The best places to stay near Istanbul Park Circuit and downtown Istanbul for the 2027 Turkish Grand Prix. Race dates are not yet confirmed.
F1 Experiences / Istanbul Accommodation / Turkey F1 Facebook Group
- Dates for the 2027 Turkish Grand Prix have not yet been announced.
- We expect the race to be run back-to-back with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in late September or early October (possibly on October 1-3)
- We recommend booking accommodation with free cancellation until dates are confirmed
- This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.
Istanbul Park, the home of the Turkish Grand Prix, is located around 50 kilometres southeast of Istanbul’s historic city center. The track is located in a developing rural area, close to Istanbul’s second airport, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW).
If you decide to stay on the European side of Istanbul, be ready for one-way commutes of up to two hours on race weekend. Istanbul’s traffic is notoriously congested and there will be traffic delays arriving and leaving the Istanbul Park circuit on race weekend.
A good compromise is staying in the district of Kadıköy on the Asian side of the city, where you can soak up the best of Istanbul’s restaurants, nightlife and cultural activities, but still have good access to both the European side of the city and Istanbul Park circuit.
Stay near Istanbul Park Circuit & Sabiha Gökçen Airport
A secondary airport serving Istanbul, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is located around 30km southeast of central Istanbul, and only 10km from Istanbul Park Circuit. The airport is a popular hub for discount airlines such as Pegasus and AJet, and also welcomes flights from the Middle East (Air Arabia, Qatar Airways) and as far afield as Kuala Lumpur (Air AsiaX).
The neighborhoods of Kurtköy and Yenişehir near the airport offer the best access to the circuit. Recommended hotels include the 5-star Miracle Istanbul Asia Airport Hotel & Spa (7.5km from the circuit), the 5-star Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Asia Airport (9.5km from the circuit), the 4-star Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kurtkoy (10km from the circuit) and the 5-star Crowne Plaza Istanbul Asia (8.5km from the circuit). The downside of staying close to the airport and circuit is that supply is limited and prices on race weekend are expected to be very high. In addition, the surrounding area doesn’t offer much in the way of restaurants, nightlife and cultural activities.
A little further away on the coast, it’s also worth considering staying in Tuzla, home to hotels such as the 5-star Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Istanbul Tuzla (14km from the circuit). Other neighborhoods along the coast with good tourist infrastructure and relatively easy access to the circuit include Pendik and Gebze (20-30 minutes drive from Istanbul Park).
Stay in Kadıköy (Asian Side of Istanbul)
Our pick for the best place to stay for the Turkish Grand Prix. Kadıköy is a vibrant residential neighborhood on the eastern (Asian) side of Istanbul that offers an authentic local experience with excellent restaurants, lively nightlife and a good choice of places to stay. It also bypasses much of the traffic gridlock coming from the European side of the city, meaning a one-way commute of around one hour to Istanbul Park circuit on race weekend (compared to two hours plus coming from the European side). Kadıköy is a major transport hub for the city, offering short train and ferry connections to the European side of the city, as well as the M4 metro line to Sabiha Gökçen Airport, from where you can take a short taxi or shuttle bus ride to the circuit.
For the easiest travel experience, stay near the Marina (Kadıköy Rıhtım), where you have both ferries to the European side and a metro station that will take you to Sabiha Gökçen airport, close to the Istanbul Park Circuit. This bustling area is known as the Market District (Kadıköy Çarşı) and features a maze of pedestrianised streets with markets, restaurants and bars. A little further south (but still within an easy walk of the marina and metro) you’ll find lots of places to stay in the artsy district of Moda, which literally translates as ‘fashion’ and has plenty of trendy coffee shops, galleries and the Fenerbahçe Park.
Recommended local hotels in Kadıköy include the Meet Istanbul Hotel and Kadıköy Linda Hotel. International chains hotels worth considering here are DoubleTree by Hilton Istanbul – Moda, Wyndham Grand Istanbul Kalamis Marina Hotel and Holiday Inn Istanbul – Kadikoy.
Stay on the European Side of Istanbul
If you’ve decided to base yourself on the European side (despite the longer commute to and from the circuit on race weekend!), we recommend staying in one of four main downtown areas.
- Karaköy: Lively and largely flat harbor area with good hotels, dining, nightlife and ferry connections. Our pick for downtown Istanbul.
- Galata: Bohemian vibes and great views, but challenging and hilly cobbled streets.
- Sultanahmet (Old City): The quiet historical center of Istanbul, close to Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Best for families and those who appreciate a quiet night’s sleep.
- Taksim Square: Busy downtown shopping and entertainment area with excellent transport connections, but can be loud at night.
Karaköy
Directly across the water from Kadıköy and served by the same ferry service, Karaköy is recommended for its excellent choice of hotels to suit all budgets, good transport links and easy access. The narrow back streets of Kadıköy are also packed with trendy shops, restaurants and bars. Recommended international hotels in Karaköy include Novotel Istanbul Bosphorus, Delta Hotels Istanbul Karakoy and JW Marriott Istanbul Bosphorus. Local hotels with excellent ratings include Union Hotel karakoy and ADA Karaköy Boutique Hotel.
Galata
Just up the hill from Karaköy is the historic Genoese quarter of Galata. The steep cobblestone streets are challenging, but the views from the many rooftop terraces at sunset more than compensate. You are more likely to find small boutique hotels in historic buildings here than in nearby Karaköy. Galata is also packed with trendy shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. Galata also offers relatively easy access to Istiklal Avenue, the long pedestrian and shopping avenue leading directly to Taksim Square. Recommended hotels in Galata include The Galata Hotel Istanbul – MGallery Collection, Walton Hotels Galata, Georges Hotel Galata and World House Boutique Hotel Galata.
Sultanahmet (Old City)
If you are looking to be close to the most historic landmarks of Istanbul such as the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, then we recommend staying in Sultanahmet. Busy with tourists during the day, Sultanahmet is very quiet at night. It’s also highly walkable, though it lacks good restaurants and is not the place to stay if you want to be close to the nightlife. Sultanahmet is home to several international chain hotels, notably Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul At Sultanahmet, Radisson Hotel Istanbul Sultanahmet, Hagia Sofia Mansions Istanbul, Curio Collection by Hilton and DoubleTree by Hilton Istanbul – Sirkeci.
Taksim Square
The area around Taksim Square and the 1.4km pedestrianized section of İstiklal Avenue is the lively and modern face of Istanbul. One of the best connected areas of the city, Taksim Square is the terminus for airport buses and is on the green M2 metro line. This area is home to the city’s best shopping and nightlife, though you’ll need to choose your hotel carefully as the streets in the vicinity can be loud, crowded, and chaotic well into the early morning hours. Affordable and well-rated places to stay near Taskim Square include Hotel Taksim Home, Union Hotel and Ayramin Deluxe Hotel. Higher-end options nearby include The Artisan Hotel Istanbul – MGallery Collection, Sofitel Istanbul Taksim and Canopy by Hilton Istanbul Taksim.
