poss

I'm hoping people can give me some sense of when these calls happen during the 24 hr period. Is it same time each day? How often? When? Is it heard everywhere, or just in certain sections of the city?

(We're very light sleepers and because of our age/health really do need sleep. Would love to spend a few days in Istanbul-- our cruise disembarks there--but I know that we'd not enjoy ourselves if we don't manage to get decent rest, esp. since we'll then have a long ride back to the U.S. Trying to decide whether to stay in a hotel for 2-3 days post-cruise. I've always wanted to visit Istanbul.)

Many thanks.

StCirq

Five times a day beginning at dawn and ending at dusk, in equal intervals.

I haven't been to Istanbul, but have been many places where there are prayer calls. You can't avoid hearing them. They're not loud, but every mosque around will be doing the prayer call, so it depends where you are as to how "disruptive" it might be.

But if all you're worried about is sleeping at night, just go to bed early and be prepared to be woken at dawn. Or find a hotel that's nowhere near a mosque.

janisj

There is this modern invention - earplugs. Work great.

Also, book a modern hotel w/ dual glazing and you should be fine.

W/ your health issues I don't think you'll be out late at night so you should easily be rested and ready to rise around dawn.

Michael

The first prayer call when we were in Turkey this May was around 5:30 a.m. They are now broadcast over loud speakers and can be loud, depending on how close the hotel is to a mosque. I got used to them to the point of not hearing them in the morning. But earplugs are a good idea for light sleepers.

poss

Thanks for the replies.

We do always travel with earplugs. In fact, when we were in Morocco some decades ago, we used them and it didn't block the sound at all (or at least not sufficiently)-- and those weren't broadcast on loud speaker. We like to retire around 9-ish, so as long as the calls don't continue after dark, we should be ok. Don't terribly mind being awakened early, though if I could find a good hotel that happens to be far enough away from the mosques to not hear the call, that'd be even better. I'm relieved to be reminded that nights will be prayer call-free. Thank you.

southeastern

I personally like hearing the call to prayers. They don't last long and it is something you don't hear in the states in my area. It's cool. You can turn over and go back to sleep.

Michael

I believe that there is one prayer call between 10 & 11 p.m.

Barb_in_Ga

We stayed in the Celal Sultan, a small hotel just a block from the Blue Mosque. Our room had double glazed windows, and we never heard the prayer calls except one afternoon when I opened the window on purpose to hear.

The hotel is not large, but has a lovely breakfast room with an included breakfast buffet. The location was superb, and I was very satisfied by the service provided by the helpful staff.

Weadles

We stayed very close to the Blue Mosque, too, at The Seven Hills Hotel. I am a light sleeper, so I did hear the prayer calls, but found them somehow soothing, and was able to go back to sleep after they ended.

Diane60030

I don't think you'll find a hotel that isn't near a mosque. They are abundant, just like neighborhood churches are in the States, if not more so because many were built before cars.

sabbaticalmom

When we were there last summer we heard them loud and clear late at night about 11 pm and early about 5:30. The apt we rented was right next to Galata tower and the AC wasn't working so with the windows open it was loud.

But we love to tell stories about it. My son recorded it on his cell phone and it's fun to remember. Our youngest son didn't hear any of calls! Don't let it scare you away from staying post-cruise.

poss

Thanks, all. I'll know what to expect now. We won't enjoy being awakened (at least we weren't last time around), but I can certainly understand that some folks would enjoy the experience. (And obviously understand those who don't.)

Rich

After living between two Mosques for a year in Cairo and next to one for three years in Indonesia, I don't even here the calls any more.

They used to be done via a megaphone, four times facing the different directions. Most have modernized and use loudspeakers.

After a while, you find your self chiming in . .

tower

poss:


On the other hand, if you'd like to hear the calls during waking hours, some slightly out of sync, I recommend you get to the Pierre Loti Cafe just before 5 PM..order some tea of coffee or ? sit out on the lovely terrace, and then you'll hear the calls from all over the city. That, is an "experience worth experiencing".. the views over the Golden Horn are smashing.

On one visit we stayed at The Hyatt near Taksim Square (overlooking the Bosphorus), and never heard a call
to prayer at night.

Stu T.

ekscrunchy

If you have a generous budget, you can consider the Four Seasons in Sultanahmet. Despite the many nearby mosques, I had to strain to hear the calls because their windows are so well glazed. I actually looked forward to hearing them so was even a bit sorry that the sounds were so faint from my room! the hotel is very well located for sights in the old city.

Momliz

you could look at this like the ringing of church bells in rural Europe (seems to have died out a bit in the cities that I know) - part of the charm and mystery of travel.

julies

Don't miss Istanbul just because you are worried about being awakened by the prayer call. We are very light sleepers too, and it was never an issue for us when we we travelled throughout Turkey for two weeks last May.

Realistically, unless you sleep 9 or 10 hours at night, only the late night (10:00 or so) OR the early morning would be the one to wake you. As someone above mentioned, invest in some earplugs if you are worried. Hearing the call added to the entire experience of being in another place than the usual.