dina4

We'll be spending 3 nights (2 and a half days) in Istanbul next July with our two college-aged kids. We're interested in exploring neighborhoods, culture, good food, history, and art. I've read through countless threads here, and have gotten so much GREAT information!

I do have some questions and need direction in a few areas...

1. Bosphorous Cruise.
I don't think I can convince the rest of my family to sit on a boat for more than half a day. Is there a shorter version we can look for to get on the bosphorus? Is it good enough to just to take a ferry to the Asian side? If so, to where? Are the Prince Islands worth it? Kiz Kulesi? Read about Bagdat Street (where is that?)

2. Turkish Bath
Interested in taking one and would like a top-notch experience. Any recommendations?

3. Staying at the W
Any shopping or restaurant recommendations within walking distance?

4. Organizing our time
I have figured out we can use one day to see the major sites in Sultanahmet (Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, Ayia Sofia, Underground Cistern). But not sure how to organize everything else. Here's what's on our list:
Grand Bazaar
Spice Market
Dolmabache Palace
St. Savior in Chora
Tunel
Takism Square
some kind of bosphorous trip (as mentioned above)
neighborhoods: Nisantasi, Ishtakan Street, old French quarter (where is that?)
Galata Tower

5. Have I missed something important? What would you consider NOT TO BE MISSED?

Thanks so much!
Dina

Fra_Diavolo

Hmm -- well. the trip up the Bosphorus takes about 90 minutes (fascinating), then you disembark and most people take take a hike up to the Roman fort, snap few pix, etc, then down to the port to have a (really pretty good lunch, if you choose well), and then back in time to visit either the Spice Market (easily) or the Grand Bazaar (possible, depending on your interest and tolerance). I liked it, but an hour or so did it for me.

At any rate, I would highly recommend the cruise.

You can visit the Aya Sophia, Blue Mosque, Cisterns, etc in one day -- half a day, in truth.

Chora Church will take half a day, getting there and back (allow a few bucks for rip-offs).

You can take Tunel up to, or down from Istiklal Caddessi, on your way to Taksim Square, and there you will see a vital and exciting part of the city.

dina4

hi fra diavolo,

thanks so much for your response!

so re: the cruise... i would REALLY like to do it.

90 minutes up and 90 minutes back, and how long to climb to the fort (will it be too hot to do that in july?). where would you recommend for lunch?
and please tell me why it would be fascinating, specifically. i'd love to convince my family!

also, how late do the cruises run? ... can we take one in the late afternoon after a morning of sightseeing, and not necessarily have lunch but maybe a cocktail and meze?

thanks again.
dina

Fra_Diavolo

Well, the climb to the fort is moderately strenuous -- your thighs will ache -- but the view is wonderful A good part of the world's shipping passes through and depending on your companions' reading, thoughts of Jason and Argonauts ( and a glimpse of the clashing rocks) is not far off.

Since the walk is reasonably strenuous, I would suggest having lunch *after* you return. The places in town have a better reputation than those on the wharf. Can't remember our stop -- it had two names -- so and so & so and so -- and was to the right as you came downhill, with a large enclosed dining area. Look for deep friend mussels and tomato and cucumber salad.

A great deal of the beauty of the city lies in in its position on the water -- think San Francisco -- and the best way to see it is from the ferries.

Fra_Diavolo

Oops -- forgot about the ride. You'll see palaces, riverside towns, the Ortokoy Mosque, Rumeli Fortress, bridges over the Bosphorus . . . one would have to be very blase indeed to find it dull.

otherchelebi

1. If you rush through you can do Blue mosque, aya Sofya, Cistern, hippodrome in half a day.
2. Topkapi palace, especially if you include the harem will take something like three hours.
3. Combine Chora church with spice bazaar. take cab to Eminonu for the bazaar and then another one to chora.
4. On your way back from Chora, take cab to Tunel at the end of istiklal. Walk down the street to Galatasaray highschool with imposing gates. Take street before that towards the sea, take first left and then first right to get to French Street. (there is no french quarter in istanbul)
5. Walk from french street to the left through the ols streets of Cukurcuma antique shops to Cihangir, the somewhat bohemian area, have tea and pastry at Savoy Patisserie and continue walking up to Taksim.
6. Pick a 90 minute cruise from Besiktas, within walking distance from W hotel.
6. Try Al Jamal for belly dancing and lebanese cuisine. near W. Expensive but interesting.
7. Vogue restaurant up the hill abit is OK.
8. Take taxi to Sortie or Reina for a fabulous dinner and bar.

Check timing of cruise on Turyol web site.
Or just take a regular ferry from Besiktas up the Bosphorus for a much cheaper and definitely local trip at about 18:40 in the evening, getting of wherever you like and coming back by cab.

