3 days in Istanbul: what shouldn't I miss???
 

I'm flying to India this summer via Istanbul and I would like to spend 3 days exploring the city. I read a lot about almost all the things I should see, but what are the real highlights, if we exclude places that are a must, such as Hagia Sophia or Blue Mosque???
+ Does anyone know where I could see dervishes dancing? Thanks in advance!!!

Oh, I forgot about the most important thing: can anyone recommend me a nice budget place to stay?

If you are there for 3 days I would try and see the Hagia Sophia and The Blue Mosque (if you are in a rush you can do it in an hour or two). A boat trip on the Bosporous is good. Topkapi Palace is worthwile but you must allow time. The Treasury Room at Topkapi (which we missed because one of the ticket booths had the computer down and we could not buy separate tickets) should be well worth a visit. The Grand Bazaar and The Spice Market are definitely worth a walk through. We ended up buying a lot. If you need to get a gift for a family in India, try taking the Iranian saffron, it is exquisite.

"Does anyone know where I could see dervishes dancing?"

Mevlevi monastery. I just don´t remember the times. I remember that it is on Sundays, but I am not sure if it is every Sunday. And you have to be well on time because the place is small.

Thanks for quick replies!! Elina, special thanks for giving me information on dervishes: the bad thing is that I have a flight on SATURDAY... So, some other time...

In three days you can see quite a bit. Haga Sophia and Blue Mosque are physcially close to each other and doable in a morning. Topkapi can be done in an afternoon; suggest using one of the guides, and do take the harem tour which requires a separate ticket. Using the guide allows you to bypass the ticket lines.
The Mevlevi monastery is just down from Tunel Square; their dervish show is only the last Sunday of each month but there are expositions (same dancers, just a different venue) held at the Sirkeci train station in an area near platform one that has been turned into a performance space. I made a reservation for the Sirkeci performance at the monastery when the Sunday show was sold out, picked up the ticket at the Sirkeci venue.
Grand bazaar and Spice market are also doable in a day. Just wander through and try not to be overwhelmed, and remember that the word for "no" is pronounced just as the english word "higher". Bosphorus ride is great, and you can do as much as your time allows. You can also wander up and down the Istiklal cadessi in Taksim, a pedestrain shopping area lined with all sorts of shops, stores, and restaurants.

Also try to visit the underground water cistern. It is amazing and also very beautiful. And dont forget to eat Turkish ice cream......the kind they twirl...its amazing.

Hi, Marnem-
I am also flying to India via Istanbul (from JFK on Turkish Air),but with just a day and a night's layover.I did some research here and on Tripadvisor.com and found the Hotel Ambassador,which is $83/night for a single including breakfast. They will also pick you up from the airport.Please post when you return from India (about both India and Istanbul!) I'll be interested in hearing about your experiences and hear what you think of Turkish Air.((f))

Thank you all!!!
Massagediva, I'll most certainly write about my India experience...