Am i going to freeze in Istanbul in February??!
Jan 6th, 2010, 05:01 PM
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Am i going to freeze in Istanbul in February??!
Might i say how much i enjoy planning thru Fodors. We will be going to Istanbul Feb 28-March 5. I know it is a cold time of year, but it's when we could go. For all of the experts, is it going to be in the 40's, 30's? Will certain attractions like the ferry be closed? If you want to add "to do" or "not to do" that's great, i've been following those on Turkey threads.
thanks in advance! these forums have helped me plan Hawaii, Costa Rica, Italy, Napa, NY.
thanks in advance! these forums have helped me plan Hawaii, Costa Rica, Italy, Napa, NY.
Jan 6th, 2010, 05:09 PM
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mrsdarwin: I am going to give you the link to my trip report. We went to Istanbul March 5, 2009. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...g-istanbul.cfm We wore our heavier coats and were glad that we did. It was warmer than Boston, where we flew from, so we were prepared to be cold. Some days it rained, but it was never anywhere cold enough to snow. Other days it was sunny and we actually carried our coats.
We loved Istanbul and my report gives an idea of what I thought were the do's. If it is warm enough do take the ferry up the Bosphorus. It was a highlight for us. I'd be interested to hear what you have already planned, such as accomodations, flights, etc.
Have a great trip.
We loved Istanbul and my report gives an idea of what I thought were the do's. If it is warm enough do take the ferry up the Bosphorus. It was a highlight for us. I'd be interested to hear what you have already planned, such as accomodations, flights, etc.
Have a great trip.
Jan 7th, 2010, 02:09 AM
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mrsdarwin,
you have 50-50 chance of having good or wet days in both months.
unfortunately March is almost a Winter month in Turkey. we've had some of the worst snow storms in the first half of March in the past. But this year, it has been better than average so far.
statistically:
average daytime temperatures, 46 in Feb and 51 in March
average night time temperatures, 37 in Feb. and 41 in March.
13 rainy and 5 snowy days average in february
13 rainy and 3 snowy days average in March
Opaldog's trip report and her experience were terrific.
yet, i will give a different perspective :
- none of the Sultanamet restaurants make it to a list of 100 best restaurants in Istanbul, maybe with the exception of "Sarnic"
- Sultanahmet, especially in the winter has nothing for the evening and night, (you could naturally play backgammon, gin and scrabble in the lobby of your hotel)
- Istiklal Street becomes alive at night, with sidewalk cafes, restaurants and bars in addition to the regular venues, if there is no precipitation, at most of the side streets off the main drag. The French Street behind Galatasaray highschool and the streets across from the same highschool are especially noteworthy.
- Ortakoy in the evening and at night also is a great location with artsy stalls, cafes, low and high end bars and restaurants, the close view of a very different mosque and the Bosphorus bridge all lit up.
- The district that really rocks to the fashion show of the local in-crowd is Nisantasi, with excellent restaurants, bars, cafes and two expensive boutique hotels, the Sofa and Park Hyatt.
- Istiklal side streets have live Turkish music as well as techno, rock, hip hop, jazz. Ghetto and Babylon are the best known places for live music, which you can check onthe web. For others, look at 'biletix' site.
- For jazz, Nardis near the Galata tower is very good. Istanbul jazz center is also good but very expensive,
- Some highend restaurant recommendations are:
Changa,Sunset, Ulus 29, Halat, Beyti, Borsa, Banyan, Vogue, Venge Kebap, develi Kebap, Kosebasi, tike, Iskele, Doga Balik,
Turkuaz, Mia Mensa, Reina.
- Two reasonably priced hidden gems : Sunanin Yeri at Kandilli boat landing, and Ismet Baba at Kuzguncuk for fish and meze. Both reached via ferry from Eminonu to Uskudar and then a bus or taxi.
- The best homecooking restaurant : Kanaat Lokantasi at Uskudar, has the most choices of any restaurant, most of which precooked and selected at the counters. (My favourite is Buhara Pilav, rice with lamb and chick peas, a bit like an Indian lamb biriani but not spicy and i think more tasty)
- ferries stop running only when there is very strong wind or very low visibility.
- if there is heavy snow or rain all the four recommended areas, sultanahmet, Taksim, Nisantasi and Ortakoy have their own advantages. Sultanahmet will have ethereal beauty, and most historic sites will stay open, and you can escape the wet in the Grand Bazaar. Taksim Istiklal will have many locations for people watching, music and window-shopping. Nisantasi also for cozy cafes/bars/restaurants and upscale people watching. Ortakoy for Bosphorus scenery, maybe even short boat tours.