Ask more if you wish.

ekscrunchy

Just my own opinion, but with limited time, you can skip Nisantasi unless you want to do upscale shopping.

ellen75005

dina,

We were there last fall and fell in love with it. With 2 1/2 days, your schedule will be packed. The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Cistern are within yards of each other. I'd go to the Blue Mosque as early as you can; we were there in late October and there was a line to get in. Definitely worth it, though. Otherchelebi is right - as he always is - about Topkapi; it's large and could take several hours. Go to the very back of it to see the beautiful view of the Bosphorus.

The bazaars are close to each other (not far from the ferry port) and if I'm not mistaken, I think the W is not far from Istiklal Caddesi, the popular pedestrian street in Beyoglu.

The Bosphorus cruise was one of the highlights of our 15 days in Turkey. Here are some pictures I posted from my trip report:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Ellen.Co...sphorusCruise#

As Fra said, it's about 90 minutes up, but you see a lot of beautiful houses and little ports on the way up. Yes, the climb to the fortress is a bit strenuous and it will certainly be hot in July, but once you get to the top you have a sweeping view of the Black Sea to the north and the Bosphorus with Istanbul in the distance to the south. We ate at one of the restaurants just below the fort (a few of the pictures were taken from our table) and there was a steady stream of ships heading out to the Black Sea. I'm also thinking I saw taxis going up, so that might be a better option in July. You'd have plenty of time up there to walk around and eat. Having said that, it did take the better part of a day, so if you compromised on a shorter excursion, you'd at least get a taste of the Bosphorus.

The tram in Istanbul is modern, quick and easy; definitely take advantage of it.

Many posters have written excellent trip reports (and otherchelebi is our resident expert, so read his advice with extra care!). Here's a link to mine if you're so inclined.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-in-turkey.cfm

You'll have an unforgettable experience whatever your itinerary is!

Ellen

dina4

otherchelebi-
thanks for the great advice. combining the spice market with the chora church and tunel/istiklal sounds like a great day. how long does it take to get to the chora church, from eminomou, let's say.

fra - i think i've convinced to do the longer cruise. sounds amazing.

ellen - thanks for your input. can't believe i missed your trip report. loved your photos and am off now to read your trip report (and take notes!) did you use a guide, by the way?

a question on another note...
our plane arrives in istanbul at noon. at about what time could be expect to be checked in our hotel and ready to go out and explore. (should i get our visas ahead of time in US to save time?)

thanks!!!

at12am

I don't think it is necessary to get visa ahead of time. Factoring in time for flight delay, baggage claim, visa, possibly money exchange, and hotel transfer(45mins), you may be at your hotel within 2 hours after landing.

immimi

It takes less than five minutes to get your visa at the airport.
Just make sure everyone has the exact amount ready b/c the officals
don't make change.

dina4

thanks!

that's great info.

re: purchasing the visas -- can you pay in euros? and how much do the visas cost?

otherchelebi

let me see if i remember all the questions;

- Noon is a good time to land, at least in terms of city traffic. Do not buy visa beforehand as it will be more expensive and the visa queue at the airport unless you are very unlucky should be reasonably short and very fast. It will be to the left of the passport control booths.
I think you can plan for two hours as at12am said above.

-Eminonu to Chora church should take about 20-25 minutes by cab.
- Try not to be in a cab 8:30-10AM and 6-8PM although these times will vary according to the season.

- There is a great deal you can do regarding the Bosphorus. So, with only 2-3 full days, i will recommend that you do not take the full IDO cruise. Here is an alternative:
- walk down from W hotel to the main street, turn left to cross on pedestrian bridge. go down to the seaside from your right. Pick the regular passenger ferry, (only 1.5 TL token) at 18:10. (there may be two three ferries coming to the pier close to that time, so make sure that the ferry you have goes all the way to "Kavaklar") Ask me again in June 211 for the schedule and the pier.
1. You can get off at Rumeli Kavagi at 7:40PM on the European side, the landing before last. A fishing village with lots of fish restaurants, almost all better than the ones at Anadolu Kavak.
People like the one called "Kahraman", we like a simple and cheaper one up the hill on your left called "Guzel Yer Yedi Gun" 7-10 minute walk.
2. Land at yenikoy, 19:05PM, an upscale village with mansions but also modest homes. Walk up to main street ignoring the restaurants on both sides, turn right and a few meters on make anothr right into a parking lot where you will see "Aleko" or "Denizati". Not cheap but terrific meze and service.
3. Land at Emirgan, 18:55 PM walk to your right past the Cafe under the giant plane tree till the entrance to Sabanci Museum. Walk in for a security check and then take the shuttle up to the museum which will beclosed at that time,. But "CHANGA" our favorite restaurant in Istanbul will be open. You will get the only real Turkish-oriental fusion meal you can get anywhere. I suggest two tasting menus to be shared among four, two additional main dishes and two additional desserts. College boys need to eat good food to grow intellectually.

