The Sultanahmet district in the Old Town was the core of the city during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Every important building, palace, and government office was here—and many of these places are world-famous museums and sights today. The area is named for the Blue Mosque (officially called the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, after its namesake).
The term "Sultanahmet" is used loosely to refer to the open space near Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, and the Hippodrome. Trams run along the main street, Divan Yolu, and can zip you to most of Istanbul's key sights. The rest of the streets around Sultanahmet are narrow, originally built for horse-drawn carriages.
Sultanahmet's proximity to the sights is a mixed blessing. It was once a strictly residential area, but in recent years more and more of the traditional old Ottoman houses have been converted into hotels and pensions. As property values increase, few locals can afford to live here anymore. So even though the buildings are in genuine Istanbul style, the people aren't. Most of the Turks you encounter in Sultanahmet are trying to sell you something—an inaccurate and unfortunate first impression of a kind and generous people. For tips on dealing with aggressive salespeople.
Daylight hours in Sultanahmet are lively—there's plenty to see and do. Besides the many historical buildings, there are countless cafes and shops. In the evenings, many locals who work nearby go home, leaving the restaurants and cafes to tourists.
Our recommended Sultanahmet hotels are centrally located within a 10-minute walk of Istanbul's biggest sights (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar). For a short visit of one or two days, you can sleep in Sultanahmet, walk to all the sights, and never have to take public transportation.(s3)