In what areas and hotels in Istanbul is better to stay, so as not to hear the prayers from the mosques?

Unfortunately, mosques in Istanbul are situated in all residential areas of the city. The Turks build their mosques at such distances that the call to prayer could be heard by everyone. The prayer is held 5 times a day, the first call is before dawn and the last one - at 19:00 in winter and around 22:00 in summer. Mosques are everywhere except some kinds of industrial areas in the suburbs.

As regards to hotels, everything depends on the insulating material. As a matter of fact, tourists who come to Istanbul should not concentrate on prayers, it’s not a problem at all. Istanbul is such a dynamic city, so that sometimes you don’t even notice the calls. So this criterion about the selection of hotels can be safely expunged.

If you hear the prayer from the mosque during your walk, do not panic and keep walking. Usually they turn off the music during the call in cars, merchant shops, etc. There’s no need to do anything else. If you were in the mosque during the prayer, keep quiet and do not disturb others. You can just watch, no one would say you a word. But if you feel uncomfortable, just leave the mosque.