If you only get to know Istanbul through the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Galata Tower, you see an important part of the city – but far from all of it. On my trips to Istanbul it is often the places beyond those first classics that stay in my mind: a small mosque right on the Bosphorus, Byzantine history in Zeyrek and Kariye, Haydarpaşa seen from the ferry, or an unassuming gate with much more behind it. These are the Istanbul hidden gems I collect here – each with a detailed article on history, routes and background.
Istanbul hidden gems and little-known places: from the underground mosque in Karaköy to Byzantine churches in Zeyrek and Kariye – each with a detailed article.
For us, the value of a hidden gem isn't that nobody knows it, but that it fits sensibly into a route. That's why we sort the places by area, so that you don't zigzag across the city.
- Concretely: Zeyrek and Kariye for Byzantine history, the Yeraltı Camii as an underground mosque in the middle of Karaköy, the Şemsi Paşa Mosque by the water in Üsküdar, the Haydarpaşa Station on the Asian side and the Museum of Innocence.
- Many are on or near our routes: 3 days, 4 days and 5 days.
- For slopes, stairs and routes we use the Istanbul Guide.
What are real hidden gems in Istanbul?
In short: Places that attract fewer visitors than the big sights but offer a lot of history or atmosphere – such as Zeyrek, Kariye (Chora) or the Yeraltı Camii in Karaköy. Check opening times and rules in advance, because they change.
Byzantine Istanbul beyond the Hagia Sophia
- Yeraltı Camii in Karaköy: A few steps down and you're standing in a dark, massive space that doesn't look like the classic domed mosques. Part of our 5-day route.
- Kariye / Chora: Mosaics and frescoes of the former Chora Church, counted among the most important works of late Byzantine art.
- Zeyrek: One of the most important surviving Byzantine building complexes in Istanbul – and visited much less often than the Hagia Sophia or Chora.
- Fener and the Ecumenical Patriarchate: An unassuming gate to one of the most important places of Orthodox Christianity.
- Fatih Mosque: Built on the site of the Church of the Holy Apostles.
By the water and on the Asian side
- Şemsi Paşa Mosque: Sinan's small building right on the water in Üsküdar.
- Mihrimah Sultan Mosque in Üsküdar: The foundation of a sultan's daughter.
- Atik Valide Sultan Complex: An entire complex around the mosque, commissioned by Nurbanu Sultan.
- Haydarpaşa Station: From the ferry it looks almost like a palace.
- Maiden's Tower: The tower in the Bosphorus with a more complicated history than the well-known legend.
Views, culture and the unusual
- Pierre Loti Hill: A view over the Golden Horn and more history than you see at first glance.
- Çamlıca Hill: Even Ottoman day-trippers loved this viewpoint.
- Museum of Innocence: Orhan Pamuk's novel as a real museum.
- Galata Mevlevi Lodge: Dervishes, music and poetry – the Sema is more than “whirling dervishes”.
Small things on our routes
On day 1 of our route there is the Ayasofya Su Terazisi, which is easy to overlook – more on this in Istanbul in 3 Days. Day 2 uses the cafés and tea houses below the Süleymaniye as a break.
How to plan hidden gems sensibly
- Combine them with places in the same area instead of heading for individual destinations across the city.
- Check opening days and visiting rules shortly beforehand – dress codes apply at mosques.
- Use the Guide to see slopes and stairs before you set off.
- If you're looking for a neighbourhood to stay in: Which Neighbourhood in Istanbul Suits You?.
– Amra
