Well, I’m barely home, haven’t blogged yet about my whirlwind Star Mega Do trip last week…. I’m doing laundry, heading back to work, and BAM, it hits me. I’m going to Istanbul in two days for two days. Turkey for Turkey, you say? First time. Excited. Hell, yeah. Only problem is, other than flights and two nights at the Grand Hyatt near Taksim Square, I have nothing planned and know nothing!
Sure, I’ll take a look at Frommer’s online as well as the posts on Milepoint, Flyertalk, and The Point’s Guy “Destination of the Week” on Istanbul. I might even swing by Barnes and Noble and pick up a guide book, or see if there are any good travel apps to load onto my iPhone.
But, there’s nothing better than getting advice from friends and colleagues who’ve actually traveled there. I love the passion of a traveler. So, if you could help me with general suggestions, as well as answers to some of the specific questions below, I’d be grateful!
1. Money – ATM at airport?
2. Transportation from Airport – I’ll be arriving IST in the afternoon. I will have luggage, but hope to keep it fairly light. Taxi? Shuttle bus? Public Transportation? What do you recommend, and what are the average costs of each.
3. What do you recommend in a sightseeing day? I’ll be there one full day, and two half days. Do you recommend a tour, or can I explore on my own. do you recommend a certain itinerary? What must I see? What should I skip? Any good iPhone apps?
4. Safety issues…. Anything I should be aware of?
5. Food, Meals and Restaurants? What’s good? What’s not to be missed?
6. Shopping? Yes, I like to shop. What should I buy and where should I buy it? Is Turkey still known for fine jewelry? –>
A New York frequent flyer who elegantly combines her passions for worldwide travel, running a gazillion marathons all over the globe and staying fit ... without sacrificing her fancy for good wine and food.
This is a short email to a friend who is going soon:
Must see: Dolmahace Palace, BlueMosque/HayaSophia/Topkapi (all next to each other), Cisterns (across the street), Grand Bazaar, Spice Market. One thing I did not get to do that I regret is taking a ferry across to the Asian side. Food is great. Tourist bus is convenient too if pressed for time. Very safe I thought. Best to say in Mehanabace (sp?) area.
thanks! how many days were you there?
Just got back from a 2 day trip. Did not take a taxi once and would not recommend. Public transportation is fine to take. 3 TL gives you 1 token, you’ll need 2 to get to your destination. You will make one connection. Change currency in ist airport, they had a slightly favorable rate vs JFK.
Very safe besides solicitation from business located around tourist areas. Recommend Akdeniz Hatay Sofrasi next to Historia (not far from your location). Best humus and tabbuli (sp?) I’ve ever had.
One day was more than enough for me, long lines and prayer time prevented me from seeing inside the Mosque. No need for tours unless you have excess cash to burn. Hotels charge 40 euro and higher for 1 way to airport. Taxi not sure. Public tram from airport to hotel 1 hr. Any ? Feel free to ask. Limited on space in your comment section.