram or bus to Yusufpasa to get to this restaurant but it is totally worth it.
Name: Hadramout Yemeni Restaurant
4. Turkish breakfast: In Istanbul you will see a lot of places offering Turkish breakfast. Some restaurants even serve breakfast all day long. So even if you are not a breakfast person or like us prefer to have breakfast at your accommodation before leaving to explore the city, you will be temped to try Turkish breakfast at least once during your stay. You can have lunch for breakfast so do bring some appetite with you as you will get full with all the varieties on the table.
We went to this place in Sultanahmet on our thirst day in Istanbul after doing some research. The prices looked reasonable and the reviews were really good. However it did not meet our expectations. For the price we paid (2000 TL), we did not find the breakfast worth it. The menemen (scrambled eggs) which is the highlight of a Turkish breakfast wasn’t good.
We found out later when we were staying in the Beyoğlu area that there were better options in that area for Turkish breakfast. We didn’t have berakfast outside after that one time, but if you want to try Turkish breakfast look for places in Beyoğlu serving good Menemen.
5. Fish wraps: Known as Balik Dürüm in Turkey, they’re a must try when you are visiting. It doesn’t have a strong (fishy) smell (good news for people like me). There are hundreds of stalls and hawkers selling these but our top favourite was from this place. There is usually a long line because it’s pretty famous. Prices are 200 TL for a wrap.
Name: Yildirim Usta Balik Dürüm
6. Künefe and Baklava: You can’t leave Istanbul without trying Turkish sweets. Our favourite was Künefe from the famous Hafiz Mustafa. Their baklava is also one of the best that we’ve had, with a melt in your mouth consistency. Their saffron tres leches is also really good. You definitely need to order some Turkish tea to cut through the richness and sweetness of these desserts. The prices are on the higher side, but you’re paying for a once in a lifetime experience and that is worth it. Bare in mind that there could be a long waiting time if you’re visiting at a rush hour.
Name: Hafiz Mustafa 1864
One chain that is also very prominent in Istanbul is Mado. It’s a cafe serving Turkish sweets and desserts. We wouldn’t recommend it. The baklava and Turkish coffee that we tried there was disappointing to say the least. The prices are also pretty expensive. Avoid Mado.
7. Gözleme: A flatbread filled with different kinds of fillings like spinach, cheese or minced meat. Lots of Turkish restaurant have corners where women are making them in front of you. The ones that we tried were at a cafe in Turkey’s biggest mosque (Büyük Çamlıca Camii), when we went there for Friday prayers. The serving time was pretty long but the gözleme were really good. Freshly made, crispy from the outside and soft from the inside. The prices were also reasonable (150 TL for one).
Name: Müze cafe
8. Soups: We visited in winter months and it rained quite a bit. To seek comfort in the cold weather, we sometimes had a light lunch at some local eateries. Turkish cuisine has some great soups. Our favourite was ezogelin çorbası which is somewhat spicier version of the classic mercimek çorbası (red lentil soup). We especially liked the soups from this small eatery located near Eyüp mosque.
Name: Akar Koftecisi
9. Lokantasi: Lokantasi is not a dish but a kind of an eatery. The concept is that each day, based on the availability of ingredients, season and the demand of the customers, the lokantasi prepares several dishes. They place them behind a glass showcase. You can find a price listing and tell them which dish you would like. The prices are usually very affordable and the food is delicious. This is often where you’ll also see the locals frequenting. We tried a few different ones and loved this one located near the Sulemaniye mosque. It is a unpretentious place full with locals. If you plan to go there, go before noon as the popular items finish very quickly and then you won’t have a lot of choice.
Name: Özen Lokanta
11. San sebastian cheesecake: Turkey has somehow become a hotspot for the famous san sebastian cheesecake. There are cafes which are famous for this cake charging a ridiculous amount (up to 12€) for a piece of it. Being cheesecake fans, of course we had to look for an affordable and good location to try this famous cake. We found this cafe at the asian side (Kadiköy) which had amazing san sebastian at good prices (360 TL for a generous portion to be shared by 2-3 people). Their turkish coffee was delicious as well.
Name: Eywa Sebastian
10. Pomegranate: The must have fruit when you’re in Istanbul. Grab it from a grocery store or a fruit hawker. The pomegranates are cheap and really delicious. In the winter months they were available all over for very cheap.
Note: Whenever you check reviews for restaurant on google maps, keep in mind to check the menu prices from a recent picture (if not quoted on the website). There might be pictures of the older menu (older than an year) which could be misleading as the prices have soared recently. We also felt like some places were pretty high rated but did not match the ratings (expectations). The reviews for some restaurants, especially at touristic places might not be genuine.
Restaurants/Cafes to avoid: Mado (cafe chain), Murat Kelle Paca (overpriced and low quality food), Lookanta (on Istiklaal street, tourist trap, overpriced and low quality food).
Shopping
We only shopped for souvenirs and local items. We did not want to buy any branded items so we didn’t visit any malls or branded stores. The shopping recommendations are based on that.
To shop for souvenirs the area surrounding the grand bazaar (outside the grand bazaar) in Eminönü is great. The prices are much lower than in grand bazaar. Here is where theb shopkeepers of grand bazaar actually buy their products. Some of the shops are wholesale only but you’ll also find ones that sell individual items too. What we found worth buying were some handmade ceramics, scraves, abaya, tasbih (prayer beads), spices and Turkish delights.
For the spices, you can visit the spice market in Eminönü. But same as for grand bazaar, the shops located outside the actual Egyptian spice market will give you a better price. Negotiating prices is a common practice here so don’t shy away from quoting a price that you find fairer. The shopkeepers here prefer getting paid in cash and they give you a better deal if you pay by cash.
Other things to know:
- As with any big touristic city, be aware of your belongings and avoid unnecessary encounters with strangers on the streets trying to sell you stuff.
- Istanbul is not very stroller friendly. It is better to take a baby carrier/pouch to carry the small ones.
- The mosques are closed for tourists during the prayer times but open for whoever wants to pray. The toilets are often located a bit far away from the praying area so plan plenty of time for wudhu etc.
- Rain can occur on a short notice, so always carry an umbrella with you.
- There are lots of cats in Istanbul. Some let you pet them but some are shy. If you want, you can carry some cat food with you to offer it and interact with cats.
- Take the public transport ferry from the European to Asian side or vice versa to get some great views at nominal prices. You don’t have to pay for the fancy Bosphorus boat tours.
- Watch videos from Istanbul hacks on YouTube for some insider tips and to understand the public transport system.
