istanbul itinerary for your review/comments please
Jun 15th, 2011, 01:11 PM
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istanbul itinerary for your review/comments please
We will be in turkey in september and will have about 4 days in Istanbul. They’ll be split up because we’ll visit other parts of the country and return to Istanbul. I drafted an itinerary below. I’d love to know what you think about whether it makes logistical sense, if I missed any must-sees, if you'd add or subtracta anything, etc? all your comments are welcome. thanks!
Half Day 1: arrive Istanbul 4pm, check-in hotel, dinner at develi
Day 2: ayasofya, blue mosque, basilica cistern, suleymaniye mosque
Day 3: bosphorus boat tour in the morning, topkapi palace…walk across galata bridge, stroll istiklal caddesi, taksim sq, maybe have dinner at a meyhane
<spending a few days each in ephesus area & then Cappadocia>
Half Day 4: fly from Cappadocia, arrive Istanbul around 2pm, grand bazaar, Egyptian spice bazaar
Half Day 5: Chora church, flight home departs 5pm
Half Day 1: arrive Istanbul 4pm, check-in hotel, dinner at develi
Day 2: ayasofya, blue mosque, basilica cistern, suleymaniye mosque
Day 3: bosphorus boat tour in the morning, topkapi palace…walk across galata bridge, stroll istiklal caddesi, taksim sq, maybe have dinner at a meyhane
<spending a few days each in ephesus area & then Cappadocia>
Half Day 4: fly from Cappadocia, arrive Istanbul around 2pm, grand bazaar, Egyptian spice bazaar
Half Day 5: Chora church, flight home departs 5pm
Jun 15th, 2011, 01:23 PM
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Day 2 is an incredibly busy day. Besides the cistern, they are over run with tourists with lines and those who will push ahead. And although all these sites are worthwhile, the atmosphere is most unpleasant and not condusive to seeing that many sites.
If you visit the Grand Bazaar first then the walk to the Egyptian market is downhill.
If you visit the Grand Bazaar first then the walk to the Egyptian market is downhill.
Jun 15th, 2011, 03:48 PM
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For day 3 I assume that you're taking the shorter half-day cruise instead of the 6 hrs public ferry mentioned in the guide books? Since the ferry departs from Eminonu and the Galata Bridge is also at Eminonu, maybe you would like to do the Topkapi Palace in the morning instead? Then when you're done with the afternoon cruise you can hop right onto the Galata Bridge instead of having to backtrack.
The interior of the Blue Mosque is open at night. When I was there last month, I would go inside the BM at around 9pm and stayed until it closes at around 9:45pm. So you can squeeze in the BM on your first night if you finish your dinner early.
You also have time on the first day to get in the Basicilica Cistern if you don't want to cram too much on the 2nd day. It closes at around 5:30 or 6pm. The place isn't big at all; Shouldn't take most people more than half an hour to see it.
When you're strolling Istiklal Caddesi, there's an ice-cream guy there that's very popular among the tourists. He put on quite a charming show dishing you your ice-cream cone, especially for the ladies and kids.
While I don't necessary think this is a must do, the carvings on the Alexander Sarcophagi at the Archeological Museum is really gorgeous.
The interior of the Blue Mosque is open at night. When I was there last month, I would go inside the BM at around 9pm and stayed until it closes at around 9:45pm. So you can squeeze in the BM on your first night if you finish your dinner early.
You also have time on the first day to get in the Basicilica Cistern if you don't want to cram too much on the 2nd day. It closes at around 5:30 or 6pm. The place isn't big at all; Shouldn't take most people more than half an hour to see it.
When you're strolling Istiklal Caddesi, there's an ice-cream guy there that's very popular among the tourists. He put on quite a charming show dishing you your ice-cream cone, especially for the ladies and kids.
While I don't necessary think this is a must do, the carvings on the Alexander Sarcophagi at the Archeological Museum is really gorgeous.
Jun 15th, 2011, 04:20 PM
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I think your itinerary is reasonable, but I agree that you should visit Topkapi early in the morning...it takes a long time. Then a little lunch and the cruise followed by the walk over the bridge~up Istiklal - then a nice dinner near Taksim. That would be a good day!
On day two you might not have the energy for the Suleymaniye...but you could easily do it on your way to the Chora. The Chora is small and it doesn't necessarily take hours and hours - unless you are very, very, very into mosaics. It is my favorite - well, second favorite place in Istanbul. (Aya Sofia is #1 for me)
On day two you might not have the energy for the Suleymaniye...but you could easily do it on your way to the Chora. The Chora is small and it doesn't necessarily take hours and hours - unless you are very, very, very into mosaics. It is my favorite - well, second favorite place in Istanbul. (Aya Sofia is #1 for me)
Jun 16th, 2011, 05:41 PM
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"While I don't necessary think this is a must do, the carvings on the Alexander Sarcophagi at the Archeological Museum is really gorgeous."
Yes the museum is fantastic so too the tile museum (part of the same complex, but seperate admission price). If you love museums the Archeological Museum is one of the best and not to be missed. If you want to visit it I would leave out the Bosphorous cruise as lovely as it is. Or better still leave out the Grand Bazaar. I know it's one of those things you gotta do in Istanbul but I thought it was trashy and over rated. You can the same stuff elsewhere in Istanbul, cheaper and without getting hassled. But everyone's interests are different.
Yes the museum is fantastic so too the tile museum (part of the same complex, but seperate admission price). If you love museums the Archeological Museum is one of the best and not to be missed. If you want to visit it I would leave out the Bosphorous cruise as lovely as it is. Or better still leave out the Grand Bazaar. I know it's one of those things you gotta do in Istanbul but I thought it was trashy and over rated. You can the same stuff elsewhere in Istanbul, cheaper and without getting hassled. But everyone's interests are different.
