I am planning my first trip to Turkey and need lots of advice and recommendations and insight from my fellow travelers.

First a little bit about myself… I am a single woman in her early thirties, have traveled extensively in Europe and North America, been to Thailand and Morocco in the last couple of years, but this is my first solo trip. I am excited and apprehensive all at once! My main reason for visiting Istanbul is to see the architecture and the crafts. I am limiting my trip to Istanbul since I don’t seem to have enough time to travel around much and I’d rather see one place well than spend all my time catching buses… Having said that if anyone knows of a day trip that’s easy to manage I am all ears!

My daily sight seeing schedule is as follows:

Day 1: arrive Istanbul mid-afternoon, check into hotel, walk around a little, get the lay of the land, perhaps take a bus ride to get a quick overview of the city.

Day 2: Seraglio point: Topkapi (harem and treasury as well), Cafer Aga Courtyard, Sublime Porte, Sirkeci station, vistas of Golden Horn.

Day 3: Sultanahmet: Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, Istanbul Crafts center.

Day 4: Bazzar Quarter: Book bazaar, Museum of Calligraphy, Suleymaniye Mosque, maybe peek inside the Grand bazaar.

Day 5: Bosphorus trip

Day 6: Beyoglu

Day 7: early morning return flight.

Questions:

1.Is this schedule too ambitious? Ideally I would like to walk as much as possible to admire the architecture. Or can I perhaps add to it, if so what?

2.I’d like to stay in the Sultanahmet area, I know it’s touristy but it seems convenient to me and I don’t relish the idea of taking taxis alone at night to get back to my hotel. Can anyone recommend a good place, clean, and safe! I have seen the Uyan hotel that gives single hotel rooms at a very decent price of $50! Has anyone stayed there? I would happily pay more if it ensured a safe comfortable stay.

3.I really would like to see some whirling dervishes! Unfortunately since I can’t get to Konya will have to find them in Istanbul. I believe there can be found at the Sirkeci station and at the Galata Mevlevihanesi. Any suggestions which is better? Would I feel awkward being a single woman there?

4.More information on ways to see the Bosphorus would be appreciated. I believe there is a TDI trip that takes about 6 hours but am a little confused, can one get off anywhere along the way?

5.How easy/ safe is the public transportation? Or would a taxi be a better option?

6.I will have plenty to do in the day, but am concerned about the evenings. Don’t see myself sitting alone in a restaurant, any recommendations?

Phew that’s all I can think of now… but I am sure I’ll be bothering you all for more advice as I plan my trip more. I am hoping to go about the second week of april when the weather is conducive to walking, so very little time left!

Thank you so much in advance. I look forward to hearing your ideas.

I think you are having a good plan. We were there 7 days, too, but didn´t have time for Bosphorus.

You should add Chora Museum Church by the old city walls. I am not a religious person in the least, but that place nearly made me one. The atmosphere is incredible. We went there by metro but there was still quite a long way to walk. Bus goes next to it, or take a taxi.

You want to see crafts, then take more than a peek to Grand Bazar. And enjoy getting lost. It is fun, everybody gets lost there, but it really is just fun.

By all means stay in Sultanahmet. Of course it is touristy because the main sights are there, but it is also incredibly quiet at night. has almost a small town feel.

Is Galata Mevlevihanesi same as Mevlevi Monastery? We went there, I somehow feel that a monastery is more suitable than a station. But it is not an everyday occurance so find out the day, and be there at least an hour before it starts. The place is small and fills quickly so not everybody gets in. And you will not feel awkward, you will just be one of the spectators. And DO NOT APPLAUSE, it is not a show but a religious rite.

Public transportation is easy but taxis are not expensive. We used tram, bus and metro.

I can think of one evening program: go to Cemberlitas hamam (in Sultanahmet) and take the full treatment. On women´s side the masseurs are women. You will come out with skin that is softer than baby´s skin.

Did you mention Yerebatan Saray (in Sultanahmet)? It is a 1500 years old underground water supply that was lost for hundreds of years until 150 years ago some Frenchman found it accidentally. Again, incredible atmosphere. There are 336 colums, every single one different, that hold the ceiling, and a couple of huge Medusa heads.

