Top 5 Things to Do in Istanbul?
 

Hi, We'll be in Istanbul for 3 days and I'd love to know what your favorite things were to do that I'll never find in a guide book. Best market, place to people watch- you know the moments that you'll remember forever. Thanks!

Stroll along the Sea of Marmara on a Saturday afternoon.

Eat a cucumber on a stick from a street vendor and go to the bazaar.

On the shore near the ferry stop vendors sell sandwiches of fish they they freshly grill - scrumptious!

On the Asian side still stands the barracks where Florence Nightingale did her famous work. Called Scutari in English, the Turkish name is Uskudar. To gain admission to the museum you need to make arrangements in advance - it is still a functioning army post, and a headquarters akin to the US Pentagon though smaller in size).

Jumping in here.
Curious why the "usual" (guide-book) top sites aren't mentioned.
Michael: Why especially on Saturday for Marmara?

Because I don't want guide book suggestions- I'll read about them in my guide book. I'm looking for those special moments when travelers look up and say, "aahh, that's why I'm here!"

Saturday or any day when the local population has the opportunity to relax.

Seamus, can you be more specific about where the Florence Nightingale museum is? Is it an actual museum? I'd like to just look at the outside even if I couldn't go in. I'm currently planning a trip for March. Do you have an address? How easy is it to get to that area of Istanbul? Thanks

By the way, great thread.

isabel - the FN museum is set up in the Selimiye barracks, in the rooms where Flo lived while she tended the hospital there. Her furniture and the eponymous lamp are on display along with some of her writing and equipment; probably of interest only to a nurse or someone with an interest in the history of nursing.
It is easy to reach - just take the ferry from the European side to Uskudar and from there either take a cab or walk.
You can't really see it from the outside, have to enter the large barracks building (after going through a security check much like an airport with bag x-ray) and are taken to the rooms by a docent after checking in with the front office and leaving your passport.
It is required to send a fax a couple days in advance to request permission to visit. I read about it in the DK Eyewitness series guide - which, unfortunately, included an outdated fax number. A staff member at the Dolmabahce palace tourist office was kind enough to make a few phone calls and hunt down the correct phone number, then the hotel faxed my information. As I recall, it required a copy of my passport and some other basic info. Sorry that I do not have the number, but perhaps your hotel can help when you are there.

Hi

At the Ortakoy ferry dock there is a street market and food stalls. Try fried mussel rolls or Kumpki(?), potatoes stuffed with your choice of filling. Take a seat and eat them near the dock - admire the mosque and watch the ferry and people traffic.

Hi sammymalone:

Keeping my eye on this post as I do want to go to Istanbul. I've just begun reading Istanbul Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk. He's the winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature this year I believe - quite good, sort covers you in the mystic of the city. And an easy read.

Another vote for Ortakoy on sunday :-)
Murat

I just got back from Turkey...and I'll tell you my most memorable things:(but they are all in guide books, sorry. I guess there's a reason they are!!)
Hammam- I went to the Çemberlitas.Loved it so much. I wish I could have one once a week. I have never felt cleaner and more relaxed.
As someone mentioned, the fish sandwich from the boats at the Bosphorus, near the Spice Market.Such a delicious simple pleasure.
The Spice Market- liked it so much better than the Grand Bazaar. We went to a vendor named Malatya Pazari. They gave us samples whenever we pointed to something (although one man spoke English). I told him I wanted spice mixtures for chicken and meat. He took from so many bins, mixed them all together (for each) and then packaged them in little plastic pouches that he vaccumed sealed!! Great for gifts and traveled well. I even went back the next day for more spices! It was definitely a highlight.
Sitting on the terrace at breakfast (Hotel Dersaadet) with the Bosphorus on one side and the Blue Mosque on the other..heaven
Having pastry at Saray Muhallebicisi on the walking street at Taksim Square...such wonderful things..we went twice!!
All the sites in the guide books are incredible and I'll know you'll hit them.
Since you have only 3 days, I would not do a full Bosphorus boat but there is one for an hour and a half that just goes up and back..very pleasant. Get there about an hour before to get a good seat.
Just let yourself go and listen to all the pitches for restaurants, rugs, and then politely say 'maybe later'.
enjoy....we loved Turkey

I just connected with a friend of mine's cousin who lives in Istanbul. I promise when I return from this trip to post her suggestions. She's going to take us around one day and I'm so excited!

Just a tip: I bought some saffron from the Spice Market. It was vacuumed sealed but nonetheless confiscated at my home airport - the salesman insisted it wouldn't be of course :).

I had no problem bringing back saffron and I had quite a bit, both vacuum packed and some in little glass jars with screw caps (like baby food jars.)
Agree that the Spice Market was great. One caution passed on to me by a local - much of the saffron that you see packed and sealed, typically in a flat plastic disk with a few strands displayed, is inferior stuff. The pieces that you can see have been dyed, and the contents inside are lower grade. Better to purchase at a stall where the saffron is displayed in bulk and you can see it weighed out. I don't remember the name of the merchant where I bought what turned out to be the best saffron I have ever had, but the stall was on the front row. If you enter where the candy stall is on that row and walk to the far end it is on the left. They had all sorts of spices on display in bulk and weighed them out to order into the little glass jars.

