When to go Tips for Istanbul

Spent six weeks in Istanbul over the winter months and it was absolutely perfect. Hotel prices in Beyoğlu drop 30-40%, no queues at Hagia Sophia or Basilica Cistern, and the city takes on this beautiful melancholy atmosphere when fog rolls over the Golden Horn.

Yes, it's chilly and rainy sometimes, but you can actually enjoy the Grand Bazaar's 4000 shops without fighting tour groups. Indoor attractions like Cagaloglu Hamami (built 1741) and the Byzantine cisterns are much more atmospheric when you're not already overheating from summer heat.

Flight prices to IST drop significantly too. Pack layers for those bone-chilling Bosphorus winds and you're sorted. The apple tea vendors on Galata Bridge actually appreciate the company during winter.