tuffgrrl

well for night wandering i would definitely recommend taksim, for all people of all ages. i had only two nights in istanbul and i spent them both in that area. i stayed in a hotel in sultanahmet but that area was really quiet at night, and i'm happy i made it out to taksim. it's a very lively area with tons of bars and clubs, but also many restaurants and places with music (i heard both traditional turkish music and turkish rock). i was there on a saturday night (incredibly bustling and crowded) and on a sunday night (considerably more calm). i will likely stay in that area on my next trip, perhaps in april or may.

jules4je7

I agree with tuffgrl -- Taksim Square is really neat, and it's an easy bus ride from Sultanahmet. We stayed at a neat little place with a view of the Blue Mosque and the straits...I think we paid $40 for a double. Basic, but good and the front desk people were super friendly -- always wanting us to stop for tea.

Taksim is awesome at night. You can wander its back streets and see the buzz of the daytime too. We loved it and went back twice in the 4 nights we were there.

Happy travels,

Jules

Seamus

zwho, I am chuckling over your comments about being a "libber" and feeling suffocated - what a great example of cultural differences! I picture Judy Dench playing that scene.
if you want a bit of a lively scene in the evening then do go for the Taksim area, as Sultanahmet is quite sedate in the evenings. I ended up in Taksim when the room in Sultanahmet I wanted was not available, was concerned that it would be too touristy but that was not the case at all. And getting around - whether to Sultanahmet or other points - was not difficult. There is a trolley (a bit remniscient of SF cable cars!) that runs along the Istiklal caddessi, the main pedestrian street that extends from Tunel square up to Taksim square if you don't feel like walking all the way. And about mid way along Istiklal, near the Galatsaray square, is a side street named Cecak pasaji - the old flower market - that leads to some excellent seafood restaurants. Search on my screen name and Istanbul for details.

zwho

Thank you very much for the Taksim advice. I think I need to start looking at trip reports. one last question, (if anyone sees this). Should we be looking for airline tickets now or do you think the price will be lless if we wait until the summer. We want to leave Sept. 11. i know, I know, but its about $200.00 more to leave on the 10th. Thanks in advance.

jules4je7

Zwho -- start watching tickets now. I often buy them in April for September travel, and if you start looking, you'll know a good deal when you see it.

Then buy them and don't look back!

Have a great trip!

Jules

Neil_Oz

This thread reminds me - whatever happened to "Spygirl"? I hardly ever agreed with her, but I'm wondering if she's fallen victim to what appears to be the creeping blanding of Traveltalk.

coccinelle

Thanks for this thread. I have heard that Turkey is not only beautiful and inexpenssive but also has friendly people.

zwho

I found some good fares on Kayak.com and doubt that I can do better later unless someone has a big sale. Thanks for the info Jules. And Neil Oz, maybe I'm really dense, but I have no idea what you were talking about. Can you explain? One more question. Flying in Turkey? Should we buy our tickets here on line, thru a TA or wait until we get to Turkey for the best rates? Or will it matter? Thanks in advance. When we went last time, I bought everything thru a TA here, after I found it all on line. Boy, have times changed. I haven't used a TA since, but maybe I should.

americangirlinsaudi

Thanks for this posting. All of the replies were really helpful to me as I am leaving for Istanbul tonight with my husband for a 5 day stay. We are both Americans living in Saudi Arabia and boy are we used to worrying about anti-American sentiment. So far, here, we haven't felt it at all. If they feel anti-American, they certainly don't show it. Happy travels.

AAFrequentFlyer

Little OT because it's no about Turkey, but I just visited Lima, Peru and as I was driven from the airport to the hotel through a poorer neighborhood, in a private brand new upper scale car, a man that realized I was a foreigner, but obviously didn't know where from, gave me a viscious, violent, only matched by the hatred look on his face, mid-finger, as our eyes met while we were waiting for light change. Did that change my thinking of all Peruvias? No!!!

In fact, I met some very wonderful, warm people during my stay in Lima, Cuzco and Machu Picchu. Some had few issues with our government's current policy, but since I <i>generally</i> support it, I let them know and in most if not all cases, it turned into a difference of opinion discussion and nothing more. The same people understood and treated me wih respect and no differently than if I agreed with them. That's true to every corner of the world. We, here in our own country have different opinions, yet we are still friends. One of my best friends is a far left leaning, almost a communist in her thinking, yet I do enjoy her company very much. Occasionally we get into a heated discussion, but so what? Don't any of you ever argue with your SO? It's part of life.

Anywhere in the world, including our beautiful country, there are the hard liners, uneducated, the fringe of the society.

Just because I may diagree with my German friends, my British friends as to US world policy, does not stop us from having a great time everytime we get together.

Turkey is a wonderful, warm, hospitable country. In fact, the true Muslim will protect a visitor with their own life. It's part of the religious belief. If you accept a visitor in your house, it's a must that the visitor will not be harmed in any way.

ebdlemond02

Nothing but a great experience in May of 2005.