From stunning mosques to the rainbow-colored houses of Balat or endless umbrella streets dotted around the city, there’s no shortage of Instagram spots in Istanbul, Turkey.
This guide to the most Instagrammable places in Istanbul will show you a list of the 16 best Istanbul photo spots including a map to help you find their exact location.
If you’re spending 4 days in Istanbul, you’ll have plenty of time to hit all of these photography spots. And don’t forget to also check out my top tips for visiting Istanbul which are particularly helpful for first-time visitors.
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Most Instagrammable Places in Istanbul
Ortakoy Mosque
Although Ortakoy Mosque is located slightly outside of the city center, it’s one of the best Istanbul Instagram spots.
Sitting on the edge of the Bosphorus, with many boats cruising by, there’s no shortage of photo opportunities here. There’s even a small platform that juts out to the water where you can take photos!
Make sure to also go inside the mosque to see the beautiful crystal chandeliers and mosaics. After your visit, walk around Ortakoy Square to do some shopping or eat lunch at one of the many restaurants overlooking the water.
Tip: If you want to admire the stunning architecture of the mosque from another perspective, I highly recommend taking a Bosphorus cruise. It costs only about €10 and is the perfect way to see some of the main landmarks in Istanbul.
Topkapi Palace
As one of the most Instagrammable places in Istanbul, Topkapi Palace is a must-visit.
During the Ottoman Empire, the palace used to be the residence of Sultans, their wives, and concubines and is now a museum.
The inside is very photogenic with gorgeous mosaic tiles adorning the walls. You can also enjoy a panoramic view of Istanbul from there.
Make sure to also visit the harem section as this is where you can get the best photos. I highly recommend visiting as soon as it opens at 9 a.m if you want to avoid the crowds.
For the best experience, you can book this skip-the-line ticket and guided tour or buy an Istanbul E-Pass to skip the line.
Related post: The best 4 days in Istanbul itinerary
Galata Tower
For the best 360-view of Istanbul, head over to Galata Tower. From the top, you get a bird’s eye view of all the popular landmarks like Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Galata Bridge, among others.
If you want to get a shot of the tower itself, I recommend waking up early and shooting from Buyuk Hendek Cd Street which offers the best view of Galata Tower.
Tip: Buy the Istanbul E-Pass to skip the long ticket lines if you want to go to the top.
Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III
At the entrance of Topkapi Palace, you’ll find the impressive Fountain of Sultan Ahmed III adorned with beautiful mosaic tiles.
Make sure to stop there for a quick photo if you’re already planning to visit Topkapi Palace.
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) is arguably the most popular photography spot in Istanbul which is why you need to wake up super early if you don’t want too many people in the shot.
I highly recommend visiting at least before 8 a.m to avoid the crowds. If you go after 9 a.m, be prepared to wait quite a bit to enter the mosque.
There are several vantage points from which you can photograph Hagia Sophia but the best one, in my opinion, is near the water fountain in Sultanahmet Park.
Tip: If you want to learn more about the history of the mosque, I recommend this guided tour of Hagia Sophia.
Blue Mosque
Another popular Instagram spot in Istanbul is the Blue Mosque, also known as Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Its massive blue domes and minarets make for the perfect photo backdrop.
Since the renovation works are almost complete, you’re now able to wander around the courtyard which is known to be one of the most beautiful Istanbul photo spots.
While the inside is very photogenic, you can also get some pretty epic shots of the Blue Mosque from the outside (from Sultanahmet Park).
Rainbow Stairs Balat
Everyone knows about the famous rainbow stairs near Suleymaniye Mosque which used to be the most Instagrammable place in Istanbul but unfortunately, the colors are all faded now.
You can instead take a short bus ride or metro to Balat to see the new rainbow stairs which are found beside Dimitrie Cantemir Museum Café.
The colors are much more vibrant and you can even enjoy a cup of coffee as you play with the cute cats that usually hang around here.
Umbrella Streets
There are quite a few umbrella streets in Istanbul that are perfect for adding a pop of color to your Instagram photos. The best and most colorful one is found in Balat at Dimitrie Cantemir Museum Café.
You can also find more umbrella streets along the back alleys of Istiklal Avenue next to AKKA Suites or in Kadikoy on the Asian side, along Mimar Çk and Piri Çavuş Sk streets.
Kamondo Stairs
This is one of the lesser-known spots in Istanbul and is worth a quick photo stop if you’re already exploring Galata. It gets quite a bit of foot traffic so you need to be patient if you want to take photos there.
Balat Colorful Houses
I’m sure you’ve seen photos of the colorful houses of Balat all over Instagram. The most photographed ones are the orange, blue, and yellow houses located along Kiremit Caddesi.
As you wander around the neighborhood, you’ll also find other colorful houses that attract fewer tourists. One of my favorites is the polka dot one opposite Fener Greek High School.
Just remember that people live here so avoid making too much noise or posing directly in front of their doors.
Related post: Free attractions to see in Istanbul
Istiklal Avenue
Istiklal Avenue is one of the busiest streets in Istanbul and gets about 1 to 3 million visitors daily. This is one of the most unique Istanbul Instagram spots as the whole street is lined with stunning neo-classical buildings.
But the center of attraction here is the small red tram that will definitely add some interest to your photos.
After taking photos, I recommend exploring some of the attractions here like the beautiful Hagia Triada Greek Orthodox Church, Church of Santa Maria Draperis, and Sent Antuan Kilisesi Church, all of which are free to visit.
Suleymaniye Mosque
Set atop the third hill of Istanbul, Suleymaniye Mosque boasts one of the city’s best panoramic views.
Unlike the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, it attracts fewer tourists so you don’t need to worry about getting there early to shoot your Instagram photos.
The courtyard is particularly Instagrammable as well as the little alleyway flanked by pink flowers that leads to the tomb of Suleiman the Magnificent.
The mosque is open from 8 a.m to 9.30 p.m except during prayer times (check prayer times here).
Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar is no doubt one of the most popular photo spots in Istanbul.
This giant maze-like shopping mall houses over 4,000 shops selling all sorts of goods from clothes to jewelry, sweets, souvenirs, and Turkish lamps, you name it.
The most photographed stalls are the ones selling Turkish lamps but you’ll notice that most of them will have a sign saying “no photos or videos”.
This is because some people just come for a quick photo and then move on to the next location without buying anything from the vendor.
If you want to take photos, make sure to ask nicely and buy something as a thank you.
Spice Bazaar
Similar to the Grand Bazaar but smaller, the Spice Bazaar is another Instagrammable place in Istanbul. Here they sell mainly tea, spices, and delicious Turkish delights.
Camlica Mosque
If you happen to be exploring the Asian side, I highly recommend taking a bus to Camlica Mosque.
It takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to get there from Kadikoy but it’s well worth it as you’ll get the chance to see the largest mosque in Turkey. Plus, the view from up there is absolutely stunning.
Halic Metro Bridge
I stumbled upon Halic Metro Bridge by chance as I was making my way from Suleymaniye Mosque to Galata Tower.
Here you can get some nice shots of the metro with the hill dotted by mosques and houses in the background.
Related post: How to spend 7 days in Turkey?
Map of Istanbul Instagram Spots
Below is a map of the best Instagram spots in Istanbul, Turkey. You can click on the top left corner to view the list of places.
Click on the star sign next to the map title to save it to your Google account. To view the map on your phone, open Google Maps, click on “menu”, then “your places” and finally click on “maps”.
I hope you found this guide to the most Instagrammable places in Istanbul helpful. If you have any other recommendations, feel free to share them in the comments below.
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