BTW, there are some good fish restaurants under the Galata Bridge.

Have you checked out Hotel Ambassador in Sultanahmet? www.hotelambassador.com/ I recommend it both for location and the friendly, helpful staff. I wanted to stay there but could not get a reservation, did visit and will try again next time in Istanbul. Sultanahmet is pretty quiet in the evenings. If you want more activity try the Taksim area.
In terms of transportation, public transport is indeed safe and reliable. Buy one of the "AKBIL" passes which is a stored fare device you just hold up to the reader when entering. It can be sued on most all the public transportation - trams, metro, buses, the Tunel funicular, ferries and sea buses.
I also would suggest more time than a peek in the Grand bazaar if yo are into crafts, and would also suggest a visit to the Spice Market. The Dervishes perform both at the monastery and in a room at the train station. Monastery tickets are limited so the Sirkeci location is a fall back option. Same performers, same performance, jut different setting. Go for the monastery if you can get it but if not, don't fret.
At Topkapi, consider hiring one of the guides who are available near the entrance. An advantage is that you need not wait in sometimes long queues for tickets.
There was an equivalent of a hop-on hop-off Bosphorus tour, just buy your ticket (and hang on to it as you will need it for re-boarding later)and get off at any of the stops as the boat makes its way. At Otakoy, a stop in the shadow of the huge suspension bridge, there is a flea market of sorts that also includes some neat arts and crafts type shops; I believe it is only on Sunday but check to be sure. There are also smaller private boats that do tours at higher rates.
A place not on your plan that I would suggest is Dolmabahce palace. Admittance is only as part of a group tour and you can do it in a couple hours at most. In addition to the palace, there are beautiful grounds.
FYI, I found the DK Eyewitness guide really useful, packed with info and small enough to carry around.

Thank you so much. Elina I am definitely adding the Cistern to my list, and Seamus the flea market sounds great, will do some research on it!
Am very excited about my trip now, can't wait to go!

Make sure taxi has meter. Take taxi as far east as you can and ride a ferry back to town, a way to see the Bsphorus.

DEFINITELY spend more time in the Grand Bazaar - it has so much to look at/buy! I have made 5 visits (on 3 different trips) and still haven't had my fill!

Taxis are easy and rather inexpensive, but as steamer said - MAKE SURE the meter is running when you start.

On 2 of our trips, we stayed at the Best Western President hotel. Not overly glamorous, but quite clean and comfortable, a nice pub in the lobby, only 3 blocks from the Grand Bazaar, relatively inexpensive (I think we paid about $90 for a double), and I found the staff quite helpful with everything.

Istanbul is a wonderful place....already planning my next trip - a "girl's trip" - no husbands or children!!!!

I've been to Istanbul half a dozen times on the business (with some sightseeing days added) in the past two years. It's an amazing city, and Turkish people are very warm, hospitable and generous. I must admit that I was expecting "Marrakech North" when I went the the first time; it's more like "Rome East".

I can't advise on your specific questions but will offer a few additional tidbits of advice.

1) Water: While by no means as dodgy as in Morocco, it's a bit iffy in Turkey. I would recommend that you drink (and brush your teeth) with bottled water only, and be careful about where you eat fresh, unpeeled fruits and vegetables. Funnily enough, I never got sick in Istanbul but my colleague (who is a native of Istanbul but has lived in Paris for 10 years) got a bit sick on each trip. She also ate a bit more adventurously than I did. Pack some immodium, too.

2) I took taxis a lot. They are relatively cheap. But keep in mind that a number of the taxi drivers speak very little English (so have the address written down). Also, there has been so much change and construction in Istanbul (and it's such a gigantic city) that everyone gets lost a lot, even the taxi drivers. They'll know a general area, but finding a precise address can be quite difficult. Expect to get lost. It's worth the tip to get the hotel staff to put you in a cab and verify with the driver that he knows where he's going. Also, be very careful when handing over money in payment of the fare. I suppose this scam happens in other cities as well, but it's only happened to me in Istanbul (once successfully and once unsuccessfully). When you go to pay, hand the bills to the driver one at a time and make eye contact with him and count out the amount so he knows that you know exactly what you've given him. Otherwise, he might try the "but you only gave me a 5, the price is 20" game with you.

