Adding Istanbul to Your Umrah: How a Two Country Trip Works

Many flights from the United States to Saudi Arabia connect through Istanbul, so adding a few nights in the city is easy and often costs less than you expect. It also gives your trip a gentle start or a relaxed finish.

Before or after Umrah?

Most families prefer Istanbul after Umrah. You complete the main purpose of the trip first, then enjoy a few days of rest and history before the long flight home. Going before Umrah works well if you want to recover from jet lag first.

How many nights?

Three nights covers the essentials. Four or five nights allows a slower pace and a day trip, for example to Bursa.

What to see

• Sultanahmet: the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Hippodrome.
• Topkapi Palace: the Ottoman palace, including the room of sacred relics.
• Suleymaniye Mosque: Mimar Sinan's masterpiece, with views over the Golden Horn.
• Eyup Sultan Mosque: the resting place of the Companion Abu Ayyub al-Ansari.
• A Bosphorus cruise: Europe on one side, Asia on the other.

Halal food

Almost all food in Istanbul is halal, from simit and kebabs to traditional Ottoman dishes. Breakfast in Turkey is a feast in itself.

Practical notes

• US citizens currently enter Turkey without a visa for short stays, but always check before travel.
• Pick a hotel in Sultanahmet so you can walk to the main mosques.
• Comfortable shoes again: Istanbul is hilly and cobbled.

See our Umrah plus Istanbul packages, or ask us to add Istanbul to any package.