All guides
TASIST
Istanbul
Two continents, mosques, bazaars and ferries: an easy choice for a first trip abroad.
- Route
- Tashkent → Istanbul
- Best time to go
- April–May and September–October.
- VisaVisa-free
- Citizens of Uzbekistan need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180 days. Your passport must remain valid at least 60 days beyond the permitted stay.
What to see
- Sultanahmet Square
- Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque face each other here.
- Basilica Cistern
- An ancient underground reservoir known for its hundreds of columns.
- Topkapi Palace
- The palace of the Ottoman sultans, with views of the Bosphorus.
What to try
- Balık ekmek
- Try a fish sandwich by the Eminönü pier.
- Simit and tea
- A quick breakfast of street simit and Turkish tea.
What to do
- Bosphorus ferry
- Cross from Eminönü to Kadıköy or Üsküdar on a regular city ferry.
- Miniatürk
- Turkey's famous buildings in miniature, which children enjoy.
Read next
Guide, KazakhstanAlmatyMountains right beside the city: Medeu, Shymbulak, Kok-Tobe and a short flight.
Guide, AzerbaijanBakuOld city walls and the Flame Towers, about a 3-hour flight from Tashkent.
Guide, TurkeyAntalyaMediterranean beaches, an old town and waterfalls: well suited to a family holiday.
Guide, GeorgiaBatumiA Black Sea boulevard, a botanical garden and excellent khachapuri.