Istanbul

[Kingstepper]

Thinking of having week in Istanbul late November.

Anyone got any tips/advice for where to stay (which area), things to see/do, getting around, eating or anything else! Not looking for 5* luxury hotels etc.

[crazyp]

It's a great time to go with the Lira doing so badly, everything will be quite cheap apart from hotels - they correct for the currency devaluation almost weekly (though prices are still not expensive. First tip - it will likely be getting cold at that time of year so make sure you take suitable clothing!

Secondly - make sure you get a metro card as the metro/trams make the whole town very accessible (and you can use it for the ferries).

I advocate staying on the 'European' side/old city as you're close to all the main sites and lots of cheap/decent places to stay. When I was there in July the Blue mosque was under renovations. My highlights are the Aya Sofya, The Suleymaniye (my favourite mosque) and Topkapi palace/museum.

However, the more 'fun' and hip places are slightly further away in Karakoy, Taksim, Besiktas and Kadikoy (on the Asian side). Especially in Besiktas and Kadikoy you'll find less tourists and a more representative idea of how the locals live. Have fun!

[SimonK]

A week seems a long time, more of a long weekend place in my view. Great city though, Sultanahmet is the tradiional tourist hotel district - well located (a couple of minutes walk from the must-see Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia) and loads of hotels at a wide range of prices. Getting around - I walked everywhere, never needed taxis or the tramway, but then I was only there for a long weekend.

[-Ally-]

Get your hair cut before you travel, I hear there’s a severe shortage of barbers out there.

[FK77]

Amazing place. One of only a handful of cities which I would like to visit again. We spent a week there and it didn’t feel enough.

Sultanahmet area is great for staying as a lot of main attractions will be at walking distance.

In addition to the above, Grand Bazar is a must see.

[SimonK]

Another idea for you - watch 'From Russia With Love'. Lots of places in the film haven't changed much in 60-odd years - the aforementioned Hagia Sofia as well as the Basilica Cistern (another must-see), which Bond uses to get underneath the Russian Embassy.

[Papa Hotel]

Was Constantinople, now it's Istanbul not Constantinople.

Just me? Ok.

[Tony]

Wonderful wonderful city.

I've been three times now for short breaks over the last ten years or so - twice in Spring and once for New Years Eve.

I disagree with the advice so far about where to stay. I've stayed in hotels in both Sultanahmet and the Taksim Square area, and Taksim is far better. Sultanahmet has the double problem of being both conservative and a tourist ghetto, while Taksim is lively and is the locals' central district - full of shops, bars and restaurants and life generally.

You can walk from Taksim to the big tourist sites.

Get a card and use public transport - buses, trams, trains, ferries.

If you're happy with mid-range hotels, I've stayed here twice - and wouldn't hesitate to again.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/tr/var...ace.en-gb.html

When I went last time (last May) it was cheap with not many tourists because of the high risk of terrorist attack. (I assume you've looked into this fact - the risks are very real.)
There is a feeling of unrest in the city and there could be trouble at any time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terror...ks_in_Istanbul

A few tourists may be being lured by the fact that it will be even cheaper now, bit I expect the tourist sites will still be relatively quiet.

Four/five days at a time would be the sweet spot in my view. On my last visit I started to explore the outer suburbs, and I plan to go again and branch out further.

The food is the big thing for me. Amazing. If you decide you're definitely going, get in touch by PM or come back to the thread and ask for more info and tips.

[Rod]

There's been a few documentaries on TV about Istanbul and one only the other day. I've only stayed there for a day before crossing the Bospherous.
Exciting place, Sophia mosque a must and the Grand Bazaar (bought a leather jacket there).
I'd love to go back and see more of it.

[ralphy]

Wonderful wonderful city.

I've been three times now for short breaks over the last ten years or so - twice in Spring and once for New Years Eve.

It is indeed a wonderful city, the last time I was there was also on a New Year's Eve (we actually saw in the NYE stuck in a car on the bridge due to the volume of traffic). I enjoyed Taksim too, however my host was adamant that we were accompanied by one of his drivers throughout the time we wandered around the area.