Picking any of the alternatives above:

- you get good lighting for photography
- you get to see most of the Bosphorus and the regular people on a passenger ferry (better than all tourists)
- it is cheaper so you will not mind splurging for dinner

4. On your way back, ask your cab to take you to Sortie at Kurucesme/Ortakoy to see how the Turkish in-people have fun at the bar. Have a night cap and back to your hotel in another 30 minutes to hit the sack. (Well actually, when we took our son-in-law's grandma and ma from detroit there in June, neither wanted to leave before 1 AM. In fact the grandma at 84 would have stayed there much longer, but we got worried when we noticed her eyeing the handsome waiter)

- One more point:
When you turn left from the hotel and take your first right, you will be in Besiktas Market street. Before you get to the T junction only 600 or so feet away from the corner, on your left there is a "Sinop Manti" restaurant, serving simple but heavenly Turkish ravioli. Try their different raviolis. Or if you are in great rush and starving, requiring immediate replenishment. the fast food joint on your right at the corner has one of the best "doner kebap" in the area. Prefer it with double portion in a regular bread rather than pita "duble, yarim ekmek" and without any potatoes, tomatoes or anything. Just salt and red pepper if you like it hot.

dina4

oh my, chelebi, this information is invaluable!
thank you so much!

all three of those alternatives sound amazing. and thanks for the places near the W and all the detailed directions.
i really appreciate it!

Keiracaitlyn

Bookmarking...very useful info, thanks!

ellen75005

dina, we did not use a guide. I was a travel agent in my prior life and I love doing the planning, so I did a lot of research on my own. Plus we like to explore independently. We did use a guide in Cappadocia and really enjoyed the experience.

Last year the visa was 15 Euros or $20 (American). It's quick and easy to get the visas as the airport.

Ellen

lmhornet

1. Bosphorous Cruise.

You can get off in Sariye, 1.25 hour and bus back to Ortikoy, Dolmabache Palace or Rumeli Castle. The full Bosphorous cruise is overkill squared.

4. Organizing our time

Grand Bazaar: a waste of time. Don't be sucked in by the hype. Yeah it's big, but so West Edmonton Mall. That doesn't mean that you would want to spend time there. You can see the same stuff in a much more relaxed atmosphere at the Arrista bazzar or other places.

Spice Market: a waste of time. Same as above. It's doesn't even have much spice and has been taken over by the same junk as at the grand bazaar.

Dolmabache Palace: it's actually more impressive from the outside than the inside.

St. Savior in Chora: a must see. Might as well go to the old city wall, which is very near

Tunel: not worth the bother

Takism Square: an utter and complete waste of time. There is nothing there at all to see. It's an open space with a bunch of busses. Basically, new town has zip worth seeing, except maybe Galata Tower. Staying anywhere but Sultanahmet is a huge mistake. That's where 99% of the sights are located.

Nisantasi: not worth the bother

Bagdat Street: just another shopping street with the same stores you can see anyway

Ishtakan Street, old French quarter: not much there

Galata Tower: OK, I suppose, for the view

Prince Islands: not worth it on a short trip

5. Have I missed something important? What would you consider NOT TO BE MISSED?

Rustem Pasha Mosque: the best unappreciated sight in Instanbul. A must see, but hard to find

Suleymaniye Mosque: may be partly under renovation

Archeological museum: interesting if you into that sort of thing.

Rooftop bars. There are many hotel and restaurants that given you a great view over the Bosphorus and/or sea.

General comments.

1) bring earplugs if you want a decent night's sleep. A Call to prayer occurs at 5 AM.

2) be prepared for constant hassles for street hypes, at least in Sultanahment

3) The visa is not quick and easy to get at the airport. You have to stand in a long, long line. Just what you want after a long flight.

otherchelebi

Please disregard both of the above posts.

one of them is a company hacking the forums and the other is a misanthropic, sad and disgruntled person who is giving false information on the basis of very limited knowledge and experience.

Chads

I was just going to say the Four Seasons is wonderful and near the blue mosque.

sandiej

We returned 10 days ago. Here are my thoughts.
I liked the Spice Market better than the Grand Bazar. The Grand Bazar is a must do. It depends on your interests. I am not into jewerly, rugs, or T-shirts. The Spice Market has everything, pigeons, puppies, spices, dog food, Turkish Delights. It is across from the ferries for the 1.5 hour Bosphouros cruises.

Takism - take the tram and then the funniker(sp). Walk to the left of the statute. Walk down the street of shops where you will see a trolley that looks like a San Francisico trolley. There is also a Burger King on left. It is very Crowded. We went on Saturday night. My husband was freaked with all the people (young). We went to go to Nevade (sp). It is an area that has meze (tapas) restaurants. It is great fun and great meze. Otherwise the description of a bus terminal is correct.

Visas- $20 or Euro 15 as of last week for U.S. passports. It is different for each passport.

There are ATM's everywhere. You should only take out Turkish Lira because Euros are not generally accepted.

Be sure to stop at the Pudding Shop across from Blue Mosque. The best rice pudding and flan. Also it is good for a snack.