When to go
April through June and September through October are the sweet spots — 65–80°F, the tulips and Bosphorus weather both cooperate, and the cruise-ship crowds are lighter. July and August are hot, humid, and packed. November to March is mild but rainy; the upside is that hotel rates drop by half and the Grand Bazaar is finally walkable without elbows.
Getting there
Turkish Airlines runs daily JFK and EWR nonstops on a Boeing 777-300ER — about 10 hours eastbound, 11 westbound. United also flies a JFK nonstop in summer. Istanbul Airport (IST) replaced the old Atatürk in 2019; it’s 45 km from Sultanahmet (90 min by Havaist bus, 45 by taxi, ~€30). The brand-new metro line opened in 2023 and runs into central Istanbul in about an hour.
Visa & entry
US, UK, Canadian, and Australian passport holders need an e-Visa — $50, done online at evisa.gov.tr in about three minutes, valid 180 days. EU passport holders enter visa-free. Your passport needs six months’ validity past your return date. The e-Visa is single-entry; if you’re hopping to Greek islands and coming back, get a multi-entry.
Money
Turkish Lira (TRY) is highly volatile — it’s traded anywhere from 25 to 40 per USD in the past two years and currently sits around 38. Inflation is wild; restaurant prices change every few months. Use ATMs (Garanti BBVA and Akbank are reliable, low fees) and avoid the currency-exchange booths near the Hagia Sophia which give terrible rates. Cards work in mid-range and up; the bazaar and street food are cash-only.
What to see
Five days minimum for a proper first trip: Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque (free, dawn for the call to prayer is unforgettable), Topkapi Palace (half-day, get the harem ticket), the Basilica Cistern (newly reopened, atmospheric), Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, a Bosphorus ferry to the Asian side (Kadıköy for dinner), and a hamam at Çemberlitaş. Skip the "Turkish Night" tourist-trap dinner shows; eat at a meyhane (tavern) in Nevizade alley instead.