Mmmm, that's interesting Seamus. I declared mine at an Australian airport and their attitude was "no way, Jose" :((

We're staying in Deersadet hotel also and will set aside two days for "side trips" that will include the Bosphorous cruise, Dolmabache palace, Chora, and Ortakoy (we want to be here late afternoon/evening). Would love to get an idea on how best to schedule those visits. What's the best way/direction going to those places? Sarabeth, how far/how do you go to Çemberlitas from Deersadet?

We would also like to experience the hammam. Where do you think is the best place to do that? We'll be in Istanbul, Pamukkale, western/southern med, and Selcuk.

Worldinbag, what was the reason for them to confiscate you safron? I have brouhgt it from Thailand a couple of times, and did not even think they can take it away. I don't think I ever declared it though.

Hi Helen

I'm not an expert but I think it's because the dried saffron flowers and stems are classed as plant matter, import of which is not permitted.

I can't limit my selections, but am copying from a brief trip report I wrote in 2001.

One thing to keep in mind is that many of the major sights are within walking distance in Sultanahmet.

Especially loved:

-Loved the Spice Market
-Riding up the Bosphorous
-The smaller mosques
-The Mosaic Museum

---------------------
Our trip (from 2001)
*Istanbul: 4 nights at the beginning, 2 nights at the end:
Our hotel was the Mavi Ev(Blue House), which we loved. The location was great; our first room had a wonderful view of the Blue Mosque, which was just a short walk from the hotel.
We visited many of the major sights as well as some lesser-known ones in Istanbul, most of which are in Sultanahmet and are walking distance from each other.
Primary Sights: Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofya, Hippodrome, Yerebatan Saray (Underground Cistern), Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Suleymaniye (mosque), Chora Church, Archeology Museum, Galata Tower &Taksim.

2ndary sights/activities: Bosphorus cruise, Dolmabahce Palace, Pierre Loti Cafe, Rustem Pasa Cami & Sokollu Mehmet Pasa, Mosaic Museum, taking the ferry to the Asian side and walking around a neighborhood, taking a hamam, shopping at the Arasta Bazaar, seeing the Gates of the City and the old walls.

We enjoyed it all; some of the surprises, though, are the smaller mosques (beautiful and intimate); the Mosaic Museum (a small gem); taking the ferry up the Bosphorus and getting to the overlook of the Bosphorus and the Black Sea; the magic of seeing the Aya Sofya, with all its layers of history.

Prepare for the onslaught of the carpet dealers. They are everywhere and overwhelming; it's not dangerous at all, but exhausting to deal with. We found it easier to develop a sense of humor and a banter, and over time, it didn't bother us as much.

Favorite Istanbul restaurant: Daruzziyafe, opposite the Suleymaniye entrance. Excellent food, beautiful atmosphere.
Disappointment: Sarnic, overpriced bland food in a dramatic setting of an underground cistern. Mavi Ev's food was good, not great, but the setting on the rooftop is lovely.

Favorite food discoveries: lahmacun, a flat, thin bread with ground meat on it. Try it in the modest cafe/restaurant outside the entrance to the Sirkeci Train Station.
Lokum (turkish delight); zillions of flavors, and most are good. Of course, drink LOTS of cay (tea) and elma cayi (apple tea). I also liked visne (sour cherry juice) very much. The rice and the yogurt are wonderfully flavorful; and kebabs of all kinds, and eggplant dishes (imam bayaldi!), and the cheeses....well, you'll all find your favorite flavors, but these are a few of ours.
---------------

Have fun! Istanbul is an amazing and exciting city to visit!

Paule

We will be in Turkey in September, so I guess,we would have to hide our saffron on the way back!!! :)

Are the hannams clean? And single sexed?

Trav08 I will get back to you on directions. I found that Haamam to be very clean.
I stayed away from saffron just because of it not always being the real thing..also, I don't cook with it, so I had no reason to get it. I had so much spice mixture and I had no problems getting it back.
As far as hamaams, the one I went to was very clean, as I stated above..and of course, men were separated from women...I don't know about other places, but the experience in Istanbul was sublime!!

Almost forgot, my husband learned a few Turkish phrases and you wouldn't believe how wonderfully that was received..he just bought and learned some phrases out of the book and they really went far. People were amazed to hear Turkish coming out of his mouth!!It was great.

Cemberlitas is not very far away from Dersaadet. Walk to Blue Mosk, cross gardens in the direction of Divan Yolu, walk 300 meters and turn right.
In total, may be 800 meters.
i ll be myself in Dersaadet, again, end of september 2008.

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