What do you do in Istanbul when it rains? 6 places I would choose
- Martin
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
Istanbul does not always deliver the weather that was in the travel plans. Fortunately, there are quite a few things to do in the city where it does not matter too much whether the sun is shining or the rain is falling.
Some take place indoors, others underground, and a couple simply require that you have plenty of time.
Here are some of the places I would choose.
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Istanbul Archaeological Museums
The Archaeological Museums are one of those places in Istanbul where you quickly realise that history is much bigger than the city itself.
The collections span several thousand years and an enormous geographical area, with objects from places including Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Levant, Greece and the Roman Empire. So this is not simply the history of Istanbul or even of present-day Türkiye that you encounter here.
There is an extra reason to visit at the moment, too. The new Troy exhibition is fantastic, and after many years of restoration, the Museum of the Ancient Orient - Eski Şark Eserleri Müzesi - reopened in July 2026.
This means that this world-famous archaeological museum is, rather amusingly, continuing to renew the historical experience.
Grand Bazaar
Grand Bazaar is a completely different experience, but it works rather well when the weather is not exactly at its driest.
Large parts of the bazaar are covered, and there is plenty to explore. I actually think it is most enjoyable when you do not have a particular plan, but simply wander between the shops, workshops and all the little passages.
There is one important detail, though: Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. So if your rainy day happens to be a Sunday, you will have to find somewhere else to go.
Basilica Cistern and Şerefiye Cistern
When rain is falling over Sultanahmet, it is a good opportunity to go underground.
Basilica Cistern is the larger of the two, and you can easily spend quite a while walking between the columns and looking at the water and all the details.
Şerefiye Cistern is smaller, so the visit is naturally quicker. That does not make it any less interesting - it is simply a very different size from Basilica Cistern.
If you are interested in Istanbul’s old water supply system, I think both are worth seeing, and they can easily be combined with other places in Sultanahmet.
Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts
The name is a translation of Türk ve İslam Eserleri Müzesi, but it does not really tell you everything you will find inside.
The museum is housed in the old İbrahim Paşa Palace beside the Hippodrome and consists of a series of smaller exhibitions covering everything from archaeology and Islamic art to religion, everyday life and social and cultural history.
There are carpets, calligraphy, crafts and objects from everyday Ottoman life. You can also see remains of the Hippodrome, as parts of the old racecourse lie beneath the building. Among the more unusual objects is a section of the chain that was used to protect the harbour of Constantinople.
It is a slightly strange and very fascinating museum, and one that I personally like very much.
A hamam
A hamam does not, of course, need a rainy day as an excuse. But it is rather nice to spend a couple of hours in the warmth while the weather does whatever it wants outside.
There is one thing you should be aware of, though. Most traditional hamams are divided by gender and are therefore not necessarily set up for couples or groups who want to experience it together.
Hotel hamams are often a different sort of experience, functioning more like day spas or wellness facilities.
A meyhane
A meyhane is perhaps the least obvious rainy-day activity - and at the same time one of the best.
A meyhane is really about sitting around a table for as long as you feel like it - often for several hours - while meze, small dishes, gradually appear on the table. As the rakı, wine or beer is drunk, the conversation develops and the evening slowly takes its course.
I usually compare it to a Turkish version of a 1970s Danish fondue party. Not because the food is the same, but because the social side of sitting around the table is at least as important as what is on it - and because it is not a meal that is over in 45 minutes.
At a meyhane, dinner can quite easily be the entire plan for the evening. And then it really does not matter very much what is happening outside.
Planning your visit
If you are planning to visit several museums and attractions during your stay, it is worth checking whether the Istanbul E-Pass makes sense for you.
Depending on what you want to see, it can be a convenient way of combining admission to several attractions.
The illustration in the top of the artivle is generated using AI-tools
