Istanbul Help
 

Dear All,

Will be going to Istanbul in Nov. for a conference. Please can someone recommend how to go about with the taxi airport transfer as Mariott Asia is charging Euro 110/- which is quite steep. Is there a prepaid taxi service available at Ataturk Airport which can be taken on arrival?

Also, it would be help if someone can recommend a place of stay preferably 3-star hotel in the same area as Mariott Asia or any conveniently located hotel as I intend to extend my stay for 2 days and will be checking-out of Mariott Asia post the conference.

Lastly, what are the must sees & must eats in Istanbul? Would like to visit the palaces and souks and preferably go to see a belly dance. Can someone recommend a two day itinerary with the suggestions for local transport? Is it alright to take a taxi on the go? Is the food to be eaten in food-courts or elsewhere? Please advise.

Kind regards,
SKPKCP11

You can find "souks" in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt etc. and at Epcott Center and Bush Gardens. :)
Food courts are American innovations which made their places to shopping malls globally, so if you wish for a choice of fast food restaurants including American ones, you should visit any one of the thirty or fourty shopping malls or outlet centers in Istanbul. (there are two not far from the Marriott.) This is the first time I heards anyone asking about food courts in a city like Istanbul, Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, etc.

There are possibly two or three belly dancing shows purely for simple tourists which you can check on the net.

A regular airport taxi from the taxi rank outside the airport will probably cost about TL130-150 or so to the Marriott, which is equal to about 60 Euros. Make sure he turns meter on, give exact fare plus possibly 5-10% tip, jot down the vehicle number just in case you are paranoid about being cheated.

There are just a few hotels (like Suadiye Hotel) not too far from the Marriott in Asia (4-5 miles) but all are far from any palaces, unless you wish to pay for a water taxi.

I will be in Istanbul in November and Istanbul Airport Express was given to me as a recommendation. http://www.istanbulairportexpress.com/

As far as attractions, the big ones are the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, a Bosphorus Cruise, strolling down Istiklal Street, the Basilica Cistern, Chora Church, the Grand Bazaar, and Topkapi Palace, among others. I would start my research by looking at some of the threads here, and also checking out the suggested itineraries listed in Frommers http://www.frommers.com/destinations...350010007.html . That will at least give you a basic idea of the attractions that are available to be seen in Istanbul.

As far as hotels, do you want to stay near the Marriott, or do you want to stay in the Old Town area? I am staying at the Hotel Erboy in Sultanhamet, which is in walking distance of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. It is a 3-star, and has gotten good reviews.

Whatever you choose to do, happy travels!

Happy travels.

Most definitely, transfer to the Sultanhamet It will be much closer to and less expensive to get to the airport from there.
Everything you wish to see will be within walking distance or a very short cab ride.
Continue searching this Forum for hotel suggestions in Sultanhamet. There are many.
Other traveler's reviews on Tripadvisor.com. will be helpful, but remember some of them may be planted by the hotel. Use your good judgment.
Have a wonderful visit.

Agree that the Sultanhamet area is the best place to stay. We enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Ottoman Imperial( three or four stars) located adjacent to the Aya Sofya. The Suleymann Mosque is worth a visit for sure. Our hotel arranged for a shuttle to the airport for a reasonable cost-around 30 USD. We had only four days in Istanbul and that was not enough time. Enjoy your trip!

Thanks all for the quick revert. Will certainly check out hotels in Sultanhamet area.
Is street food safe to eat and is tap water portable. Can someone recommend mid-price restaurants/cafes in Sultanhamet area where I can go for authentic Turkish food. Any recommendations for names of dishes are welcome please? I am open to eating all meats. Also, which is the best place to pick-up Baklava and other Turkish sweets. What are the shopping souvenirs that can be picked up? Read in one of the posts that some mosques have beautiful mosaic tiles - can someone suggest some names please?

Kind regards,
SKPKCP11

I suspect you'll find a great deal of useful information if you use this board's search feature.

Istanbul if fascinating - enjoy!

Can't help on the restaurant aspect, as I'm really not a dining type of person and don't eat a lot of meat. For baklava, the Karakoy Gulluoglu was recommended to me by a couple of people. http://karakoygulluoglu.com/eng/

Me, personally, I would probably drink bottled water over tap.

The Chora Church, I understand, has amazing mosiacs.

I would do a search here, as kja recommended, as well as on TripAdvisor, regarding restaurant and souvenirs. I know there's a treasure trove of information available.

several restaurant recommendations given in this thread:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...l-374440-2.cfm

hi SKPKCP11.. i just got back from Istanbul yesterday. we had a few great meals at Aloran Cafe and Restaurant.. it is in the Sultanahmet area basically right across the street from the Four Seasons Hotel... and about a 3 minute walk from Hagia Sophia. Everything we tried was wonderful. I hope you get a chance to try it. also, i agree - bottled water is preferable to tap. I am in the midst of writing a trip report - you can click on my name if you want to read it (has more info about the meals we had at Aloran)... enjoy your trip!