Plan Your Meetings

Want major convention facilities?

By the airport, The CNR International Expo Center has 150,000+ square meters of enclosed space and 120,000 square meters of outdoor event space specifically designed to accommodate trade shows. Amenities include a 42,000-square meter exhibit hall and CCTV controlled security service. Also near the airport is the Mydonose Showland, a live entertainment venue on the World Trade Center campus. Amenities include a 5,000-seat auditorium, dressing rooms, a catering saloon and a generous load-in area. The Istanbul Lufti Kudar Convention & Exhibition Center (ICEC) has space for groups of up to 3,500 delegates, including a 2,100-square meter ballroom with a translation facility that can simultaneously deliver translations in 11 languages, pre-function areas, a 2,000-seat auditorium, 26 meeting rooms in two facilities and six VIP suites.

Want a convention hotel?

The five-star Conrad Istanbul has six acres of terraced gardens adjacent to Yildiz Park. Amenities include 590 rooms, a 3,000-square meter conference center with 30 meeting rooms, and two ballrooms. Built on the tallest of Istanbul’s seven hills, The Marmara Istanbul by Taksim Square has meeting facilities for up to 1,000 people. The Crowne Plaza Istanbul Old City Hotel has 265 rooms, including executive club-level rooms and 16 suites, within walking distance to the Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. If you want to stay near the airport, the Radisson SAS Conference & Airport Hotel is a five-star hotel with 326 rooms, free Internet and meeting facilities for groups of up to 1,000. A second Radisson SAS is located along the banks of the Bosphorus Strait; amenities include an outdoor terrace overlooking the world’s largest suspension bridge and 120 contemporary guest rooms. The five-star Hyatt Regency Istanbul accommodates groups of up to 500 in its Regency Ballroom. The hotel has a total of 13 flexible meeting spaces and is within walking distance to major convention and exhibition centers. Amenities at the Hilton Istanbul include 499 guest rooms, Turkish baths and a 21,151-sq. ft. ballroom. The Ceylan InterContinental has ballroom reception space for up to 700, and several flexible venues, including boardrooms, classrooms and banquet areas. The 244-room Ritz-Carlton Istanbul has over 25,866 square feet of meeting and conference space, including 8,070 square feet of pre-function space for groups of up to 650 and a 7,481-sq. ft. ballroom. It’s within walking distance of most of the city’s famous attractions.

Want to meet in a place with history?

The Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is a restored Ottoman Imperial Palace overlooking the Bosphorus. Amenities include a traditional hamam (Turkish bath) and personal butler service. The elegant five-star hotel has three floors of meeting space, ranging from grand ballrooms to boardrooms. The Adile Sultan Palace is a special events facility that was built to honor the daughter of Sultan Mahmut II, Adile Sultan, a published poet who lived from 1825-1898. The ornate palace overlooks the Bosphorus from the Asian side. Two meeting halls accommodate 200 people; there’s also a 500-person banquet hall, 20 seminar rooms and a garden that accommodates up to 2,000 people. The Feshane International Fair Congress and Culture Center originally was an Ottoman textile factory built in 1839. With over 602,784 square feet of space, it contains four halls and three convention rooms. The largest hall, Mahmut Hall, accommodates 2,200 people for a seated dinner and 3,000 people reception or theater-style. A 129,168-sq. ft. outdoor event area has a pier from which groups may board traditional Saltanat or modern boats for trips and tours.

Want unusual venues?

The Basilica Cistern was constructed in A.D. 532 to hold the city’s water supply and is now one of Istanbul’s most popular tourist attractions and reception venues. Twelve rows of giant columns and dramatically-lit walkways divide a “floor” of water and add to the cistern’s elegantly spooky ambiance. Tucked into the far corners of the cistern are two Medusa heads, carved into giant blocks and sunk into the water upside-down. There is a café on-site, as well. Topkapi Palace was the home of Mehmed II the Conqueror and the subsequent Ottoman sultans. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its gardens, fountains, courtyards, and harem rooms. Contact the museum to book a group tour or to host an event in one of the gardens. Hagia Irene, the city’s first church, is now mainly used as a concert hall. It is accessible from one of the palace’s courtyards. The Archaeology Museum is home to over one million artifacts spanning the history of the Ottoman Empire, and comprises two buildings. Istanbul Modern Art Museum is located in a converted warehouse along the Bosphorus and has two exhibition floors, a library and a cinema.

Want to shake up a meal function?

Plan a reception or cocktail party on the beautifully manicured grounds of Dolmabahce Palace, the last residence of the Sultans. If the weather is in your favor, consider hosting an event in the gardens, which can hold up to 1,200. The Marmara Esma Sultan is a historic mansion/hotel named after the daughter of the 32nd Ottoman sultan and located under the Bosphorus Bridge. Its venues can accommodate 1,000 guests for dinner or 3,000 people for a garden-based reception, where guests can view the remains of a cistern, a Turkish bath and stables.

Want group activities?

Ferry attendees across the Bosphorus to Uskudar, the Asian shore of Istanbul. Or schedule an evening sunset dinner cruise. No trip, even a business one, would be complete without a tour of the city’s major sites, including the Aya Sofya, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and Topkapi Palace to name a few.

Want to give attendees a taste of authentic Istanbul?

Lead an excursion up to the Galata Tower, built in 1348, for an amazing all-encompassing view of Old Istanbul, the Galata Bridge, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus. Make your way over the Galata Bridge and up to Istikal Cadessi, an open pedestrian-friendly area with tons of shops, restaurants and cafes. Duck into one of the side alleyways and treat delegates to a doner kebab, or buy “fish bread” sandwiches from one of the boats under Galata Bridge. For entertainment, treat your group to the mesmerizing artistry of Whirling Dervishes. A trip to the Turkish baths (hamams) also is recommended. They are not for the overly shy — most people completely disrobe and cover themselves with a towel — but the modest can wear a bathing suit without attracting too much attention. The experience is one-of-a-kind and certainly worth trying. It is how people used to keep clean before indoor plumbing, and there is an art to how you cleanse yourself. First, you steam. Then, you go between pouring hot water over yourself and taking cold dips. Then, someone will lather you up and rinse you off. Most people then sit and steam again or enjoy the pools. Just don’t accept the water they offer you at the end, unless it’s bottled. One recommended hamam is the Cagaloglu Hamami, which is housed in a magnificent 18th-century building that dates back to 1741.

Want to find perfect souvenirs?

Head to the Grand Bazaar and get lost in a sea of wares offered in almost 4,000 shops. Take home a Turkish tea set (tea included), a hand-carved wooden chess set, Turkish pottery or one of the blue medallions meant to ward off the evil eye. And be sure to at least try Turkish delight — there’s a flavor to suit nearly everyone.