Amazing place Istanbul!

bigOz


Joined: 29/09/2010
Posts: 1244

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 17:14

I have just got bsck in my friend's office to rest my legs for a while, after spending 4 hours (without realising) walking up and down the Beyoğlu "İstiklal Caddesi". Fantastic atmosphere and a lively bunch of people - both the shop keepers & the visitors! You have everything one would expect to see in Oxford street and more... Fish restaurants, Turkish bakeries/pastry making shops, kebab houses, dried fruit and spices shops, all kinds of fruit & egetable shops, and even a newly opened almost Harrods sized shopping centre - so well designed, clean and organised that it takes your breath away!



What I find most amazing every time I go for a day trip to this beautiful city, are the number and energy of the people filling up the streets. İmagine a 1 km street as wide as Oxford street, but all paved up for the pedestrians use, with no busses or taxis. And if you stand at the Taksim Square end, you see a huge joyful crowd (evryone smiling) filling up the street as far as th

Cyprusquest


Joined: 09/12/2008
Posts: 428

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 17:17

Worth taking a trip we guess?

Earlybird


Joined: 28/04/2009
Posts: 816

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 17:26

You MUST go there! It is wonderful. Did you buy a carpet BigOz? !! Ha ha.

bigOz


Joined: 29/09/2010
Posts: 1244

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 17:37

To book a day trip, one can get really cheap tickets couple of weeks in advance (I paid 140 tl return). Fly out 7.00 am and return to Sabiha Gökçen at 9.00 pm - it gives you almost 8 hours of visiting time (by the time you clear customs and get to İstanbul Taksim square by Havaş shuttle service, it is around 10.00 am

Beyoğlu, you can do in 3 hours including having a meal at one of the fresh fish trestaurants (amazingly cheap and very tasty!). That means you can spend at least 4 hours, visiting equally amazing Topkapı Palace, the Closed Bazaar ("Kapalı Çarşı") very close by, and top it up with Aya Sofya & Sultan Ahmet Mosques only a few hundred yards away from the Bazaar. The rest of the time just admire the beauty of Bosphorus, or the scenery of an unfolding city rolling over hills. I would say 200 Tl per person and, one can have a truly fun day out including the airfare, meal and a few beers. But when you see the (cheap) prices of clothing and shoes

bigOz


Joined: 29/09/2010
Posts: 1244

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 17:46

Earlybird;

Funny enough, I do not think there is a carpet shop in that street - probably in one of the side streets there are some. But, no, I ended up spending my money buying trousers, tee-shirts, dried figs, raisins, apricots and the much needed parts for my car.

Oh! By the way, the money I saved on parts I would have bought in Cyprus actually psid for my return ticket! Anyone need any free advice or tips on an intended day trip to Istanbul can contact me on turkishlessons1to1.

Earlybird


Joined: 28/04/2009
Posts: 816

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 18:11

BigOz, it was a bit of a joke. Last time we went, it seemed every street we went down someone wanted to sell us a carpet. We declined politely even though they could "fly them free carriage to Cyprus"



As you say, everything is far cheaper there and well worth the trip, a couple of days far better to see the wonderful sights.,

vonny


Joined: 25/06/2009
Posts: 476

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 19:05

I love Istanbul ıt ıs a facınatıng cıty wıth so much to do and see.when we lıved ın london.we use to spend the chrıstmas perıod there nearly every year..ıd love to do a day trıp there though.unfortunatly wıth a broken leg at the moment.ı,ll have to waıt tıll later ın the year.hopefully the prıces wont go up.enjoy you day there.

AndyR



Joined: 23/04/2009
Posts: 317

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 19:10

I've never been to Istanbul but having read this (amongst a lot of other stuff) I'm definitely going to break the journey and have a couple of days there next time I'm over.

scoobydoo


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 2434

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 19:25

AndyR,



Istanbul is a super place and well worth a visit.



We did all that BigOz has done (with the exception of buying car parts!).



We stayed in Sultanahmet as we prefer the old city. A trip up the Bosphorous was excellent plus have a look at the underground cisterns (someone will put the name on here) these are superb.



It is such a busy city and getting around is so easy on the trams and even if you stay for 4 days you will still not see everything.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 19:52

Msg 9

The Yerebatan Cistern (The Basilica Cistern).

4 days? More like 40 days is needed to explore this extraordinary City, if not more!



Richard

deputydawg


Joined: 30/03/2010
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 19:53

When you choose what to see and when, try and avoid the times that the cruise liners are disembarking Americans in massive numbers otherwise you may spend much of your time in long queues at the Mosques etc. They are easy to spot, multiflowered shirts, Bermuda shorts, bursting waistlines, and a dialogue restricted to "Oh my God" The boat trips on the Bosphorus give opportunity to see many of the mosques and palaces on the European and Asian banks all in a short period of time at very little cost for comfort. With hindsight, it is good if you can manage at least 3 days on an initial visit as it is all as beautiful as Big Oz confirms. If you plan to visit Princess Island try to avoid school holidays and Sundays as it can get overcrowded. Recommend a visit sooner than later as although much remains unspoiled, year on year, more things become Westernised.

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 21:09

Richard Msg 10 - I agree and better guided for the first few so you can get your bearings and the huge amount of knowledge that the guides can impart

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 21:46

Msg 12, Tom

My advice would be for the first time lone single or couple visitor is to take the rather expensive (25€) half day tourist bus, and carry on the adventure thereafter!



Richard

flightholiday


Joined: 19/07/2007
Posts: 3217

Message Posted:
30/04/2011 22:25

We laso have some stays that include hotels and tours (not just Istanbul) for ideas have a look at - http://www.flightholiday.co.uk/Short_Tours_Turkey.php -

MsGarnet


Joined: 04/01/2009
Posts: 989

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 00:20

I highly recommend Istanbul - fantastic place........

brumboy


Joined: 15/05/2009
Posts: 25

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 01:29

I have wanted to go for a long time and am taking her indoors this summer all being well, but we will be going in the heat of the summer so any recomendation for a very well air cond 4 or 5 star hotel....in the old center ?

bigOz


Joined: 29/09/2010
Posts: 1244

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 02:25

brumboy;

Try http://www.istanbulotelleri.net/sultanahmet-otelleri.htm

They are all 3 or 4 star hotels in the old Sultan Ahmet district, where Topkapi Palace, the famous Ayasofya & Blue Mosques, Yerebatan Sarayı (museum) which is the 6th century Basilican cistern, Kapalı Çarşı (The old Bazaar) are all historic places of interest within walking distance of most of the hotels listed here. By taxi it is 5 minutes at the most to Taksim Square and İstiklal Caddesi.

scoobydoo


Joined: 10/11/2008
Posts: 2434

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 06:20

Msg 10:



Brinsley, I couldn't agree with you more; it would take months to see everything on a first trip to Istanbul and then you would still miss some of it!



We once went at the end of Ramazan (in Sept a couple of years ago) and the atmosphere was terrific and we were made to feel welcome and join in the festivities of breaking the fast by the locals there with their picnics. Yes, it was absolutely packed out with people at the Blue Mosque each evening but was a wonderful experience.



I hate city life as it is too busy so I book to go for 4 or 5 days at a time and do something different each time as there is sooooo much to do in this fantastic city and it gives me a good excuse to keep going away for a few days!



Thanks - Basilica Cisterns, I thought it was but wasn't 100% sure.



Sue

bigOz


Joined: 29/09/2010
Posts: 1244

Message Posted:
01/05/2011 11:21

Back in Cyprus and have just refused breakfast - I WANT THE SAME TASTY BREAD AND PASTRIES as in Istanbul!