R

[Tony]

I enjoyed Taksim too, however my host was adamant that we were accompanied by one of his drivers throughout the time we wandered around the area.

I've never felt my personal safety under threat anywhere in Istanbul, though I've always felt much more comfortable wandering around the Beyoğlu area after dark because of the number of people around. Sultanahmet can be eerily quiet after dark after the sightseers have gone.

[zelig]

I really enjoyed Istanbul - but at the time the atmosphere was a little tense.

I was there (for work) in the immediate aftermath of the Taksim square protests in June 2013.
We stayed at the Crown Plaza in Harbiye - lovely, helpful staff & a decent location for eateries & the sites - although some the surrounding areas looked rough.

After work we wandered around without any concerns & even walked through some of the dodgy looking neighbourhoods on our way towards the Galata Köprüsü bridge & the Blue Mosque & Eye of Sophia.
...which in hindsight might not be a good idea - & I certainly would think twice nowadays.
Here's a few snaps...


Somewhere dodgy near Harbiye


Somewhere else dodgy near Harbiye


Standing Man Protests, Taksim Square 20 June 2013


Standing Man Protests, Taksim Square 20 June 2013

Taksim Square - All the coaches were for the police


Outside the Blue Mosque


Heavy Police presence on every street corner

z

[thegoat]

If you go at the beginning of the month, you can take in the Galatasaray v Fenerbahce derby. Lovely way to spend a couple of hours dodging plastic bullets and petrol bombs ;)
I took my parents about ten years ago and we loved it . Got lost in the Grand Bazaar , crossed the Bosporus in a rickety boat , visited the Blue Mosque and ate with locals we had befriended.
I’d love to go back .

[SimonK]

Shot from the roof of my hotel in Sultanahmet (on an Olympus XA)

[Bryan Munich]

Was Constantinople, now it's Istanbul not Constantinople.

Just me? Ok.

If you,ve a date in Constantinople, she'll be waiting in Istanbul.

[Gestarp]

not a place i would even consider going, with it still being high on the terrorist threat level

[VDG]

not a place i would even consider going, with it still being high on the terrorist threat level

Even without looking at the relevant data I'll bet 10 quid to fundraiser that London had more terrorism related incidents in comparison to Istanbul in the past 10 years..

Have you ever been to Turkey and Istanbul in particular?

[Gestarp]

Even without looking at the relevant data I'll bet 10 quid to fundraiser that London had more terrorism related incidents in comparison to Istanbul in the past 10 years..

Have you ever been to Turkey and Istanbul in particular?

i wouldn't go there either.

no never been and no desire to go

[awright101]

We’ve just come back from a week in Turkey(not Istanbul) and I can’t believe the prices of hotels now. Almost doubled to what we paid last year. Is that due to the lira. I couldn’t get my head around it. I thought it would be cheaper

[VDG]

i wouldn't go there either.

no never been and no desire to go

Have you ever been abroad?

[crazyp]

We’ve just come back from a week in Turkey(not Istanbul) and I can’t believe the prices of hotels now. Almost doubled to what we paid last year. Is that due to the lira. I couldn’t get my head around it. I thought it would be cheaper

Did it double in local currency (Lira) or in euros/sterling?

[FK77]

Also returned from Turkey (but not Istanbul) earlier this month but we had booked accommodation well before the recent decline in TL so no idea what would have happened to hotel prices. While there, everything was priced in Euros. I had Liras so mostly paid in their own currency and they just used a daily rate or checked online before quoting a price.

[Gestarp]

Have you ever been abroad?

of course. and i know there is risks with all travel but that one place i wouldn't go at this moment. and you could throw paris in there too.

[-Ally-]

of course. and i know there is risks with all travel but that one place i wouldn't go at this moment. and you could throw paris in there too.

And Sweden.

