Fatih transfer and taxi across the historic peninsula

Fatih is bounded by the Golden Horn to the north, the Sea of Marmara to the south and the Theodosian land walls to the west. It is named after Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror, whose Fatih Mosque and tomb stand on the Fourth Hill.

The district holds the Grand Bazaar between the Beyazıt and Nuruosmaniye mosques, and the Süleymaniye Mosque by Mimar Sinan on the Third Hill above the Golden Horn. Sultanahmet and Eminönü are Fatih neighbourhoods too, with their own pages on this site.

Balat and Fener, on the Golden Horn side, are known for their colourful old houses and steep streets, and both have small guesthouses popular with visitors who want a quieter base than Sultanahmet.

Fatih's street plan is old and dense. Main roads such as the avenue past Aksaray carry heavy traffic, while the residential lanes of Balat or around Süleymaniye are narrow, sloping and sometimes blocked by parked cars.

The driver needs the hotel's real address, not just the neighbourhood. If a lane cannot take a van, he stops at the nearest legal place and helps you the rest of the way with your bags.

Kumkapı, on the Marmara side, has a cluster of fish restaurants near the shore railway. Hotels there are reached from the coastal road or from the streets above it, depending on the block.

At IST and SAW alike, the driver waits right at the exit door you come out of and holds a printed sign with your name. The flight is tracked; a late landing means a later meeting, never a fee.

Leaving Fatih for a flight, the measured empty-road run to Istanbul Airport is about 43 km and 38 minutes, and to Sabiha Gökçen about 49 km and 37 minutes. Real traffic on the peninsula is rarely empty, so leave early.

Flying out of Sabiha Gökçen from Fatih means crossing the Bosphorus on the way, which is the same €70 as the arrival leg; the price is identical in both directions.

You pay the driver at your Fatih hotel. Cash is accepted in euros, pounds or Turkish lira; cards go on the terminal in the car, Visa or Mastercard, contactless included.

Child seats are free in Fatih too, on request, with the children's ages. Groups above six can book the Sprinter, which carries up to 16 people for €80 from IST.

Not sure yet which hotel you will use? Ask on WhatsApp with just "Fatih" as the destination, then send the address once you have it.