Selfies have become an essential part of travel, and as a result they’ve become an equally essential part of Istanbul! It’s now considered the ultimate travel photo, and you’ve got to show just how incredible your trip is across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and every other social media platform.

Show just how epic your trip to Istanbul was with selfies from these spots!

Galata Tower

This tower was built in the 14th century by the Genoese and has played an important part in Istanbul’s history ever since, and more importantly an important part of Istanbul’s skyline ever since! This was once the highest point of the city, and is where famously Hezarfen Ahmet Çelebi used artificial wings to “fly” across the Bosphorus.

Today you get a full 360 panoramic view of the whole city from one of its most iconic buildings. Stand at the spot right where Hazarfen took off and catch every inch of the city’s amazing skyline for your background!

Pierre Loti Hill

Looking for the best views over the Golden Horn? Well there’s no question where they lie – right here, at the top of Pierre Loti Hill where you can sip a Turkish tea and take a selfie with the entire historic peninsula as a backdrop to your shot! The hill was named for the well-known French novelist Pierre Loti, who loved the city and this view in particular. So look out and make sure you get all the blue of the Golden Horn along with all the historic wonders you’ll see over the entire Peninsula, as well as the Galata Tower on the other side!

Çamlıca Hill

Çamlıca represents one of the highest views in the city, and features two hills overlooking the Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea. There are no many pavilions and summer palaces to relax on and get a bite to eat as well as sip a Turkish tea before you take that perfect selfie from one of the most prominent places anywhere in the city. Now one of the largest mosques in Istanbul has been built right on this hill, making an especially striking shot as the minarets rise up over the city, perfect for you to display the ultimate selfie.

Balat

Balat is known for its colorful historic homes and quaint cobbled streets. This is one of the most incredible residential areas you’ll ever see, a district that would have been turned into a museum in just about any other city in the world. Climb to the top of any of Balat’s maze of streets and take a selfie overlooking the colorful homes with the Golden Horn behind you for an iconic Istanbul shot.

Emirgan Park

This beautiful walled-in park covers a massive area of 117 acres (470,000 m2), with multiple ponds and 120 species of flora and fauna you won't find in many other parks in the city. Every spring the park is a center for the city's tulip festival, with every color of tulip imaginable planted in beautifully decorative arrangements. Take a selfie from the top of the hill with the Blue of the Bosphorus in the background and a beautiful flower arrangement in the foreground!

Ortaköy

Ortaköy marks one of the most pretty districts anywhere along the Bosphorus, and the view of the bridge to the Asian side of the city in the background with the Ortaköy Mosque, officially the Büyük Mecidiye Camii, right up against you is one of the most breathtaking views you’ll find anywhere in the city.

Büyük Valide Han 

This is one of the more secret selfie spots in the city, but ultimately it’s still maybe the best. Climb up through this secret passageway right up to the top of the Historic Peninsula and find yourself all alone on a rooftop with the whole city before you! Most tourists don’t know about it so keep it a secret before you post the best selfie anyone’s taken in the city on Instagram and show the whole world!

Basilica Cistern

This stunning Byzantine Cistern has played host to numerous films, James Bond included, due the mystery it evokes and the beauty of its caverns. Take a shot with the perfect shadowy lighting to show just how deep and dark into the pit of Istanbul you’ve explored!

Grand Bazaar

Whether you’re taking a shot of yourself in front of spices, ceramics, carpets, wedding dresses, or anything else under the sun, “the oldest shopping mall in the world” is definitely a spot for a Selfie you’ll find nowhere else! Wander through the maze of this giant bazaar until you find the spot that looks perfect just for you!

The Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi)

You’ll have to take a boat out to this one, but it’s totally worth it! Take the boat right out to the Maiden’s Tower, now a restaurant/café, and take a selfie right in the middle of the Bosphorus from one of its most iconic history spots!

Hagia Sophia

Arguably the most famous building in the world, a shot from inside the Haghia Sophia or outside puts you right in the heart of Istanbul UNESCO World Heritage historic peninsula and in a 1,500-year-old masterpiece!

İstiklal Street

This street is the beating heart of the city, and whenever, wherever you take your shot from you’re sure to find hordes of people on all sides of you with Beyoğlu’s classic Victorian architecture in the background.