3) By all means go to the Grand Bazaar to shop, but don't forget to save a little time and money for modern malls. There are some great Turkish designers and clothing labels - and they make clothes that are consistent with European and American fashions but distinctive enough to be worth purchasing. I've had good luck at the Metro City Mall, which is very close to the new upscale Kanyon Mall. (Both are on the subway line that starts at Taxim Square). I window shop at Kanyon and then go to Metro City. I think the malls are open fairly late, so this is something you could do in the early evening one night - and there are some decent restaurants in the mall.

4) Although the books are kind of kitschy, you could read some of Barbara Nadel's mystery novels (set in Istanbul) to get in the mood.

5) As I mentioned, Turks are very friendly. I expect that if you go out for dinner by yourself, you won't find it difficult to be drawn into conversation by women sitting nearby.

6) I quite enjoyed the Pera Museum, the new Istanbul Modern Museum (so new it's not shown in many guidebooks or maps). The Pera Museum was a great museum for giving a sense of the history of the city. The Modern was worth a look, but the works displayed seemed rather derivative. Nice water view from the cafe, though.

ok, I have received confirmation of room availability from the following hotels:
Apricot hotel: €59/night
Hotel peninsula: €35/night
Hotel Ambasador: €70/night
Hotel Alzer: €79/night

Any preferences from this selection? The ambassador and alzer are a little over budget but if it means no one will bother me and they're in a safe locality will happily pay the extra! Thank you!

Hi

Just another hotel tip. We stayed at the Hanedan but I personally inspected the Hotel Alp Guesthouse - http://www.alpguesthouse.com - across the road. The proud owner gave me a tour of this beautifully restored Ottoman(?) house. I highly recommend it - the terrace is lovely, great Bosphorous views. The hotel is located in Sultanahmet - an excellent choice for tourists.

I have quite a few notes on Istanbul that I can email you. I can also refer you to an email contact for a non touristy "Whirling Dervish" ceremony. My email is [email protected]. Please spammers - no junk mail!

Good luck

ttt

All good responses so far.

I followed Seamus' advice and booked into the Amabssador Hotel last October. Had a wonderful time there. Mustafa, Erkan, Isa and the rest of the staff will look after you well. It is not a fancy hotel but clean and very adequate and very conveniently located in a safe and pretty part of town. Besides, I'm more for exploring and didn't spend much time in my room other than to sleep there. The rooftop restaurant with the Blue Mosque right in front is wonderful.
The bus stops just outside the main road to get you to places if you don't feel like walking, and you are very near to many of the major sites. I was there during the last days of Ramazan and it was wonderful ! So I'd certainly recommend it.

Kate W also gives good advice. I found Turkish people to be very friendly and they will stop to talk to you at every opportunity if they see that you are a foreigner, as they did me.

I have to dash off to catch a train but I will post more tomorrow.

M

You guys are a wealth of information, thank you so much. I am almost decided on the ambassador hotel! I read rave reviews of the Apricot on tripadvisor.com but no one here seems to have heard of it!

Kate thanks for all the advice, I will try and find a Barbara Nadel, I'm in Rome with not too many available English books! But thanks for the reminder about the water, I had forgotten that one! And thanks for the heads up re Pera museum, will add it to my list!

Does anyone recommend a guided tour on the Bosphorous? If so which?

My lonely planet guide book says that many Divan Yolu travel agencies and Sultanahmet hostels book minibus transport from the hotels to the airport for €3 a head. Does anyone knwo where one can book this service? My understanding is that most hotels pick you up at the airport but don't drop you back and this seemed like a convenient way to get back.

Thanks again!

You've gotten some great advice --

Two things previously mentioned that I heartily endorse:

1. Chora Church -- the mosaics will knock your socks off, for sure. I took the bus there, it's easy to find. Wander along the old Byzantine city walls in that neighborhood, too, afterward.

2. Definitely spend more time in the Grand Bazaar.

Have fun.

So much great advice, thanks everyone. One other quick (albeit dumb) question, all the prices whether for meals or museum entrances are quoted in Euros. Does this mean I can pay in Euros or will have to pay the Turkish Lira equivalent? Thanks!

