5 Days in Istanbul: Karaky + Kadky, Aug '26 Here's what I learned!

TLDR:
5 days in Istanbul (Aug/Sept '26) — 2 nights in Karaköy (walkable, clean, near Old City sights), 2 nights in Kadıköy (busy harbor city, diverse food options, across the Bosphorus), covering Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, and the Egyptian & Grand Bazaars.

Short Intro:
Country-hopping abroad, so I created a Reddit account to provide information to others based on my experiences.

Summary:
We spent a handful of days between Aug & Sept ‘26 in Istanbul, Turkey. This was my first experience in Turkey, and I adored every second. I’ve never fallen so quickly in love with a city.

Istanbul (Aug-Sept '26, \~ 5 days)
We stayed 2 nights in the Karaköy neighborhood, which had lots of great restaurants within walking distance, and the only thing breaking up sleep was the prayer call. The streets and sidewalks were generally wide, clean, and walkable.
We stayed another 2 nights in the Kadıköy neighborhood. Always felt very safe, even when solo female. It was very walkable and had easy/beautiful running routes. There were multiple parks within walking distance, and my favorite was the Moda Pier area (photos on top).
It was 60s-70s (16–24°C) in the evenings and low 80s to low 90s (27–34°C) during the day. Humidity was only really noticeable for us one day when my hair started looking like Monica’s from Friends (“The One in Barbados”).

Karaköy Restaurant/Dessert highlights:

Kapı Karaköy
Chuck Burger
Karaköy Güllüoğlu - Nadir Güllü
Peyra Gelato
Dudu Firin coffee & bakery

Kadıköy Restaurant/Dessert highlights:

Pişi Mutfak Moda – Kahvaltı & Brunch
Moda Meyhanesi
Paitan Ramen and Gyoza House
Prm Cheese Kadıköy
Antepli Beraat Tatli ve Cig Kofte Salonu
Bravo Coffee Roastery

Food/Drink Suggestions Based on my/my partner's experience:

Adana - spicy lamb kebab
Girit Boregi - crispy fried pastry with meat and cheese
Girit Ezme - crushed herb and vegetable spread
Haydari -Thick yogurt dip mixed with garlic and herbs
Sucuklu Yumurta - fried eggs and sausage
Menemen - scrambled eggs with tomato, peppers, and spices
El yapımı karadut - black mulberry drink
Raki - anise-flavored spirit

Language Learning:

Most people spoke English, but we did learn a few phrases to be polite, which was much appreciated!

Hello - Merhaba
Thank you - Teşekkür ederim
Please - Lütfen

Explored Locally:

The Blue Mosque
Hagia Sophia
Cistern Basilica
Grand Bazaar
Egyptian Bazaar
Galata Tower
Gülhane Park
Moda Pier

Experienced:

A Turkish barbershop cut with a straight blade at Hakan Barbershop, a fantastic experience with wonderful customer service!

Really good experience using Daisy laundry. They were very friendly and our laundry was done in four hours, they smell great too!

Airport:

We flew in and out of IST and had good experiences both times. It was refreshing not to be rushed at the exit by insistent taxi drivers. We headed to the uber/taxi line, and that was that.

Leaving via IST, was different in that we had to go through three sets of security lines and three sets of passport controls. Prepare accordingly.

Turkish Airlines Business Lounge was very busy, but the showers were really comfortable and spacious. We had 1.5 hour wait for showering so I'd put yourself on the list asap if you're taking one. There are six bathroom stalls for women so get in line before you think you need to go lol. The food was plentiful and delicious — I highly recommend the manti.

FYIs-

Ubers work differently here. You’ll hail a taxi using the Uber app, but it has an approximate amount it should cost. Double-check the meter is running (sometimes it’s on the dash, sometimes it's on the rearview mirror) and take a photo of the ending meter price. We had a driver leave and let the meter keep running. We contacted him immediately, and he stopped/reverted the price. Whether this was accidental or not, it's good to be aware of.
Both our hotels provided free bottled water because many do not drink the tap water here (aging plumbing).
Check your total price carefully when buying the Hagia Sophia tickets onsite. They are advertised at 25€ and then charge you in TRY — sometimes including the museum experience, even if you explicitly tell them you only want the HS experience.
Hagia Sophia was the only site we visited that required a headscarf and didn’t provide one. They are for sale (and quite terrible) for 2€. They’re triangular, small, and if you aren’t used to wrapping them, watch a tutorial or be fine with looking goofy.
Cash on hand was helpful for tips and occasional experiences like the barbershop. There are many ATMs especially in the touristy areas. We use schwab to get the fees reimbursed.
Everything was really walkable in both neighborhoods, and we found it easy to get around.
There are free restrooms at the Blue Mosque (outdoor area) — a mix of squat and sitting toilets.
Google Maps led us to the exit of the Basilica Cistern (1 Yerebatan Cd.). The entrance address is Alemdar, Yerebatan Cd. 1/3, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul (around the corner).

What we would do differently-

We would spend more time in the Karaköy neighborhood and probably skip the Kadıköy neighborhood, only because there’s so much to see in Karaköy and only so much time on our first go-round.

A female perspective:

Safety - I felt safe walking around each Istanbul area at all times. I don't stay out late, so I can't speak to 9 pm+, but I do wake up early and run solo (6 am).
Street harassment/catcalling - None to speak of. No leering, no staring, no harassment.
Clothing/dress norms - I noted that many women dress more conservatively (long skirts/dresses, covered shoulders) here, even tourists. A few shorts, but mostly pants and t-shirts. I wore yoga pants/shorts and tank tops a couple times for exercise with no negative experiences.
See FYIs re: Hagia Sophia headscarf requirement — annoying but easy to work around.

I'm happy to answer any questions I can on the trip or logistics :) Please do not miss out on this epic city!

Author: WideLens_OpenAtlas