Best landmarks & sacred sites in Istanbul, ranked honestly
Ranked by Reality: whether each one delivers for people who went. The chips show if it lives up to its hype.
Worth itReality 90 +121Süleymaniye Mosque★ 4.9
Worth itReality 81 +472Little Hagia Sophia★ 4.7
Worth itReality 81 +423Rüstem Paşa Mosque★ 4.7
Worth itReality 79 +364Chora (Kariye)★ 4.5
Worth itReality 76 +15Eyüp Sultan★ 4.8
Worth itReality 76 −76Blue Mosque★ 4.7
Worth it if…Reality 57 −297Hagia Sophia★ 4.8
Skip itReality 44 −168Maiden's Tower★ 4.7
Skip itReality 41 −269Taksim Square★ 4.5The numbers
| # | Place | Verdict | Hype | Reality | Gap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Süleymaniye Mosque | Worth it | 78 | 90 | +12 · Underrated | ★ 4.9 (67,578) |
| 2 | Little Hagia Sophia | Worth it | 34 | 81 | +47 · Underrated | ★ 4.7 (5,364) |
| 3 | Rüstem Paşa Mosque | Worth it | 39 | 81 | +42 · Underrated | ★ 4.7 (7,456) |
| 4 | Chora (Kariye) | Worth it | 43 | 79 | +36 · Underrated | ★ 4.5 (12,359) |
| 5 | Eyüp Sultan | Worth it | 75 | 76 | +1 · Lives up to the hype | ★ 4.8 (66,826) |
| 6 | Blue Mosque | Worth it | 83 | 76 | −7 · Lives up to the hype | ★ 4.7 (122,958) |
| 7 | Hagia Sophia | Worth it if… | 86 | 57 | −29 · Overhyped | ★ 4.8 (135,326) |
| 8 | Maiden's Tower | Skip it | 60 | 44 | −16 · Overhyped | ★ 4.7 (28,216) |
| 9 | Taksim Square | Skip it | 67 | 41 | −26 · Overhyped | ★ 4.5 (58,660) |