Travel Advice: Istanbul

[Hyde]

Depends which parts of the European side you are in too. Eyup (the area where Hazrat Ayub Ansari is buried) is very religious despite being on the western side (http://www.dw.com/en/istanbuls-eyup-district-is-haven-of-islamic-tradition/a-6259441). I would recommend going there if you have time @Zaki . But yes generally the Asian side is more residential. One interesting place there is the Beylerbeyi Palace, the place where the last ruling Ottoman sultan passed away (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Hamid_II). Meanwhile the partying scene is centered around Taksim/Beyoglu on the European side.



This site might help http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Transport/istanbulkart.html

We stayed in a hotel just behind Sultan Ahmet so had walking distance access to the major sites. Would have recommended that area if you hadnt booked yet.

I didn't know that Hazrat Ayub Ansari R.A were buried in Istanbul. That's definitely must visit place in that case and will be prioritised Insha'Allah

Thank you for such a wonderful info

I love this city too. Let me put my view of the city and some suggestions. Now that I have been to this city 3-4 times, here is what I love to do
Day 1. Stay in Sultanahmet. Check out the famous places (topakapi, blue mosque etc.) on day 1. All these places are together
Day 2. Now you know the surroundings and better equipped to explore.....morning... start walking from Sultanahmet towards grand bazaar, have a coffee at starbucks in between, sit outside watch people.... the way is easy to find as you just have to follow the tram line towards grand bazaar. use google map if you want to..... roam around university area and grand bazaar..
Back to Blue mosque area and visit cistern (underground water storage system) you would love it. Lunch

evening.... now again follow the tram tracks but in the opposite direction.... you will reach galata tower... spend some time.... when it starts getting a little dark.... now is the time to walk on a street connecting Galata to Taksim Square..... This is my personal favorite

Day 3. Take a ferry, go to Asian side... come back after dark....all lights
Or take a day pass for REDBUS, it crosses Bosphorous and goes to Asian side too..

I love this city

Thank yo for such a detailed reply with step by step guide. I will make surs to follow your advise as much as possible.

Glad to know that RedBus will cross Bosphorous bridge.. that's final too

Maybe this will help.

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Transport/istanbulkart.html

I have seen Istanbulkart but its like pay as you go. Is the fixed price for single journey or varies if the journey is longer on the same bus, tram or metro etc?

I guess 2 cards with 40tl of balance might be good idea... in that case... but how about cruise?

Oh yeah... how about local sim card? Any good internet packages? And if my UK sim will get me going for the duration of my stay in Turkey as it works superbly (free) in whole of Europe. Let me call my customer service but yeah any recommendation for local sim and internet packages please?

 

[Mugwop]

Had a good time there but very few people spoke in english.

 

[Hyde]

Had a good time there but very few people spoke in english.

Any advice you would like to give based on your experience?

 

[T-123456]

I have seen Istanbulkart but its like pay as you go. Is the fixed price for single journey or varies if the journey is longer on the same bus, tram or metro etc?

I guess 2 cards with 40tl of balance might be good idea... in that case... but how about cruise?

I dont know,i only travel by car or taxi in Istanbul.
Tag some Turkish members,Those living in Istanbul can give more info but i dont know which one of them lives there.

 

[Mugwop]

Any advice you would like to give based on your experience?

Don't fall in love there

 

[ABCharlie]

Basilica cistern - a unique experience
Spice bazar- so lively and colorful.

 

[mdcp]

I would love to visit Turkey in near future

 

[what]

Avoid Galata Tower, pretty expensive. Go to Sapphire of Istanbul for the view from the top instead if you're into taking pictures.

 

[Selim I]

I have been to Istanbul at least 7 times, and every time I am there, I explore new things and I never get bored.

Last time I was to Istanbul was July 2016. What I would recommend you is the Fatih district first and foremost. As you named Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya), Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet) and Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi) are must destinations, and I will add Basilica Cistern to this list in Fatih, it's an underground "museum" where you get to see Medusa - fortunately they are all in the Fatih district, so you can walk this tour - but be very aware that more than 90% of the restraurants in Fatih district are over expensive. One meal will cost you no less than 50 TL (~$13,5). If you want to avoid this, you need to discover the "Lokanta"s where the locals are eating, you can find thousands of those just make a quick search on google, or you can discover by yourself in Istanbul as well you can simply ask any local where to eat good meal that is not expensive and they will help you, people are your friend remember this.

This will take you 2 days, as Hagia Sofia and Blue Mosque will take you one day, and Topkapi plus Basilica Cistern will take another day. Topkapi Palace is too amazing and will take you no less than 3 hours even if you are super quick. But if you really want to compress it down, you can maybe visit them all same day. There is an enterance fee to Hagia Sophia around 50 TL (~$13,5), and to Topkapi around 50 TL. Blues Mosque is free - since it's still a mosque where you can pray, and I recommend you to pray there

I recommend you to take a tour through bosphorus, there are ferries, and I recommend you to eat "Balik Ekmek" (fish bread) at Fatih district near the Galata Bridge (Galata Köprüsü).
And then I think you should take a walking tour in Taksim square through Istiklal Caddesi all the way down to Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi), walk upstairs and enjoy the sight I recommend you to do this during the early day if you have the chance, otherwise you can do it anytime of the day.

Other places I recommend you to visit are:
- If you have time and money, Maiden's Tower is also very popular destination (I actually never been there but always wanted to, but never got the time).

