How walkable is Istanbul?
Istanbul has a walkability score of 99 out of 100 around its centre, which makes it a Walker's Paradise, where daily errands do not require a car. It is the 2nd most walkable of 10 cities ranked in Turkey.
What's within walking distance
5,953 shops, restaurants, parks and other everyday places are mapped within a 30 minute walk of central Istanbul. The nearest grocery is Migros Jet, about 6 minutes away on foot. Every category earns full or nearly full points.
- Migros Jet460 m · 6 min
- Şok550 m · 7 min
- Grand Bizzare Market, Istanbul570 m · 7 min
- Döner King10 m · 1 min
- مطعم لمت البلاد للمأكولات و الحلويات الجزائرية في اسطنبول10 m · 1 min
- Angels Cafe and Restaurant60 m · 1 min
- Taç Gold Laleli30 m · 1 min
- Laleli - Fashion Center of Istanbul40 m · 1 min
- Ramsey Laleli40 m · 1 min
- Koska Caddesi Şehnameci sokak no 2120 m · 1 min
- Galeyan Cafe & Restaurant200 m · 2 min
- Gönül Kahvesi210 m · 3 min
- Martur Döviz & Change40 m · 1 min
- Garanti BBVA Laleli Şubesi40 m · 1 min
- Laleli/İstanbul110 m · 1 min
- Unnamed park110 m · 1 min
- Saraçhane 50.Yıl Parkı620 m · 8 min
- Numune Parkı710 m · 9 min
- ESPİRA260 m · 3 min
- İstanbul Üniversitesi Hasan Ali Yücel Eğitim Fakültesi Çocuk Evi420 m · 5 min
- İ.Ü. Robotik Kursları470 m · 6 min
- Daral Beyrouti Yayinevi - دار البيروتي250 m · 3 min
- Orhan Kemal Public Library250 m · 3 min
- Demir Kitabevi300 m · 4 min
- Istanbul University Rıdvan Çelikel Archeology Museum60 m · 1 min
- II Bayezid Türk Hamam Kültürü Müzesi180 m · 2 min
- Dr. Cemil Bilsel Konferans Salonu210 m · 3 min
Measured from the representative point at 41.0093, 28.9600. Walking times assume 80 m per minute along an estimated street route.
Street layout
Within 800 m of the representative point there are about 358 street intersections per km², and blocks average 53 m long. That is a well-connected street grid, so the score is not reduced.
Walkability around the centre
Scores at seven points within 1 km of the centre range from 96 to 100, and Istanbul's score of 99 is their median. Walkability is consistent across the centre.
| Point | Score | Map |
|---|---|---|
| City centre | 100 | Map |
| 1 km north | 99 | Map |
| 1 km east-northeast | 99 | Map |
| 1 km east-southeast | 99 | Map |
| 1 km south | 96 | Map |
| 1 km west-southwest | 100 | Map |
| 1 km west-northwest | 100 | Map |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bursa, Turkey | 92 km | 99 |
| İzmir, Turkey | 328 km | 87 |
| Ankara, Turkey | 352 km | 100 |
| Bucharest, Romania | 446 km | 99 |
| Konya, Turkey | 463 km | 98 |
Questions about walking in Istanbul
Is Istanbul a walkable city?
Yes. Central Istanbul has a walkability score of 99 out of 100, which makes it a Walker's Paradise, where daily errands do not require a car. It ranks 2nd of 10 cities in Turkey and 24th of 252 worldwide on How Walkable.
What is the most walkable city in Turkey?
Ankara is the most walkable of the 10 cities ranked in Turkey, with a score of 100. Istanbul ranks 2nd with 99.
How does Istanbul compare with nearby cities?
Istanbul sits between its nearest ranked neighbours: Istanbul scores 99, against Bursa (99, 92 km away), İzmir (87, 328 km away) and Ankara (100, 352 km away).
How is Istanbul's walkability score calculated?
The score counts groceries, restaurants, shops, cafés, banks, parks, schools, libraries and cultural venues within a 30 minute walk, gives nearer places more weight, and deducts up to 20% where streets are sparse or blocks are long. For Istanbul it is the median of seven points within 1 km of the city centre, using open map data from Overture Maps and OpenStreetMap.
Scores follow a published walkability method, explained in the methodology. City position and population from GeoNames.