What to do in Heybeliada

Activities, attractions and tours

Heybeliada
Photo by Ece
Photo by Ece
Photo by Hande Gokoglu
Photo by Hande Gokoglu

Heybeliada Attractions

Let Expedia help you experience the best that Heybeliada has to offer! If you’re looking for fun itinerary ideas, we can provide you with a list of the top sightseeing attractions, as well as helping you to find unmissable activities. Whether you’re travelling with your family, planning a romantic trip with your loved one, or visiting on business, we’ll make it easy to plan an unforgettable holiday that checks all the boxes.

Activities and Tours

Heybeliada is crammed with must-see places to visit and things to do. We can help you decide where to stay, and make it a breeze to explore the surrounding areas with our guides on where to go, what to see and when to see it. No matter how long your stay, it’s easy to find places of interest in Heybeliada to make sure that you enjoy your experience to the fullest and don’t miss a thing. Leave the local knowledge to us and leave the hassle behind.

If you’re planning a visit, why not check out our handy guides to places of interest in the area? You can browse lists of things to do, learn about the most popular attractions, and get help with planning the details of your trip. Expedia makes it easy for you to check out all the top sights.

Heybeliada Attractions

Expedia has something for everyone, so whether you’re planning to get active on a summer holiday, put a spring in your step with a romantic rendezvous, or pamper yourself with a leisurely winter trip, you’ll find plenty of attractions to keep you entertained. In addition to scheduling local tours, booking reservations and scoring advance event tickets, Expedia makes it easy to book your flight, hotel and rental car in advance, all on one consolidated travel itinerary, making for hassle-free travel and freeing you up to explore the sights of Heybeliada.

Looking for things to do can be time consuming, but we can take the hassle out of planning your holiday. Whether you’re looking to get active in the great outdoors, sample the cuisine or catch up with the vibrant local culture, our guides to Heybeliada attractions ensure that you’ll have a successful trip, whatever the season.

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Top places to visit

1. Blue Mosque

As one of the most striking features of the Istanbul skyline, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is awe-inspiring in size and scope. More often called the Blue Mosque, it was built under the rule of Sultan Ahmed I of the Ottoman Empire and completed in 1616. The original architect’s vision was to build a great religious site with prominent Islamic features.
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Blue Mosque which includes a mosque, heritage architecture and religious aspects

2. Hagia Sophia

As one of the finest architectural marvels, as well as one of the largest churches, in the world, Hagia Sophia is Istanbul’s most famous landmark. The building you see today represents many cultures.

Known in Turkish as “Ayasofya” (Sacred Wisdom), Hagia Sophia has been of major religious importance to the region, and for various faiths. The church was first commissioned by the Romans and was opened in A.D. 360 before becoming Constantinople’s main Christian place of worship. After riots destroyed the building not once but twice, a new basilica was eventually built in the sixth century, and the Hagia Sophia became the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
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Once a church, then a Byzantine cathedral, later a mosque and now a monument, this iconic building is a national treasure.

3. Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) lies between the Bayezid and Nuruosmaniye mosques, and covers an enormous area. Once you enter one of its 21 gates and start exploring, it’s clear that this is one of the largest bazaars in the world. Under its seemingly endless roofs you can find glazed tiles, spices, pottery, brassware, leather accessories, belly-dancing costumes, pipes and ashtrays, among other curiosa and crafts.
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Enter the maze of shop-lined streets in one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world to browse hundreds of thousands of hand-crafted objects.

4. Galata Tower

When it was built, the stone Galata Tower was the tallest structure in Istanbul, its nine stories rising high to nearly 220 feet (67 meters).
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Istanbul’s medieval lookout point offers panoramic views across city’s historic district and the water of the Golden Horn.

5. Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace is among the best preserved Ottoman palaces, located on the spot where settlement in Istanbul began. A visit to its quarters provides insight into the Ottoman history of the Turkish city. The 15th-century Topkapi Palace was converted into a museum under Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, in 1924.
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The official residence of the Ottoman sultans for about four centuries is now accessible to the public and home to sacred relics.

6. Bosphorus Bridge

The Bosphorus Bridge is a 1-mile (1.5-kilometer) long suspension bridge that crosses the Bosphorus Strait. It stretches between Istanbul’s Ortaköy and Beylerbeyi districts. Opened in 1973, it was the first bridge to connect the continents of Europe and Asia.
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Bosphorus Bridge which includes a river or creek, a bridge and cruising

Recommended things to do in Heybeliada

Number of things to do
16
Cheapest thing to do on Expedia
Istanbul: Audio Tour of Kadikoy District's Sounds and Stories: CA $16
Top 5 things to do
Half-day tours
With kids

What to do in Heybeliada

Discover the most popular places to visit in Heybeliada

Taksim Square

Taksim Square

You can learn about the local history of Istanbul when you make a stop at a well-known site like Taksim Square. Stroll along the area's seaside or experience its fascinating museums.

Taksim Square
Blue Mosque which includes a mosque, heritage architecture and religious aspects

Blue Mosque

The nickname of this 17th-century structure refers to the brilliant color of its tiled interior.

Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia

Once a church, then a Byzantine cathedral, later a mosque and now a monument, this iconic building is a national treasure.

Hagia Sophia
Grand Bazaar

Grand Bazaar

Enter the maze of shop-lined streets in one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world to browse hundreds of thousands of hand-crafted objects.

Grand Bazaar
Galata Tower

Galata Tower

Istanbul’s medieval lookout point offers panoramic views across city’s historic district and the water of the Golden Horn.

Galata Tower
Topkapi Palace

Topkapi Palace

The official residence of the Ottoman sultans for about four centuries is now accessible to the public and home to sacred relics.

Topkapi Palace
Bosphorus

Bosphorus

Commune with nature and explore the great outdoors at Bosphorus during your travels in Istanbul. Wander the seaside in this relaxing area.

Bosphorus
Bosphorus Bridge which includes a river or creek, a bridge and cruising

Bosphorus Bridge

Travel from Europe to Asia on the first bridge to connect the two continents, admire the bridge from below during a cruise and visit centuries-old buildings.

Bosphorus Bridge
Sultanahmet Square

Sultanahmet Square

Find out about the history of Sultanahmet Square, one of the top monuments in Istanbul. Add the area's notable monuments or shops to your travel plans.

Sultanahmet Square

 

Looking for fun things to do nearby? Check things to do near me to find and book the best things to do, fun activities, and top attractions wherever you happen to be.

 

 

Day trip destinations from Heybeliada

Istanbul

Istanbul

Photo by Bugra Emre Besel

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