[willie_gunn]

I go to Istanbul three or four time each year for work and love it. It is as safe a city as anywhere I go - Moscow, Nairobi, London, Paris and Beirut included!

I have colleagues who have left, but for reasons of politics rather than violence.

I can't really help on hotels as I pretty much always just stay in the Le Meridien. For restaurants, though, I can highly recommend Marina Balik, in Beylerbeyi Mahallesi. As its name implies, the restaurant is down by the Bosphorous next to the marina. It's not expensive, at least by UK standards, and the fish is superb.

[Vanguard]

I was in Istanbul a few weeks ago, I felt safe at all times. The airport on arrival is pretty chaotic though.

[Carlton-Browne]

There's been a few threads already:

https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...bul-on-holiday
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...-week-too-long
https://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.p...el-in-Istanbul

[Kingstepper]

Thanks for input everyone.

A week seems a long time, more of a long weekend place in my view.

Yes, few people have suggested this so perhaps we'll do 5 days max.

I disagree with the advice so far about where to stay. I've stayed in hotels in both Sultanahmet and the Taksim Square area, and Taksim is far better. Sultanahmet has the double problem of being both conservative and a tourist ghetto, while Taksim is lively and is the locals' central district - full of shops, bars and restaurants and life generally.
.
.
The food is the big thing for me. Amazing. If you decide you're definitely going, get in touch by PM or come back to the thread and ask for more info and tips.

Appreciate what you've said about where to stay but TBH we're not really interested in clubs, bars and the like so might well go for Sultanahmet this time. Thanks for your offer, might be in touch when I've more concrete plans.

If you go at the beginning of the month, you can take in the Galatasaray v Fenerbahce derby. Lovely way to spend a couple of hours dodging plastic bullets and petrol bombs ;)

Might take this to read! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Welcome-Hel...rkish+football

[VDG]

Make sure you visit one of the numerous roof terrace bars/restaurants. I'd recommend '360’ in Taksim, plenty around though. Go easy on Turkish coffee and esp Raki (b deadly), do try cigkoffte (raw spicy meatballs yumm) and seafood, lovely. All well, I'll be there next April.

[ColDaspin]

I wouldn't go in November if I were the OP. It could easily be quite cold by then, especially if the wind is coming off the Black Sea, and the days will be short. Istanbul is a wonderful city and one its great charms is being able to wander / sit around outside in the sun, watching the world go by.

[Jeremy67]

Watch Midnight Express before you go.

[Kingstepper]

I wouldn't go in November if I were the OP. It could easily be quite cold by then, especially if the wind is coming off the Black Sea, and the days will be short. Istanbul is a wonderful city and one its great charms is being able to wander / sit around outside in the sun, watching the world go by.

Yes, I would really prefer somewhere warmer (hot even) but want to go end November and not many options w/o travelling far with a bigger budget. Marrakesh maybe but I've been there (too?) many times. Istanbul seemed interesting, backed up by the replies from TZers.

[ColDaspin]

Yep. I fully sympathise. November's a bit of a crappy month. Outside the usual culprits; southern Spain, the odd Mediterranean island etc., where you have a chance of decent weather, options are limited.
Istanbul is so good, however, it would be a shame not to see it for the first time at its best. I have been there in Sept when it was sunny, temps were in the low/mid 20s with a cooling breeze coming in off the Sea of Marmaris and it was paradise. Also been there in early May with a freezing north wind and temps in the teens and the experience was very disappointing in comparison.
If you do go then do try the stuffed mussels down by the sea front near the Galata bridge! The sellers even pop them in your mouth for you so you don't have to dirty your fingers.

[Tony]

Istanbul is lovely in winter. For one thing, there are far fewer tourists.

[Tony]

Here's a video from a local that I've always enjoyed. It's shot mainly around the Taksim/Beyoğlu area.

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/v...ul-video-guide

[Broussard]

A remarkable city. I don't think that the Chora Museum (the Church of the Holy Saviour in Chora) has been mentioned yet. Well worth a visit.

And don't forget the clocks and watches in the Topkapi.