- Pier Lotti, it's a hill, you'll get a great view over all of Istanbul. Drink Turkish tea and eat freshly made gözleme up there

- Süleymaniye Mosque, it's the biggest mosque in Istanbul and it's at high grounds, it's amazing looking.

- Eyyüp Sultan Mosque, first and foremost very beautiful area, great people great atmosphere. Take a tour inside the mosque, pray your prayer, and drink a cup of Turkish tea of Turkish coffee with Gözleme.

- Dolmabahce Palace, and Dolmabahce Mosque. Both amazing places.

- If you have time to visit museums, I recommend Turkish and Islamic Art Museum and Archaeology Museum.

- Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar.


Things to eat:
If you like sweats, you definitely need to eat Künefe at Hafiz Mustafa in Fatih district. You can do this at night after your visit of Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque. You can eat any other things in Hafiz Mustafa, it's possibly the best sweats restaurant in Istanbul.

Fasuli lokanta in Fatih district, quite decent price and tasty "home-made" food.

If you want to eat cheap but good street food:
- Kumpir
- Döner kebab
- Adana kebab, Urfa kebab and other types of kebabs
- Kokorec
- Balik ekmek
- Mercimek corbasi (lentil soup, very popular in Turkish cuisine)
- Lahmacun and Etli Ekmek

Otherwise, I recommend authentic Anatolian food as well, and you can find those in traditional local Lokanta's. Food such as:
- Manti
- Icli Köfte
- Karni Yarik
- Menemen (for breakfast), Menemen with sucuk or pastirma
- Iskender
- Hünkar bayildi
- Dolma and Sarma

There are hundreds of more food but these are what came to my mind right now.

____
As transport, do not rent a car. There are good possibilities with railway system. And if you want to visit the Asian side, you can take the Marmaray, it goes from Fatih district (Europe side) to Üsküdar (Asian side) I recommend you to take this long walk through the straight, it's a very pleasent walk - with great view over Istanbul, you will see the beautiful bridges and the amazing mosques from great distance.

_
I hope you'll have a great time in Istanbul, and please share your experience in here. Upload some photos and tell us about things you enjoyed most

 

[xenon54 out]

Any advice you would like to give based on your experience?

You pay a couple bucks on every ride, if you change from one to another then only half of the price as far as i know, just get Istanbul Kart and fill it like a prepaid card when needed, most stations have opportunities to fill them.

 

[Selim I]

I didn't know you were into Sahabe tombs. Here's a list of Sahabe's in Istanbul:

Ebu Eyyûb el-Ensari
Ebû’d Derda
Ka’b Bin Malik
Ebu Şeybet El Hudri
Hazreti Cabir Bin Muhammed El Ensari
Cabir bin Abdullah
Ebu Zerr El-Gifârî
Hazret-i Amir
Hazret-i Hâfir
Abdullah El Hudri
Hazret-i Şu’be
Ebu Said El Hudri

There are more, but you won't have the time. Ebu Eyyub el-Ensari (Abi Ayyup al-Ansari)'s tomb is in/near the Eyyup Sultan Mosque, that's a must visit as I described.

 

[Hyde]

Thank you all for your help. You have given me gem of information and I will make sure to utilise this info as much as possible.

I didn't know you were into Sahabe tombs. Here's a list of Sahabe's in Istanbul:

Ebu Eyyûb el-Ensari
Ebû’d Derda
Ka’b Bin Malik
Ebu Şeybet El Hudri
Hazreti Cabir Bin Muhammed El Ensari
Cabir bin Abdullah
Ebu Zerr El-Gifârî
Hazret-i Amir
Hazret-i Hâfir
Abdullah El Hudri
Hazret-i Şu’be
Ebu Said El Hudri

There are more, but you won't have the time. Ebu Eyyub el-Ensari (Abi Ayyup al-Ansari)'s tomb is in/near the Eyyup Sultan Mosque, that's a must visit as I described.

Thank you so much for both posts.. the first post of yours was very detailed and useful for my itenary.

Can you please provide locations of all these sahabas where they are buried... I would try to visit as many as possible Insha'Allah

Technically I got 5 days to spend in Istanbul but 3 days will be spared exclusively for roaming around and probably half days for rest of the 2 days

 

[Hyde]

Avoid Galata Tower, pretty expensive. Go to Sapphire of Istanbul for the view from the top instead if you're into taking pictures.

I will try to go at both places if I found enough time

Galata Tower is more popular so what I have shortlisted so far as must are

Blue Mosque, Eyup Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, Cistern, Bosphorous Bridge, Two bazaars (Spice and Grand and may be Egyptian Bazaar), some resting places of Sahabas, walk around the districts of Fatih and plenty of food as advised by Selim I

Possibly Galata Tower and the one you mentioned (Saphire of Istanbul) and plenty of advice to follow from this thread from every post... as I will have access to Internet to visit this thread anytime

 

[Kambojaric]

@Zaki the price for Galata Tower is expensive like @what said, something like 12 Liras when I went, and the queue times are long especially in the middle of the day. The view however more than made it up for me (see below). The rest its up to you

 

[Hyde]

@Zaki the price for Galata Tower is expensive like @what said, something like 12 Liras when I went, and the queue times are long especially in the middle of the day. The view however more than made it up for me (see below). The rest its up to you

Ok thanks for your advice... I will rather go to Sapphire Istanbul or do other attractions as I realised Galata tower is not an ideal choice and I should agree with you both