Lots of great information on this thread...I will be in Istanbul in Sept/Oct and this post will be very helpful in my trip planning!

Eternalburg...Would love to see a trip report from you when you return! :)

Everything seems to be falling into place, I have my ticket, I have booked at the alp guest house (if anyone knows any reason not to speak now please!) and am now fine tuning my daily plans. Definitely will try and record as many details as possible and work on a trip report when I get back!
Thanks once again everyone

Forget the ferry to Ortakoy from Dolmabache- there is a bus that runs, or hop in a taxi. If it is warm, be aware that buses are not air conditioned and can get a bit close. I'd spring for the cab.

The staff at the Ambassador are incredibly helpful and can assist you with planning your daily itineraries, including public transport. I believe they offer a special package that includes a half day city tour, and agree with Mathieu that it is a great way to get oriented. I did not do this in Istanbul but have in other cities.

Re: the comment about tourist ripoff meals - I did not encounter this at all but have no doubt it happens.

Re: taxi fares - there are meters, be sure it is turned on when you enter the cab. Also know that there are two settings - daytime (gunduz) and the higher night (gece) rate. Only once during my entire visit and multiple taxi rides did I have to ask the driver to correct the setting, but it is a good idea to check as you begin the trip.

Mathieu, the cufflinks sound amazing, I am always looking for something for my dad who loves links. Was it just one specific shop or is it a common commodity?
Am off to Sicily today, but will keep mulling over my trip, so may have more questions when I get back!

Finally have my ticket!!! Now comes the nitty gritty of what to pack. Will it be cool in the evening? Do I need sweaters? I know I can get all this information on the net, but am hoping someone's just come back from Turkey and can give me first hand weather reports!
Still not sure whether the Alp guest house is a better choice than the ambassador. When I did a search for the ambassador on this forum I found a couple of threads that appeared to be posted from the hotel itself. Very strange. And for some bizarre reason their website also is not uploading though I have seen it before, so can only assume the problem lies with their server.
Basically I doubt I'll be out much at night all alone, so I do need a comfortable and cheerful room, some tv wont go amiss either!
Thanks fodorites!

Have started reading Orhan Pamuk's Istanbul to get a flavor of Istanbul! It appears to be quite cool in Istanbul weatherwise, packing may be a challenge.
Thank you everyone once again.

Maybe I missed it, but wondered when you will be in Istanbul? We leave in less than 2 wks and I'm a little anxious about the weather as well - can't tell whether to pack for winter or spring? Please post when you return from your trip (or as you go along) -- I'm also using all these ideas for our trip! Can't wait to hear about your experiences!

There are many good suggestions here, and I'd like to add just a few more.

1) Visit a few smaller mosques; the Rustem Pasa (Eminonu district) is a small gem, with beautiful tile work, and is a much more intimate experience than the Blue Mosque or Sulimaniye.

2) Visit the Mosaic Museum behind the Blue Mosque

3) Definitely do more than peek at the Grand Bazaar, but spend time at the Spice Bazaar (my favorite). And for an easier shopping experience, go to the Arasta Bazaar (behind the Blue Mosque.

4) Go to the top of the Galata tower for a great view of the city on your way to (or from) Taksim.

5) Eat lots of Turkish delight (lokum); drink tea, including elma cayi or "apple tea", served by all the carpet shops; eat a lahmacun (lamb "pizza") at a local place-- the best we found was at a modest cafe/restaurant outside the entrance to the Sirkeci train station.

6) The regular ferry up the Bosphorous is fine; no need to hire a tourist boat. Take the hike up to the ruins of a Byzantine castle above the town, but be prepared for a steep hike to the top! The view of the Bosphorus and Black Sea is worth it though.

Istanbul is an amazing city - old and new, East and West, meeting in a jumble of a city, chaotic, hectic, a little overwhelming, but also very rich and exciting.

Paule

Pittsburgher I get back from Istanbul on April 16th so will definitely let you know the weather situation then.
Paule thank you for all the added information!
I'll try and take as many notes as possible so can report once i get back!
Thanks

We're leaving on the 17th, so I'll be able to add (or delete) whatever when I get your weather report! Actually I've been checking on weather.com -- looks like highs of 60ish, lows of 40ish for the next 10 days. I'm still hoping for warmer, though - packing will be so much easier!

Have a fabulous time -- can't wait to hear about it!

Its day 3 in istanbul... will give detailed trip report once i get back home, just logged in to tell pittsburgher that its freezing here!
it poured yesterday so became quite cold, today was bright and sunny but a crisp chilly wind throughout the day. am currently wearing a thermal, shirt, woolen sweater and a light jacket and frankly when i walk outside my nose, hands are generally quite cold. things may change if no rain comes along. according to local weather channel it was 17degrees today, find it hard to believe. considering am walking constantly and most of its uphill u'd think i'd take my jacket off! btw i dont think i typically feel cold!!!! wll let u know as days progress!
but otherwise its terrific!

Cool -- literally! Great to hear from you. I spoke to my son (there) this a.m., he said the weather is much better today (Friday 4/13). Weather.com looks much more optimistic for next week -- I hope you have some sunshine and can thaw soon! I'm still packing layers . . . and I think some gloves!

Keep me posted!

yup nice weather today saturday. quýte warm, just stýll a huge temp dýfference between day and night!
good luck wýth packýng!

Can anyone tell me what time the flea market at Ortakoy starts up on Sunday mornings? I'd love to go early before we go to Topkapi.

ttt

bookmarking

bookmarking for hotel info

im going 2 istanbul on thurs. only for 3 days ..i dont really now where 2 go..its my 1st visit ..ive heard about lots of places,i dont want to miss anything...please can someone send me a schdual for 3 days..im staying in taxim...thanks

eid - suggest you start a new thread with your request.

I'm going to piggy back onto this thread since I'm planning my own first trip to Istanbul, and will also be going solo.
I'm going end of June/beginning of July.
I'll be staying at Taksim Square.
Here are my questions: Taking the metro/subway from Taksim, I understand there are modern shopping malls north of there.
What would my destination stop be, and how far is the mall from the stop? Also, I'm not finding a lot online about the metro--how is a ticket purchased, how is it collected, etc.
Any other subway tips? Ditto, trams.

Also, I'm booked for a Bosphorus cruise; I'm a little ambivalent since it takes 6 hours. (I'm in Istanbul for 4 full days.) Any thoughts, tips, strategies for the port towns, etc?