I booked a flight to Istanbul on a Tuesday afternoon for €145 round trip with Pegasus Airlines and was in a different continent by Friday morning. That is the power of living in Amsterdam — you are 3 hours and €145 away from one of the most historically layered cities on earth. But there are things you need to know before you go, starting with the airport situation.
Pegasus flies to Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), not the main Istanbul Airport (IST). This matters because SAW is on the Asian side of the city, about 50 kilometers from Sultanahmet where most tourists stay. The Havabus shuttle costs 150 Turkish Lira (about €4) and takes 60 to 90 minutes depending on traffic. A taxi costs about €25-30 and takes the same time. I took the Havabus, and honestly the difference was not worth €25. The bus was clean, had WiFi, and dropped me at Kadıköy where I took a quick metro to my hotel.
Two Continents in One Day for €1
One of the best things about Istanbul is that you can stand in Europe, take a 20-minute ferry, and be in Asia. The ferry from Eminönü to Kadıköy costs 20 Turkish Lira — that is about €0.55 at current exchange rates. I did this twice during my trip, once in the morning with a simit (the Turkish sesame bread ring, €0.40 from a street cart) and once at sunset when the sky turned purple over the Bosphorus. It is genuinely one of the best-value experiences in world travel.
I crossed the Galata Bridge another day — for free — and watched fishermen pull in mackerel while the call to prayer echoed from Yeni Camii behind me. The bridge connects Eminönü to Karaköy and takes about 10 minutes on foot. That moment alone was worth the entire €145 flight.
Food: The Real Cost of Eating Well
Turkish food is famously good and famously cheap. A full kebab dinner with grilled meat, rice, salad, bread, and two ayran drinks cost me €12 at a restaurant called Şehzade Cağ Kebap near the Grand Bazaar. I went twice. The pides (Turkish flatbread pizzas) at Pide 28 in Fatih were €5 each and big enough for two meals. Breakfast at a kahvaltı salonu — eggs, cheese, olives, honey, kaymak, bread, tea — ran about €6-8 and kept me full until dinner.
Real cost per day for food: about €20 eating very well, three meals, with snacks. I could have done €15 eating exclusively from street carts (simit, balık ekmek, roasted chestnuts) but the restaurant food is too good to skip entirely.
What I Actually Did and What I Would Skip
- Hagia Sophia (€0): Free entry since it became a mosque again. Go early (8:30 AM) before the crowds. The Byzantine mosaics are still partially visible and the dome is breathtaking. I spent 45 minutes just standing there looking up.
- Basilica Cistern (€13): Worth every euro. The underground chamber with the Medusa heads is eerie and beautiful. Go on a hot day — the underground coolness is bliss.
- Topkapı Palace (€15): The harem section costs an extra €8 but do it. The tile work in the imperial hall is the most beautiful I have seen anywhere.
- Grand Bazaar: Fun to walk through, do not buy anything on your first pass. Prices for the same scarf went from €15 to €5 just by walking to the back alleys.
- Galata Tower (€7.50): The queue was 40 minutes but the 360-degree view is worth it. Go at 4 PM for golden hour light over the Golden Horn.
Final Verdict
Istanbul for €145 return from Amsterdam is the best-value city break in Europe, full stop. The city is safe, the food is incredible, and being able to stand in two continents for less than a round of drinks in Amsterdam is a travel experience that punches far above its price tag. Budget €35-45 a day for accommodation (I stayed at a boutique hotel near Sultanahmet for €38 a night including breakfast), €20 for food, and €10 for transport/attractions. Total trip cost: about €350 all-in for three nights. I have already booked my next trip.
Book Your Trip
Find your own cheap flights from Amsterdam to Istanbul:
Search Amsterdam to Istanbul Flights on Aviasales →
For hotels near Sultanahmet or Galata:
Search Istanbul Hotels on Trip.com →
About the author: I have visited Istanbul four times and still discover something new every trip. I research every recommendation personally and test all prices myself. This is not an AI-generated guide — these are my actual experiences.