Duncan

We will be spending three nights / two full days in Istanbul at the end of May.<BR><BR>With this short a time in mind, would anyone recommend that we take sightseeing tours for the two days, we have Bospherus Cruise / Asia side and Sultanahmet sights in mind - or would it be better to go it alone.<BR><BR>Also if tours are the best way to go, should we book in advance with a travel agency via the internet or wait to we get there and make arrangements locally, would there be a big price saving.<BR><BR>Finally has anyone used Sunday Holidays (tour operators)<BR><BR>Thanks for any help you can offer<BR><BR>Duncan, Birmingham, England

sinan

HI DUNCAN,<BR><BR>I recommend you arrange your Istanbul trip when you get there because there are many travel agency there cheaper then SUNDAY HOLIDAYS.<BR>I don;t know which hotel are you going to stay but if you are going to stay around SULTANAHMET you may not need ant tour arrangement because what you will see are there in 15 minutes walk.<BR>If you want more informations write me <BR>HAVE A NICE HOLIDAY<BR><BR>Sinan Akdeniz

Kris

I don't usually care for guided tours, especially the large groups where you spend a lot of your time waiting for other group members or shopping at overpriced tourist stores.<BR><BR>Most of the major sites in Istanbul are in close proximity to one another, with a good guide book and a little supplementary info from the internet you should be easily able to do a self guided tour of Istanbul if you choose. The guide books also have tips on cruising the Bosphorus on your own (via public ferries that is). If you stay in the Sultanahmet area, you will be close to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and within walking distance of Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar. If you visit Topkapi on your own, be sure to go directly to the Harem rooms and secure tickets as they often get booked for the day.<BR><BR>We were in Istanbul several years ago and are returning in late May. We went on our own the first time and had no difficulty getting around. I don't even recall having to get a taxi except back to the hotel as we stayed near the airport. We are planning on going it on our own again to some of the things that we missed on the first trip.<BR><BR>If you do decide to take a guided tour, your hotel should be able to help you arrange a guide.<BR><BR>Have a great trip!

PW

No need for a guided tour, especially for the main sites (Sultanahmet). Everything's close and very easy to get to. Just bring a basic map of the city center with you -- I used the Eyewitness guide.<BR><BR>I think you'll enjoy the cruise. It was beautiful to see the city from the river.<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip. The people, sites, and cuisine of Turkey are wonderful.

Kris

Duncan, there's an interesting article regarding the increased prices (150%!!!)of the major attractions in Istanbul over on Lonely Planet, making Topkapi Palace $30 per person, Aya Sophia $20 per person. They suggest that the tour operators might be able to get tickets at the previous rates, at least for the time being.<BR><BR>http://www.lonelyplanet.com/scoop/ar...545&region=mea

sinan

DEAR KRISTI,<BR>The web address posted here is not right here is the right one<BR>http://www.lonelyplanet.com/scoop/archive.cfm?DPID=545&region=mea<BR>I am sure that you can get it if you copt and past this address But the article is not true because the fee of topkapi is around $10 not $30<BR><BR><BR>Sinan Akdeniz

sinan

DEAR KRISTI,<BR><BR>Sorry when you copy and paste some text missed so if you want to go this adress go here<BR><BR>http://www.lonelyplanet.com/scoop/archive.cfm?DPID=545&region=mea<BR><BR>NOW YOU CAN GET THE WHOLE ARTICLE<BR><BR>Sinan Akdeniz

sinan

<BR>Dear KRISTI,<BR><BR>this server doesn't write the one I putted<BR><BR>I think server doen't recognise "?" and "&"<BR>after 545 there is "&" and you should add "reg" the beginning of "ion"<BR>SORRY this problem is not coming from me<BR>

paule

Rather than a guided group tour, we hired a private guide. You should be able to do a search on this board for Istanbul or Istanbul guides; there are many that have been recommended. We hired a private guide, which we found helpful, and that way, you can tailor the day to your own needs. I think it would be more satisfying than taking a group tour.

z

I hate posts like this one. A Rolls Royce is more satisyfing than a Ford Escot, but not everyone has the money or wants to spend the money. No one needs to be told that you get a better tour if you get personal attention.

z

I hate posts like this one. A Rolls Royce is more satisyfing than a Ford Escot, but not everyone has the money or wants to spend the money. No one needs to be told that you get a better tour if you get personal attention.

Kris

Sinan, I hope you are correct but the higher fees supposedly just went into effect in April. There's a post out on Lonely Planet's Thorntree board that confirms that the new rates are in effect. It's too bad if that's the case because it may change some people's mind about either going to Istanbul all together or it may discourage them from seeing all that Istanbul has to offer. I will probably pass on a return visit to Topkapi if I have to pay $30 per person. I don't take issue with the notion that foreigners should pay a higher fee but $30 for one site is the highest admission fee that I know of (excluding amusement parks).<BR><BR>Duncan, if you can't get the link to work go over to www.lonelyplanet.com, click on the Scoop, Middle East and Turkey for the article on fees.

nospam

This, on top of the outrageous $45 visa fee, is too much. It's too late to cancel my flight. But I can shorten the time that I'll spend in Turkey. <BR><BR>I'd love to meet the brain who came up with this. With tourists already scared off by earthquakes and the Middle East crisis, someone thinks that it's a good idea to further discouage tourists.

