The 14 Best Day Trips from Istanbul
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
Free day-by-day itinerary in seconds. No account needed to start.
There are 14 good day trips from Istanbul, Turkey, led by Bursa, Küçükçekmece, Sancaktepe. The closest is Küçükçekmece, about 25 min by car, and 9 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 14 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated November 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Istanbul
- 1
Bursa, Turkey
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car91 km south of IstanbulKnown for Ulu Cami.
- 2
Küçükçekmece, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 25 min by car15 km west of IstanbulKnown for Kıbrıs Anıtı.
- 3
Sancaktepe, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car24 km east of Istanbul - 4
Maltepe, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 30 min by car19 km south-east of Istanbul - 5
Beylikdüzü, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car26 km west of Istanbul - 6
Sultanbeyli, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car28 km east of Istanbul - 7
Adapazarı, Turkey
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 55 min by car125 km east of Istanbul - 8
Gebze, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 55 min by car47 km south-east of Istanbul - 9
Çorlu, Turkey
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 30 min by car98 km west of Istanbul - 10
Arnavutköy, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 40 min by car26 km north-west of Istanbul - 11
İzmit, Turkey
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car87 km east of Istanbul - 12
Başakşehir, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 25 min by car17 km north-west of Istanbul - 13
Büyükçekmece, Turkey
Half-day tripAbout 35 min by car31 km west of Istanbul - 14
İnegol, Turkey
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car114 km south-east of Istanbul
A sample day: Istanbul to Bursa
- 08:30Leave Istanbul
- 09:55Arrive in Bursa (1 hr 25 min drive)
- 10:10Ulu Cami
- 12:10Lunch
- 13:25Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Bursa
- 15:55Head back to Istanbul
- 17:20Home in Istanbul
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Istanbul?
- The best day trips from Istanbul are Bursa, Küçükçekmece, Sancaktepe, Maltepe, Beylikdüzü. The closest is Küçükçekmece, about 25 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Istanbul?
- Küçükçekmece is the closest, 15 km west of Istanbul, roughly 25 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Istanbul?
- 9 places are within about an hour's drive of Istanbul: Küçükçekmece (25 min), Başakşehir (25 min), Maltepe (30 min), Sancaktepe (35 min), Beylikdüzü (40 min), Arnavutköy (40 min).
- What is the biggest city near Istanbul for a day out?
- Bursa is the largest city in day-trip range, 91 km south of Istanbul and about 1 hr 25 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Istanbul?
- For a weekend away from Istanbul, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Adapazarı (125 km, 1 hr 55 min), İnegol (114 km, 1 hr 45 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Istanbul?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Adapazarı at 125 km, around 1 hr 55 min by car.
Ready to plan your Istanbul trip?
Free day-by-day itinerary in seconds. No account needed to start.