- Tip regarding fish: early Spring is the best time for Turbot. The Bosphorus or black Sea Turbot is a very delicate and tasty fish grilled or usually lightly battered and fried.
You should see the fish before you order it and ask the price and try for a 10-20% discount. Fresh fish should have more shiny eyes and redder gills, and be harder to the touch.
Seabass is usually farmed and not as tasty as the real thing, but still a good choice. But it should definitely be cheaper, just like sea bream.
For more info on food in Turkey you can check an earlier thread.
you have 50-50 chance of having good or wet days in both months.
unfortunately March is almost a Winter month in Turkey. we've had some of the worst snow storms in the first half of March in the past. But this year, it has been better than average so far.
statistically:
average daytime temperatures, 46 in Feb and 51 in March
average night time temperatures, 37 in Feb. and 41 in March.
13 rainy and 5 snowy days average in february
13 rainy and 3 snowy days average in March
Opaldog's trip report and her experience were terrific.
yet, i will give a different perspective :
- none of the Sultanamet restaurants make it to a list of 100 best restaurants in Istanbul, maybe with the exception of "Sarnic"
- Sultanahmet, especially in the winter has nothing for the evening and night, (you could naturally play backgammon, gin and scrabble in the lobby of your hotel)
- Istiklal Street becomes alive at night, with sidewalk cafes, restaurants and bars in addition to the regular venues, if there is no precipitation, at most of the side streets off the main drag. The French Street behind Galatasaray highschool and the streets across from the same highschool are especially noteworthy.
- Ortakoy in the evening and at night also is a great location with artsy stalls, cafes, low and high end bars and restaurants, the close view of a very different mosque and the Bosphorus bridge all lit up.
- The district that really rocks to the fashion show of the local in-crowd is Nisantasi, with excellent restaurants, bars, cafes and two expensive boutique hotels, the Sofa and Park Hyatt.
- Istiklal side streets have live Turkish music as well as techno, rock, hip hop, jazz. Ghetto and Babylon are the best known places for live music, which you can check onthe web. For others, look at 'biletix' site.
- For jazz, Nardis near the Galata tower is very good. Istanbul jazz center is also good but very expensive,
- Some highend restaurant recommendations are:
Changa,Sunset, Ulus 29, Halat, Beyti, Borsa, Banyan, Vogue, Venge Kebap, develi Kebap, Kosebasi, tike, Iskele, Doga Balik,
Turkuaz, Mia Mensa, Reina.
- Two reasonably priced hidden gems : Sunanin Yeri at Kandilli boat landing, and Ismet Baba at Kuzguncuk for fish and meze. Both reached via ferry from Eminonu to Uskudar and then a bus or taxi.
- The best homecooking restaurant : Kanaat Lokantasi at Uskudar, has the most choices of any restaurant, most of which precooked and selected at the counters. (My favourite is Buhara Pilav, rice with lamb and chick peas, a bit like an Indian lamb biriani but not spicy and i think more tasty)
- ferries stop running only when there is very strong wind or very low visibility.
- if there is heavy snow or rain all the four recommended areas, sultanahmet, Taksim, Nisantasi and Ortakoy have their own advantages. Sultanahmet will have ethereal beauty, and most historic sites will stay open, and you can escape the wet in the Grand Bazaar. Taksim Istiklal will have many locations for people watching, music and window-shopping. Nisantasi also for cozy cafes/bars/restaurants and upscale people watching. Ortakoy for Bosphorus scenery, maybe even short boat tours.
- Tip regarding fish: early Spring is the best time for Turbot. The Bosphorus or black Sea Turbot is a very delicate and tasty fish grilled or usually lightly battered and fried.
You should see the fish before you order it and ask the price and try for a 10-20% discount. Fresh fish should have more shiny eyes and redder gills, and be harder to the touch.
Seabass is usually farmed and not as tasty as the real thing, but still a good choice. But it should definitely be cheaper, just like sea bream.
For more info on food in Turkey you can check an earlier thread.
Jan 7th, 2010, 04:36 AM
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We were there last March. Here is the link to my trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ith-photos.cfm
I describe the weather we had in the report. Basically we had cool weather but not too much rain. You can never tell year to year what it will be. But even though it was colder than I would have liked there were some flowers and it didn't have the ugly winter look that northern US cities have at that time of year. We wore silk long johns under our jeans a lot and that really helped. I think the cruises up the Bosphorus happen daily regardless of the weather. Pick your best day for that but definitely do it. Was one of our highlights.
