Amazing Free Things To Do In Istanbul

With its multitude of historically significant buildings and museums (with free admission on certain days), there are plenty of activities in Istanbul that don’t require your wallet. Check out our tips for a few freebie days in the big Turkish city.

Did you know – Culture Trip now does bookable, small-group trips? Pick from authentic, immersive Epic Trips, compact and action-packed Mini Trips and sparkling, expansive Sailing Trips.

Istanbul Modern

Istanbul Museum of Modern Art, Istanbul, Turkey

One of Istanbul’s most important hubs for contemporary art from both local and international artists, Istanbul Modern is an essential experience for art aficionados. It’s also handy to know that admission is free every Thursday, so you can spend a whole day gazing at beautiful art without paying a dime.

One of the first fine art museums in Turkey, the Museum of Painting and Sculpture was founded by Atatürk in 1937, and exhibits the works of 19th and 20th century Turkish artists such as Osman Hamdi Bey and Bedri Rahmi. The museum is free daily between 10am and 4:30pm (except Sunday and Monday).

Pera Museum

A private museum in a beautiful 19th century building that used to house the Bristol Hotel, Pera Museum exhibits Orientalist paintings, Anatolian weights and measures, and Kütahya tiles and ceramics, as well as temporary exhibitions. Some of the previous temporary exhibitions have featured such renowned names as Andy Warhol, Joan Miro, Frida Kahlo, and Pablo Picasso. The museum is free every Friday evening between 6-10pm.

Salt Galata

Stunning both for its architecture as well as its library and exhibition spaces, Salt Galata is a cultural institution located in a former Ottoman bank. Inside you’ll find a beautiful research library (free), restaurant, café, bookstore, art gallery (free), and the Ottoman Bank Museum (free). You could easily spend the whole day here.

Art Galleries on İstiklal Street

Art galleries are always free and therefore a great activity for the budget-conscious among us. In Istanbul you’ll find a lot of the city’s best art galleries right on İstiklal street, including the famous Mısır Apartmanı, a beautiful art-nouveau apartment building that has a different art gallery on every floor, including Galeri Zilberman, Galerist, and Galeri Nev. A little bit further down İstiklal, Arter is another great contemporary art gallery whose exhibitions are always worth a look.

A Tour of Balat

One of Istanbul’s most colorful and historic neighborhoods, you can spend a whole day wandering around Balat without spending any money. Gaze at the beautiful Phanar Greek Orthodox College building, light a candle at the Church of St. George, and check out the beautiful St. Stephen Bulgarian Church by the waterside, as well as Balat’s many beautiful houses that used to belong to the city’s bourgeois Greek Orthodox families.

Zeyrek Mosque

Quite an off-the-beaten-path sight, the Zeyrek Mosque is a beautiful pale rose-colored structure that used to be the Monastery of the Pantocrator, composed of two former Eastern Orthodox churches and a chapel. The second largest remaining religious edifice built by the Byzantines after Hagia Sophia, Zeyrek was converted into a mosque after the fall of Constantinople.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.