Istanbul!!!!!!!!!

[moonlight]

We are going to Istanbul for 10 whole days! I am sooo excited. Tell me where to stay, what to do...anything and everything that would make our trip fun.

 

We would like to stay in an apartment. Has anyone stayed at one they would recommend?

 

Thanks!!

[Jean in Newcastle]

Just don't call it Constantinople. . .  :leaving:

[Mom in High Heels]

Just don't call it Constantinople. . .  :leaving:

 

You beat me to it!!!!!  So, why DID Constantinople get the works?  It's nobody's business but the Turks.

 

Moonight, we didn't get to Istanbul, but the places we went in Turkey were outstanding.  It's beautiful and exciting and the people are super friendly, IME.  If there's any way you can make it down to Ephesus, do it!  You will NOT regret it.  It was, according to our tour guide, the New York city of the ancient world.  

 

When are you going?  

[Alessandra]

In case you don't find an apartment:

 

I have stayed at the Pera Palace a few times -- old hotel, but in the European quarter. You have to decide which Istanbul you want to stay in, lol. Personally, I would avoid the big hotels around Taksim Square.

 

 

[Spryte]

Not Constantinople?  

 

No advice, just singing now.  Thanks for that!

 

Have a wonderful time!!!!

[Little Nyssa]

Yes, see Hagia Sophia, but I would recommend seeing it with a guide so you get all the historical and architectural detail.

The Blue Mosque which is nearby is also very pretty.

If it interests you, go to see the Phanar-- the tiny Greek area. The head of the Greek Orthodox church is there and there are one or two historic churches.

 

Be careful of people who address you on the street-- I was pursued & harassed by people who wanted me to buy a carpet!

The fellow seriously hollered at me and berated me and it was very unpleasant and a little scary. On the other hand, I had some very nice interactions with people in the marketplace who chatted with me and told me all about their wares, which was interesting.

 

Also, do not visit these beautiful sights until you are well-rested! There is a big time difference with the US (if that is where you are coming from) and I was so sleepy I barely remember!

[poppy]

I went to Istanbul and it was one of the best trips of my life!
Visit the Blue Mosque and the Suleyman Mosque, and a smaller neighborhood mosque. Bring a headscarf.  Otherwise no extra provision. Turks are friendly and welcoming.

Go to Topkoppi and marvel at the tiles, and the harem.

The Istanbul Archeology Museum is amazing.  Go early in your trip.

Find a book with walking tours, it will be fascinating.  I enjoyed our walking tours (with historical context) even more interesting than the attractions.

Stay in one of the hotels with a rooftop breakfast place.

Eat lots of sesame bread with honey, and eat a fish sandwich fresh caught from the Bosphorus.

Go on a river cruise.

Istanbul is not as cheap as  you might think, it is a common tourist destination for Europeans, so plan accordingly. But there is great dining, shopping, nightlife. For nightlife, if it's in Lonely Planet, forget it.  Look for throngs of well dressed young Turks for hot spots.

Go to a big market. It is a barter culture/economy so be prepared for that.  Be polite, don't lowball to the point of being insulting, have fun with it.

 

[stripe]

Go to Hagia Sophia.  It was a Christian Church for many hundreds of years, but now it is a museum.  I read the other day that there is an effort to turn it into a mosque, in which case, it will be off-limits to non-Muslims.  So see it now.

 

Note:  Please do not yell at me if the "turn it into a mosque" story is old/urban legend.  Even if it is, one should see Hagia Sophia. 

 

The Blue Mosque is open to non-Muslims, as is the Süleymaniye Mosque, among others. These are active houses of worship, and they (like the famous European cathedrals) allow tourists to enter and gaze at them without being there to pray or make a declaration of faith.

http://www.bluemosque.co/

Non-Muslims regularly enter Turkish mosques.

http://www.istanbultrails.com/2008/06/mosque-rules-and-etiquette/

 

If you would like to read the English language page of the Hagia Sophia, it is at

http://www.ayasofyamuzesi.gov.tr/en/

 

Istanbul sounds lovely! Enjoy.

[Susan in KY]

In the same area as the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, near the Covered Bazaar, there is also a fascinating and vast underground cistern which is worth a tour. The pillars are supported by ancient ruins such as a head of Medusa that is about 4 feet square. It is spectacular and you'll miss it if you aren't looking for it.

 

Also worth a visit is Ataturk's Palace and a ride down the Bosphorus or over to the Asian side for some grilled clams on a stick. Yum!

 

Have fun. If you go farther afield than Istanbul, try Ephesus, as mentioned by a pp, Pammukale (hot springs that coat everything with mineral deposits), and Cappadocia (not spelled that way in Turkish). There you can get a great tour of the Catacombs and see some first century churches.  Also a nice side trip is the Mediterranean coast, especially near Antalya.

 

:)

[twoxcell]

I have no advice but I would love to go with you. My ds was studying Turkey last month and it looks so fascinating.

From what we studied the Hagia Sophia was originally a Christian church and then was converted into a Mosque when the Muslims took over Istanbul. Now it is a museum and they have begun to uncover much of the Christian artwork that was covered while it was a mosque. At least that is what I saw in several documentaries. :)