sinan

Dear KRISTI,<BR><BR>If you want to have private tour (full day) in Istanbul I can arrange you for only Including A/C Minivan, Guide, Entrance Fees. Topkap&yacute; Palace/ Treasury & Harem, St. Sophia<BR>Would you like to buy?<BR><BR>write me if you want<BR><BR>Sinan Akdeniz

Duncan

Hi Kris<BR><BR>Further to you post regarding the posts on Lonely Planet about price increases at historic sights in Istanbul, I emailed Sinan and Sunday Holidays about this with the view of booking something quick in order to get a better price. With Sunday Holidays a full day in Sultanahmet is $45 and if Loney Planet is to be beleived the entrance fees to two of the places they go is $50 !!<BR>Anyway Sinan has stated here that the article was not true and I had an email from Sunday Holidays and they stated that their prices are fixed and include all entrance fees. They also said please don't pay any attention to this article it is not true !!<BR>So I'm not sure who or what to beleive. Sunday could very well have used this as a good reason to book with them, so I guess they are being honest. I will check out the Lonely Planet Forum tonight

x

I contacted a tour operator and he gave me some information that might explain the confusion.<BR><BR>The entrance fee to Topkapi is $12. BUT, if you want to see the harem or treasury, it's another $12 each. Aya Sofia is $12 plus another $12 to see the art museum. His fee basic included admission, but not the extras. If there is a $30 Topaki fee, that might be an all-inclusive, since the parts sum to $36. <BR><BR>This means that should anyone book a tour with "entrace fees included," you need to find out exactly what entrance fees are covered. There is a big difference between basic admission and getting to see the whole enchilada.

Kris

[email protected] makes a good point. Topkapi admission does consist of three parts (each 15,000,000 lira, about $12, according to LP post)-general, harem and treasury. Hagia Sophia, 15,000,000 lira general, 15,000,000 lira for the art gallery. So you might want to confirm what exactly you are going to see.<BR><BR>BTW, I'm not trying to discourage you from going to these places Duncan, I just always like to know in advance what to expect. I usually don't skimp on seeing things once I've picked a destination, but I've already been to all the major sites in Istanbul so I think we will concentrate on seeing new places this time.<BR><BR>Hope I'm not confusing you too much, it's hard to know what to believe. I can't locate any official websites that include admission fees so I guess I'll know what they are when I get there. That won't help you though as we'll be there at the same time.

x

Unfortunately, it's too late for me to change my airline ticket, although I might postpone the trip in hopes that complaints will eventually have an effect. If I do go, I'll simply skip Topkapi and Sofia. It's too bad, but you have to draw the line somewhere and $120 dollars for my wife and I just to see to sights is just too much. Cave in and you are giving license to be extorted all over Europe. Don't think that tourism officials in every other country aren't watching this unfold.

sinan

Dear KRISTI,<BR><BR>First I have to say that TOPKAPI IS NOT<BR>3 PARTS more than 3 parts but<BR>ST SOFIA or HAGIA SOFIA is not part of TOPKAPI. Please don't confuse. Only 2 parts of Topkapi have been open to public and Ministry of Culture have been charging since they opened these place. There is no new charge or no new fees for Topkapi or other ruins and museums. OR NOT %100 OR MORE INCREASE THE TICKET FEES. 5 years ago the fee of Topkapi was $12 not is 12 dollars. <BR>I don't know your job but I have been Tourism bussinnes for 25 years and also I am an Archeologist almost 20 years. IF I WERE MINISTRY OF CULTURE I WOULD MAKE ADMISSION FEES OF RUINS AND MUSEUM NOT LESS THEN $50 do you know WHY?<BR>Turkey has HISTORY and ARCHEOLOGY more then other countries and Turkish goverment have to pay some money for excavations and restoration. How you can pay these and WITH WHAT MONEY? When something happined to St Sofia the whole Christian Countries shouting us that we are not protecting the ruins or religious places. Is this fair, if you don't pay your fees? <BR>DO YOU KNOW ZEUGMA? When I was working there 15 years ago we sent many message to whole world to help us to save this beatiful city any country didn't respond our request until the city start to drawn to the water, the whole world start to shouting us stop producing ELECTRICITY and IRRIGATION project, because we built the biggets dam in the middle east there and this dam doing really good thing for people who needs water and electricity but RUINS is nothing for the people around then can not make money from ruins but RUINS OURS HISTORY THE PEOPLES' HISTORY we have to protect them from everthing even from PEOPLE. We know what happined in Afganistan Beatiful statue is GONE, not because of religious, I don't believe this. BY THE WAY WHEN YOU GO TO ZEUGMA YOU ARE NOT PAYING ANYTHING. NO FEE THERE like some ruins in Turkey.<BR>The last things I will write PLEASE PAY YOUR ADMISSION FEES IN TURKEY BECAUSE MONEY GOES TO EXCAVATION AND RESTORATIONS IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR HISTORY AND ARCHEOLOGY.<BR><BR>CHEERS<BR><BR>Sinan Akdeniz

Paule

Since the cost of travel in Turkey is so much less than in much of Europe (western, anyway), it's hardly a strain on the pocketbook to pay fees to these grand sights. And as Sinan says, it goes to excavation and restoration. Istanbul is an AMAZING place, and to go and not pay a few extra dollars to see these great places is,IMO, pennywise and poundfoolish. Comparable hotels to places in Western Europe are easily half the price, and eating is an incredible bargain, in Istanbul and elsewhere in Turkey; so don't worry about the few dollars spent on visiting locations. Why bother going to these countries if you don't go visit these great historical sites? <BR><BR><BR><BR>