I describe the weather we had in the report. Basically we had cool weather but not too much rain. You can never tell year to year what it will be. But even though it was colder than I would have liked there were some flowers and it didn't have the ugly winter look that northern US cities have at that time of year. We wore silk long johns under our jeans a lot and that really helped. I think the cruises up the Bosphorus happen daily regardless of the weather. Pick your best day for that but definitely do it. Was one of our highlights.
Jan 7th, 2010, 04:19 PM
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Thanks for your responses. it is great to get first hand ideas. I have not planned much. Part of it is a trip to visit a school and the other part is leisure. Taksim Parki I have just been told that we will need to stay in the Taksim Parki area or Beyoglu area. The Baron Hotel has been suggested by someone. I cannot log onto their website.
Ideally a double hotel for $60-80/night would be great.
I am also entertaining the idea of going to Ephesus on overnight train ride.
We will have 8 nights in the area with 2 days being work related.
We are definitely into the sites to see, dining on the street, drinking, and exploring off beaten paths when accessible.
would love to hear ideas about hotels. Seem like a lot stay in the Sultanahmet area.
molly
Ideally a double hotel for $60-80/night would be great.
I am also entertaining the idea of going to Ephesus on overnight train ride.
We will have 8 nights in the area with 2 days being work related.
We are definitely into the sites to see, dining on the street, drinking, and exploring off beaten paths when accessible.
would love to hear ideas about hotels. Seem like a lot stay in the Sultanahmet area.
molly
Jan 8th, 2010, 06:01 AM
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We had been by end of February in Istanbul and, at another occasion, in May.
As others have said, be prepared for cold weather in February. We even had a mild flurry of snow, however most days were cold but nice and sunny. One day, it warmed up over noon, so onion dress is the key.
Sultanahmed is the touristy area of Istanbul. This explains why so many Americans favour this neighborhood. However, as others have said, there is nothing but several tourist attractions (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Sultan's Palace, Covered Bazaar).
I would rather stay in Beyoglu/Taksim area where you find restaurants, shops and authentic life. Public transportation is good, taxis are cheap and you can even walk from Taksim Square to Sultanahmed.
We stayed at the Lares Park Hotel which was very recommendable, however might exceed your budget.
http://www.laresparktaksim.com/
As others have said, be prepared for cold weather in February. We even had a mild flurry of snow, however most days were cold but nice and sunny. One day, it warmed up over noon, so onion dress is the key.
Sultanahmed is the touristy area of Istanbul. This explains why so many Americans favour this neighborhood. However, as others have said, there is nothing but several tourist attractions (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Sultan's Palace, Covered Bazaar).
I would rather stay in Beyoglu/Taksim area where you find restaurants, shops and authentic life. Public transportation is good, taxis are cheap and you can even walk from Taksim Square to Sultanahmed.
We stayed at the Lares Park Hotel which was very recommendable, however might exceed your budget.
http://www.laresparktaksim.com/
Jan 8th, 2010, 12:50 PM
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I generally like to stay out of the most touristy areas of any city that I stay in, but on our visit to Istanbul, which was our first, we chose to stay in Sultanahmet. I did read that it was only for tourists. True, it was full of them over by the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia, but we stayed in a wonderful boutique hotel that seemed away from all of it. We are not big night life people and didn't have the need to be close to nightclubs. We got all around and away from Sultanahmet in our daily travels, but truly enjoyed where we stayed. Yes, I admit I am American and a tourist, but I like to blend in and soak up the atmosphere of wherever I visit. We travel independently and make our own travel agenda; that's a big part of my travel enjoyment, planning.
So, I guess I would recommend Sultanahmet if you do not need to be closer to another area of Istanbul. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to travel there again and try staying in another area of Istanbul, but we had a wonderful time where we chose to stay on our first visit.
So, I guess I would recommend Sultanahmet if you do not need to be closer to another area of Istanbul. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to travel there again and try staying in another area of Istanbul, but we had a wonderful time where we chose to stay on our first visit.
Jan 8th, 2010, 01:51 PM
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We were there this past February; click on my name for my trip report if interested. I brought a heavy coat and my one regret is that I didn't bring the heaviest one. It was pretty cold in Istanbul. It rained on several days, and one night it snowed, which was beautiful. We had a wonderful time. It wasn't too crowded and we really enjoyed ourselves. I don't recall any attraction being closed due to the season. Just make sure you bring layers, a scarf and some gloves and you should be fine.
Tracy
Tracy
Mar 4th, 2010, 06:29 PM
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I'm going to Turkey from March 11th thru March 29th -Touring Istanbul, Canakkale, Izmir, Pamukkale, Antalya, Cappadocia and Ankara (in that order)-Based upon the replies on this forum I've decided to bring my heavy down jacket and an umbrella-Thanks to all of you!
