Timeline
16:45
Grab a coffee and a pastry to go. Artlocalist is open late, so you can start early without worry.
17:15
Walk to St George's Cathedral. The interior is lavish, a stark contrast to its modest exterior. Check the doors are open before you head in.
17:40
Head to Maçka Park. The park sits in a valley with an avenue running through it. Find a spot on the slope facing west.
18:00
Watch the sun dip below the horizon toward the WSW. The valley frames the light perfectly.
18:45
End the evening with ice cream and Turkish coffee at Bulolu Hasan Usta. It stays open until midnight.
Local tip
The walk from the cathedral to the park takes about 15 minutes. The park is on a hill, so wear comfortable shoes.
Check before you go
- St George's Cathedral closes at 16:00. If you arrive after that, you can still walk through the area, but you cannot enter the church.
- Artlocalist is open until 23:30, so timing your coffee stop is flexible.
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Istanbul (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).