Istanbul & Ankara: A Work Trip to Turkey

Trip Overview

Five days in Turkey — split between Istanbul and Ankara. A work trip with enough margin to see both cities properly. Istanbul for the first two days and the last evening, Ankara in the middle for meetings and a look at the capital most visitors skip.

Structure: Istanbul arrival and exploration (Days 1–2), domestic flight to Ankara for work and sightseeing (Days 3–4), return to Istanbul and departure (Day 5)

Best Time to Visit: May is ideal — warm but not yet summer heat, around 20°C/68°F, long daylight hours, and the tourist crowds haven’t fully arrived. Light layers are enough.

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Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul — Sultanahmet

A morning arrival after a connecting flight. Immigration was quick — the e-visa system works; apply online before you fly.

The hotel: A waterfront property on the Asian side, in the Kadıköy marina area. Quieter than Sultanahmet, with ferry access to the European side in 20 minutes.

Afternoon — Sultanahmet:

• Hagia Sophia — the building that defines Istanbul. Byzantine cathedral, Ottoman mosque, museum, mosque again. The scale of the interior dome is the thing no photo prepares you for. The 6th-century mosaics and the Islamic calligraphy coexist in a way that summarizes the city itself
• Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) — directly across the square from Hagia Sophia. The 20,000 Iznik tiles on the interior walls give it the name. Remove shoes, cover shoulders. Best visited right after Hagia Sophia for the contrast
• Walk through Sultanahmet Square between the two — the Hippodrome of Constantinople was here. The Egyptian obelisk and the Serpentine Column are still standing

Evening:

• Walk down to Galata Bridge at sunset — the fishermen on the upper deck, the restaurants below, and the view toward the Süleymaniye Mosque silhouette against the evening sky. This is the Istanbul postcard and it earns it
• Dinner under the bridge or in Eminönü — a balık ekmek (fish sandwich) from one of the boats at the quay is the correct first meal in Istanbul

Tips:

• Get an Istanbulkart at the airport — it works on ferries, trams, metro, and buses. Rechargeable and saves money on every ride
• The T1 tram runs from the airport area through Sultanahmet to Eminönü — it’s the most useful single transit line in the city
• Hagia Sophia is free but gets crowded by midday; arrive early or late afternoon

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Day 2: Grand Bazaar, Spice Market & the Bosphorus

Morning:

• Grand Bazaar (Kapalıçarşı) — one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world. 4,000 shops across 61 streets. The leather, ceramics, textiles, and jewelry sections are the main draws. Haggling is expected and part of the experience. Get lost on purpose — the layout rewards it
• Turkish tea at one of the tea stalls inside the bazaar — the small tulip-shaped glasses, served on a saucer with two sugar cubes. The pace of tea here is the pace of the city

Afternoon:

• Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) — smaller and more focused than the Grand Bazaar. Turkish delight, dried fruits, spices, saffron. The colors and the smell hit you at the entrance
• Walk across Galata Bridge to the Galata Tower neighborhood. The tower itself has a viewing platform with a 360-degree panorama of the city — the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, and both continents visible on a clear day
• Wander through Karaköy and up through Beyoğlu toward İstiklal Avenue — Istanbul’s main pedestrian street, about 1.5 km of shops, cafés, and the historic red tram

Evening:

• Dinner in Karaköy or Beyoğlu — this is where to eat well in Istanbul. The meyhane (Turkish tavern) tradition means a table full of meze followed by grilled fish or lamb. Order the meze spread and let it arrive in waves
• Try: lamb kebabs, pide (Turkish flatbread — often called Turkish pizza but better), lahmacun (thin crispy flatbread with minced meat), and finish with baklava and Turkish coffee

Tips:

• The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
• Turkish coffee is served thick and unfiltered — don’t drink the grounds at the bottom. Order it “orta” (medium sweet) if you’re unsure
• The Galata Tower has long lines in the afternoon; morning or late afternoon is better

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Day 3: Ankara — The Capital

A short domestic flight from Istanbul to Ankara — under 90 minutes. Ankara is a different city entirely: planned, modern, governmental. Most tourists skip it, which is part of the appeal.

The hotel: A property in the Çankaya district, close to the government area and restaurants.

Afternoon — after meetings:

• Anıtkabir (Atatürk’s Mausoleum) — the monumental tomb of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of modern Turkey. The complex is enormous — a long ceremonial road lined with Hittite lion sculptures leads to the main hall. The museum inside covers the founding of the republic. Regardless of your politics, the architecture commands respect. Plan 90 minutes
• The changing of the guard at the entrance is worth timing your visit around

Evening:

• Dinner in Kızılay or Tunalı Hilmi — Ankara’s main commercial and dining districts. The food is more Anatolian than Istanbul’s — heavier on grilled meats, regional kebabs, and flatbreads
• Ankara’s café culture is strong — the city runs on tea and Turkish coffee the same way Istanbul does, just with less spectacle

Tips:

• Ankara’s metro system is small but covers the key areas. Taxis are cheap and widely available
• Anıtkabir is free and open daily; the museum closes at 5pm
• The city is at 850m elevation — evenings are cooler than Istanbul even in May

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Day 4: Ankara Castle & Departure to Istanbul

Morning — before meetings:

• Ankara Castle (Ankara Kalesi) — the old citadel on the hill above the city. The walls date to the Romans and Byzantines, rebuilt by the Seljuks and Ottomans. The neighborhood inside the walls is the oldest part of the city — narrow streets, traditional houses, carpet shops
• Views from the ramparts over the modern city sprawl — the contrast between the ancient walls and the planned government district below is the visual
• Museum of Anatolian Civilizations nearby — one of Turkey’s best museums. Hittite, Phrygian, and Urartian artifacts. Small enough to see in an hour, significant enough to justify the stop

Afternoon:

• Work meetings through the afternoon
• Evening flight back to Istanbul — the domestic shuttle between the two cities runs frequently

Evening in Istanbul:

• Last night back on the European side. A final dinner in Sultanahmet or Karaköy — keep it simple. A plate of mixed kebabs, a cold meze spread, fresh bread, and tea
• Walk along the Bosphorus waterfront after dinner — the lit-up mosques reflected on the water are Istanbul’s best final image

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Day 5: Departure

An early morning at the hotel before heading to the airport for the long journey home — a return flight with a connection.

The last Istanbul hours:

• Early morning Turkish breakfast if the hotel does it well — and most do. The full spread: olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, white cheese, honey with kaymak (clotted cream), sucuk (spiced sausage), eggs, fresh bread, and tea. This is the meal Turkey does better than anywhere
• One last look at the water from the waterfront

Practical:

• Istanbul’s main airport is about 40 minutes from the city center by taxi or the Havaist bus
• Allow extra time — the airport is large and security lines can be long
• Duty-free has good Turkish delight and baklava if you need last-minute gifts

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Trip Summary

Detail	Info
Total Days	5 days
Cities	Istanbul (3 nights), Ankara (1 night)
Flight In	SFO → Istanbul (connecting)
Flight Out	Istanbul → SFO (connecting)
Internal	Istanbul → Ankara (domestic)
Work Days	Parts of Days 3–4 in Ankara
Best For	Solo travel, history, architecture, food

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Practical Notes

Getting Around

• Istanbul: The Istanbulkart is essential. The T1 tram covers Sultanahmet to Eminönü to Karaköy. The metro reaches the newer districts. Ferries cross the Bosphorus between the European and Asian sides — cheap, scenic, and the best public transit experience in the city
• Ankara: Smaller metro system, but taxis are plentiful and cheap. The city center is walkable between the main districts
• Between cities: Domestic flights run hourly between Istanbul and Ankara. Under 90 minutes. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus both operate the route

Food Notes

Turkey is one of the easiest countries for eating well on every meal. The cuisine is built around lamb, chicken, and seafood — which makes it straightforward if you don’t eat beef or pork (pork is essentially absent from Turkish cuisine anyway).

What to eat:

• Kebabs — not the late-night European version. Proper Turkish kebabs are grilled lamb or chicken, served with rice, grilled vegetables, and fresh bread. Adana kebab (spiced minced lamb) and şiş kebab (skewered cubes) are the two to know
• Pide — Turkish flatbread, boat-shaped, filled with cheese, meat, or egg. Better than pizza, and I’ll stand by that
• Lahmacun — thin, crispy flatbread with minced meat, herbs, and lemon. Roll it up, eat it fast
• Meze — the appetizer spread that starts every proper Turkish meal. Hummus, ezme (spicy tomato paste), haydari (yogurt with herbs), stuffed grape leaves
• Baklava — layers of phyllo, pistachios, and syrup. Gaziantep-style is the standard. Have it with Turkish coffee
• Turkish breakfast — the full spread is a meal category unto itself. See Day 5 above

Drinks:

• Turkish tea (çay) — served everywhere, all day, in small tulip glasses. Accepting tea is a social act. Refusing it is rude
• Turkish coffee — thick, unfiltered, served in a small cup. Order “sade” (no sugar), “az” (little sugar), “orta” (medium), or “çok şekerli” (sweet)
• Ayran — salted yogurt drink. Sounds strange, works perfectly with kebabs

May in Turkey

May is arguably the best month to visit. Istanbul sits around 20°C/68°F — warm enough for walking all day without summer’s humidity. The light lasts until 8:30pm. Ankara is slightly cooler, especially in the evenings, due to the elevation.

Ramadan timing varies by year — check the dates, as some restaurants may have limited daytime hours during the holy month, though tourist areas in Istanbul are largely unaffected.

Money & Tipping

The Turkish lira fluctuates — check the current rate before you go. Credit cards are accepted widely in Istanbul; Ankara is similar in tourist and business areas. Keep some cash for the bazaars, smaller restaurants, and taxis.

Tipping: 10% at restaurants is standard. Round up for taxis. A few lira for tea service or hotel staff.

Dietary Notes

If you don’t eat pork: Turkey is one of the easiest countries in the world. Pork is essentially nonexistent in Turkish cuisine. If you don’t eat beef: also straightforward — lamb and chicken dominate the menu, and seafood is excellent along the coast and in Istanbul. Vegetarian options exist but are more limited outside of the meze spread.

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Must-Do Highlights

1. Hagia Sophia — the building that makes you understand why people kept conquering this city
2. Grand Bazaar — overwhelming, loud, and exactly as good as advertised
3. Turkish breakfast — the full spread, at least once, with no time pressure
4. Galata Bridge at sunset — the view, the fishermen, the call to prayer echoing across the water
5. Anıtkabir in Ankara — worth the trip to the capital on its own
6. Lamb kebabs and pide — the food is not a side attraction, it’s the main event
7. Turkish tea culture — accept every glass offered. It’s how the country works
8. Bosphorus waterfront at night — lit mosques, dark water, two continents