UmMusa Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 We're considering a 4-5 day trip to Istanbul during July. DH and I have never been and so I'm asking if anyone has some great tips on areas to stay, must-do/must-see's, other good advice in general for that city! We'll have our 4 kids with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I love Istanbul! I love it! I stayed on the cheap in a student hostel so no tips for a family. Take a boat. Enjoy the cats. Go to bookstores. Drink the coffee. :) Go to a hill or park at dusk and admire the skyline. Don't listen to the politics--if people ask, tell them you don't comment on other countries' internal affairs. All the touristy places are nice but don't buy much there. Nowhere in Istanbul can you get a decent carpet at a decent price. If you must have a carpet go to a bazaar on the outskirts on market day. They have a great symphony! It's as good as any American city's and if I recall, much cheaper. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 Sounds great! Do they have neighborhoods or districts we should stay away from? Or stay IN? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I was so young. There were areas where I would not have gone alone, as a single woman, without knowing anybody but that was just because I was a foreigner and not because I was in any special danger. It's a pretty safe place. Sorry to say Ataturk was kind of a fascist, bless his heart, and so is Erdogan so the Turks keep everything pretty tight. Assuming you're going with your husband and kids I think it's a very nice place. I stayed near Sultan Ahmed and in the touristy area. It was touristy but nice. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 This is a particularly lovely place on a hot summer day (though quite touristy, of course). We visited and enjoyed all the usual places and also budgeted a fair amount of time for just walking around, getting acquainted with the city. We stayed in a quiet little neighborhood not too far from the Blue Mosque. We loved Istanbul and are eager to go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mohini Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 If you can afford the time, it's worth making the trip to Cappadoccia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cappadocia It's quite far from Istanbul (maybe 8-10 hrs by car/ bus) but a once in a lifetime experience for kids. Also, it's very affordable. You can sleep in a hotel that is literally carved out of a cliff. Other than that I can say Turkey is a very modern, easy-travel country. You can easily rent a car and drive around (though not in Istanbul proper) and shouldn't have any major safety or cleanliness issue (more than any big city.) I lived in Ankara for a time - so I don't have any specific recs for places to stay in Istanbul but I'm sure you'll have a blast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 I do know that the Istanbul Hilton is lovely. It's also extremely expensive at about $400 per night, but it is in a very safe, secure area close to the main shopping and tourist area in Istnbul. It's relatively close to Galata, which is the lovely, older area of town close to Haga Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. Take the ferry to Maiden's Tower/Seraglio Point, which is a tiny island in the Bosphorous which has an old lighthouse/museum. Also, go across the Bridge to the Sultans summer Palace, Küçüksu. I forget where the lovely, long-haired cats where, but I think it might have been Küçüksu. One of the long-haired cats was a light pinkish color! I could go on and on, but it seems like Istanbul has an embarrassment of gorgeous places to see, practically on every street. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Istanbul is amazing. One of the greatest trips of my life. I think we stayed in some random hotel found on tripadvisor. Istanbul is a tourist town so there are lots of great options. Many places seem to serve breakfast on the roof which is delightful. Sesame bread with honey is always offered. Cross the big bridge at night and eat a street vendor fish sandwich made with a just-caught fish. Get a book of walking tours of the city and do them- you will see amazing things. Some visible - aqueducts ! And some parts where the book just says "this block used to be a training ground for gladiators†or â€look on the side of this building to see ancient tiles". Get tea at topkopi. Visit mosques. Go on a cruise. Eat lots of eggplant. There is some restaurant that serves cuisine from original recipes served to Ottoman rulers --- oh it's so fascinating. Oh! If you get a chance, go on your own to the baths. It's an experience. I sat there naked in a room full of women and got washed. A memorable once in a lifetime experience for me. Not spa like, but much less weird than I expected. Just a nice friendly sense of community. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Breakfast on the roof! Yes, with tomatoes, olives, cheese and coffee! Amazing! Made me want to live there forever. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted March 7, 2015 Share Posted March 7, 2015 Grand Bazaar, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia are must dos. Drink lots of hot tea at the local tea places. Eat as much food as you can possibly devour. All mosques are open to visit. There are lots of beautiful ones to see. You need to take a scarf to cover your head and wear long pants or a skirt to go inside. The bigger mosques provide head coverings... but I don't really like to share things that other peoples hair has been touching. The Turkish baths are a crazy experience if you can take the leap of getting naked and having someone scrub off your outer layer of skin. Istanbul is amazing. It is such a weird "east meets west" kind of place. The people are wonderful. The food... oh the food. Enjoy your trip. I wish I could go again. Someday we will find a way to purchase 6 international tickets! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 No tips, but have you heard this song? Istanbul (not Constantinople) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 We loved Istanbul. There are some great, quite inexpensive hotels. Some of our highlights were touring the Hagia Sophia, and just sitting in the park between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. (If my memory serves me right...) We also enjoyed the Topkapi Palace Museum, and the boat tour up the Bosphorus to the Black Sea. We spent an afternoon in a Turkish bath, which was fun. The food was great. The city-to-city bus roads were very nice. We were served tea and sprayed with "lemon water." I'd love to go back. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 This is a particularly lovely place on a hot summer day (though quite touristy, of course). We visited and enjoyed all the usual places and also budgeted a fair amount of time for just walking around, getting acquainted with the city. We stayed in a quiet little neighborhood not too far from the Blue Mosque. We loved Istanbul and are eager to go back.The link goes to a website that doesn't load, but it looks like the Basilica Cistern. You might be tempted to skip what is essentially an underground storage area, but don't! It is s magical place. I agree with the advice to just walk around. Each neighborhood seems to have a very different atmosphere. OP, from your pix, it looks as if you wear a head covering. I was surprised that they were expected in turbes, as well as in mosques. Also, clothing that covers the arms is a plus. The first time I visited Istanbul, I was especially careful about clothing, as I was by myself and did not want to be mistaken for someone looking for an 'adventure.' The second time I also covered, because I had seen how important this was, especially to older women from the country, who gave me the biggest smiles! Only bit of advice-- eat the street food. Cleaner than here in US and everything very, very fresh. I remember a whole cucumber with salt, freshly squeezed cherry juice, ayran. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted March 8, 2015 Share Posted March 8, 2015 I always cover my head and full body to the wrists/mid-feet in Eastern mosques and churches, but I was eager to go to the beach and wear holiday clothes as I was on R&R from a less friendly place. I certainly didn't have any problems wearing a skirt. I got smiles and nods from the young professional ladies myself. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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