Museum
Basilica Cistern
Justinian's underground water palace: 336 columns rising from still water, two Medusa heads, a weeping column…
Photo: courtesy of Neorion Hotel
Neorion Hotel
A 30-room boutique hotel on Orhaniye Street in Sirkeci, named after the Byzantine harbor that once lay on this shore of the Golden Horn.
Overview
The Neorion Hotel is a small hotel on Orhaniye Street in Sirkeci, on the old city's Golden Horn side. It has 30 rooms and suites. Its name is older than the city's Ottoman past, because it comes from a harbor of Byzantine Constantinople. That harbor lay on this same Sirkeci–Eminönü shore.
The hotel stands on a side street. So it sits off the main streets, while the old city's sights stay close.
The Neorion Hotel and the Harbor Behind Its Name
The Neorion harbor of Byzantium
The hotel takes its name from a harbor of Byzantium on the Golden Horn. Ancient Byzantion had a sheltered harbor on today's Sirkeci–Eminönü shore. In the Classical and Hellenistic city, two harbors lay near Sirkeci. A market square, the Strategion, stood south of them.
By Late Antiquity, Constantinople had four harbors, and the Neorion was one of them. Then, from the end of the 7th century, it served only warships. Still, the Strategion area of Sirkeci stayed a place of crafts and trade for about a thousand years. A Byzantine fish market stood beside the Neorion in Eminönü. The Ottomans knew that spot as Balıkpazarı, the fish market.
The Neorion shore, from Byzantion to the Ottomans
- Classical and HellenisticTwo harbors on the Golden Horn near today’s Sirkeci
- Late AntiquityThe Neorion is one of the city’s four harbors
- From the late 7th centuryThe Neorion serves only warships
- Ottoman periodThe spot beside it is known as Balıkpazarı
Where the Neorion Hotel Sits in Sirkeci
Sirkeci sits on the old city's Golden Horn shore, where Byzantion's harbor once lay. From the hotel, Sirkeci Station is about two minutes away on foot. When you travel by tram, Sirkeci is a stop on the T1 line, between Eminönü and Gülhane. Marmaray trains also stop in Sirkeci. The ride under the Bosphorus to Üsküdar takes about four minutes.
Walking distances from Sirkeci
The main sights are close, so you can plan your days on foot. For example, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern are each about 750 meters (0.5 mile) away. The Spice Bazaar is about the same distance, and each walk takes about 10 minutes. The bazaar began as the market row of the New Mosque complex in Eminönü. Hatice Turhan Vâlide Sultan built it in the later 17th century. Because the Grand Bazaar lies 1.5 km (0.9 mile) away, plan about 20 minutes on foot.
Who the Neorion Hotel Suits
We suggest it for travelers who value heritage and a personal welcome over standard luxury. Standard and Superior rooms suit solo travelers and couples. When you travel as a small group, the Deluxe and Family suites give more room. The family options also include sofa beds.
Staying at the Neorion Hotel
The bath, the pool and the roof
The lobby works as a shared living room, so guests can drink Turkish tea or coffee there. They can play backgammon or read in the library, too. After a day of walking, the spa offers a Turkish bath, a sauna, a swimming pool and a hydro-massage tub. A rooftop venue and a meeting room complete the facilities.
We book your room at the Neorion Hotel and plan your Istanbul days around it. For other areas to stay in, read our guide to Where to Stay in Istanbul: The Best Neighborhoods Compared.
Updated: October 25, 2026.
Seeing Istanbul with Us
From Sirkeci, the Byzantine and Ottoman city starts at the door. Would you like to see it with a guide? The old harbor of the Neorion lies right below Sirkeci, so our one-day Istanbul tour or Byzantine Istanbul tour can start from the hotel; share your stay and we will plan it. We can also arrange a guide in Istanbul for your own days.
Things to See & Do
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Golden Horn
The Golden Horn, Istanbul's historic harbor: the Byzantine chain, Mehmed II's ships hauled overland, Leonardo da…
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Market
Grand Bazaar
One of the oldest covered markets in the world: how it grew from Mehmed II's jewel…
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Mosque
Hagia Sophia
Fifteen centuries in one building: Justinian's great church, an Ottoman mosque, a museum and a mosque…
Gallery
Frequently asked questions
Can you book the Neorion Hotel for our trip?
Yes. We arrange stays at the Neorion as part of a private trip in Turkey. Ask us for your dates.
Where is the Neorion Hotel?
It is on Orhaniye Street in Sirkeci, on the old city's Golden Horn side, about two minutes on foot from Sirkeci Station. Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and the Basilica Cistern are each about a 10-minute walk.
How do we get to the Neorion from the airport?
Our driver meets you at the airport and takes you to the hotel. Ask us for the transfer time from your arrival airport.
Where does the name Neorion come from?
It comes from the Neorion, one of the four harbors of Byzantine Constantinople. That harbor lay on this same Sirkeci–Eminönü shore.
Which tours fit a stay at the Neorion?
The old city starts at the door, so we can shape our one-day Istanbul tour or Byzantine Istanbul tour around your stay. We can also arrange a guide in Istanbul for your own days.