Oops one more question!!
I was trying to work out a detailed daily plan and I'm stuck on sunday. It'll be my last day in Istanbul and I would love to check out the flea market at Ortakoy. Now would it be possible to see the Dolmbhace and then take a ferry to Ortakoy? What time does the flea market finish? How does one get back to Sultanahmet?
Ok that was more than one question!
Thanks again

This is not a reply to the previous post but another question in the same vein. Has anyone heard of Ottoman Hotel Imperial? On the advice of a Turkish Travel Agent I booked there.However, I can find very little reference to it by people who have actually stayed there.Their web site looks nice and a few TripAdvisor contributors comment on it.I have a problem walking too long and therefore spend quite a bit of time in my room.So it's of some importance that it's not just a hole in the wall.I would appreciate any opinion/help.

It is only a 30 minute walk from Dolmabahçe Palace to Ortaköy. If you want to take the ferry I think that the closest stops are Kabatas for the Dolmabahçe Palace and Besiktas for Ortaköy. Don't bother with a guided tour boat - most of them just take your money, load you up, and then cruise around almost aimlessly. You can have a lot of fun on the regular ferry boats stopping one place for the local yogurt and another place to stroll along the Bosphorus for a while.

More good advice from Bobludlow; take the regular ferrys for a very pleasant and 'local' tour around the Bosphorus. I think you'd enjoy it - if you like doing your own thing, and its very easy to do.

If you end up taking accommodation at the Ambassador, walk out on to the main street and turn right. Abut 30 feet you'll find a bus stop and this bus will wind its way down the same street but in the opposite direction towards Ortokay and the Galati bridge where you can catch the ferries (its a hub) and watch hundreds of locals fishing off the bridge. Once you've done the 15 minute trip by bus, you'll realise how easy it is to walk the route there and back. The buses are very modern too and that trip costs either 1 or 2 lire (I forget).

My very first day, I took a full day city tour covering the major sites (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Market and in the afternoon, the Topkapi palace) which also included a typical (read tourist !) Turkish lunch in a beautiful restaurant, as well as an unadvertised for 'visit' to a carpet shop (don't say I didn't warn you). This really annoyed me when I realised what had happened. We were a captive group. However, the benefit of this entire day was that it gave me my bearings and led me to realise just how close the major site were to the hotel. I walked them all the next day, where I photographed them at leisure and still had time to go to Taksim square on my own in the early afternoon.

This too is very easy to do and I visited the area several time over the next 2 days (but I personally, wouldn't choose to live there. I prefer Sultanhamet). Once you cross the Galati bridge (walk over - its fun) you have to take a short covered funicular which drops you off at one end of the car-free street, for you to walk.

Once in the Taksim area, make a point of wandering off into the very steep side streets leading off the main walk. There you will find some amazing antique shops and art galleries, as well as interesting things to photograph. I wear French cuff shirts a lot for work and I picked up 3 pairs of exquisite antique cufflinks for a song : one Silver, one bejewelled and the other mother-of-pearl. I also bought an old pair of carpet shears, and came away with some great photos of everyday Turkish life.

Don't forget to have a hammam experience if you can, and develop a taste for tea if you don't have one already. There are also Sufi whirling Dervish shows in the old train station, and I experienced an unforgettable evening that had something to do with 3 eye-popping belly dancers,... and thats all I'm willing to tell

About money - I took Euros (from Canada)exchanged them as needed into New Turkish Lire (YTL), as I found that most of the local shops priced their wares and services in lire, but would accept Euros too. Exchange bureaus are found all over the place.

Have fun.

When dining out, sometimes the waiter will try to convince you to have a special meal. Find out what the cost is, what is included, and get the price in writing. Otherwise, you may end up with a huge bill.

I had a waiter that did not want me to order from the menu. I should have left, but I agreed to having a "special" plate. That little cheese sandwich that was supposed to be about $2.50 USD turned into a cheese plate that cost $20 USD. Couldn't believe that I got suckered into such a deal. There was also a sizable service charge, and the waiter was angry that I didn't leave a tip.

I was actually lucky as some people order special fish plates and get a bill for several hundred dollars.

I really had a good time in Turkey, and the cheese plate makes a good story.