Diplomatico

Doner kebabs and iskende kebabs for inexpensive, good tasting food.

As you walk up from the Blue Mosque toward the Grand Bazaar, a little ways past the Starbucks is a restaurant on the right hand side with a large picture window and live Turkish music, ladies making bread right there in the window. The bread rocks and the Turkish ravioli (with a yogurt type sauce) is relatively cheap, filling, and delicious.

remyontheroad

Hi Folks,

Just found this thread.

Hope I can help -

Where to stay:You will definitely have cheaper and a wider variety of options of hotels in the old city, but depending on my guests, I often recommend that younger ones stay in the Taksim area.

The reason is nightlife, food and transportation. Public transport is safe, cheap and easy during the day, when you want to be in the old city. At night, if you want to go out and dance, drink, eat, you will find yourself at the mercy of taxi drivers on the expensive night rate to get "home" to Sultanahmet.

Virtually all restaurants in the old city are tourist ripoffs.

Boat Rides:Simple trips are from Europe to Asia and back. Eminonu, Kabatas, Karakoy, Besiktas etc. to Kadikoy or Uskudar are the easiest and cost 1.3ytl, or about $1.

Another good thing are the Bosphorus tours that leave from Eminonu, Besiktas or Ortakoy. About 1.5 hours, 5ytl ($3.50) and very nice on a sunny day.

There is a city-run "Bosphrous Line" that many people will direct you to. It is nice in that it goes all the way up to the black sea, but it is a closed boat and not very appealing IMO

Food: Doner Kebab (street stands everywhere) is cheap and decent, though you might be surprised at the small portions- get 2. Durum means a wrap, "sandvic" or "Yarim" means on a half a loaf of french-type bread. I tend to stick to chicken unless it's a place I know.

As for restaurants, I honestly don't find a huge difference between fancy upscale kebab places and the little places on the street. They are everywhere with meat on sticks in refrigerators in the windows. Don't be shy, go in, sit down and point. Also look for Lokantas which are steam table type places. Generally fine - All of the ones on Istiklal St are pretty good and cheap. One exception I find is that Iskander is a specialty and can be a bit nasty depending on where you get it. Stick to cleaner places with plenty of traffic for that. (Saray on Istiklal - easy to find because it's across the street from a building that is completely covered by a wood scaffoliding - is a classic place that serves very good doner and is famous for desserts.

Nightlife: Be somewhat cautious, and absolutely don't go anywhere that your new "friend" on the street recommends. (As a general rule, don't go anywhere that involves walking downstairs.) Depending on what kind of music you like you could check out a few places on Balo Sokak. Off of Istiklal near Galatasary High School. You can't walk far without falling ver a place with live Turkish music and also with live rock cover bands.

There is one good hip hop club called Riddim (exception to the don't go downstairs rule), entry is 2 mins from the top of Istiklal on a parallel street called Siraselviler. Or just for a beer and people watching there are a whole line of cafes on "Benneton" street off of Istiklal and at the end of that street, the last building on the right is an excellent reggae club called Nayah Terrace - entrance is around the corner.

Dress: Where whatever you want. No one really cares. Shorts will, of course mark you as a tourist, but if you're over 5'10" and/or blonde and/or carrying a backpack and/or a camera, people will know who you are anyway, so don't sweat it too much, but do realize that Turkey is for the most part very poor and you represent an opportunity to many people, whether as a customer or a sucker.

Two more tips about places to go:
Ortakoy is a nice little neighborhood to walk around by the water. You can get there buy bus along the coast road if you want and then do your daily boat ride from the dock to the left of the big mosque. After, walk back along the coast to at least take a look at the Kempinsky Ciragan Palace hotel. It's worth wandering around a bit in and if you want to spring for tea on the terrace overlooking the water.

Tophane has a long row of Nargile (hookah) cafes filled mostly with locals. It's getting a bit pricey (figure up to 12ytl for a smoke), but it's a great place to sit and people watch, smoke a hookah and many of the places have wireless, so you can post to your blog while you're sitting there.

Ok, enough writing.. feel free to PM with Q's...

wandering_fred

Hi

This is our second trip to Istanbul. Stayed in Sultanahmet last time - also this time but a bit closer to the tram and the main area.

Last time the hotel arranged pickup and delivery to/from the airport. Also this time provided I telephone and the prices seem to go up.

What is a fair price for a public taxi airport to Sultanahmet? Are there any issues with the public taxis?

Thanks

Fred

flyingfkb

Only their "exotic" driving which can be a little bit scary sometimes.

remyontheroad

Yellow Taxi on daytime fare should be under 30ytl.

Licensed airport taxis are slightly darker yellow than others and line up in the queue right i front of the door to the far right end of the terminal. In general, they will be honest.

Sultanahmet should be in the 25-30ytl range.

But do keep in mind that taxi ripoffs in Istanbul are endemic.

One of the most common ploys is simply playing dumb and taking you on a wild goose chase trying to "find" your destination.

This from a friend of a friend who was recently visiting the city and got in touch:
The other, of course, is night rate which is around 50% higher.

My advice is always for men to sit in the front seat and look like they know where they're going. Check that the meter is on fare 1 or says "Gunduz" somewhere. If you know the general direction a casual wave in that direction might even help.

Cheetah_SA

I agonised over starting another thread but have decided to stick with this one even though my dilemma is a bit different (now that you have kindly solved the what to do in Istanbul part! ).

My question is this: We are plannning to spend a week in Turkey in June and thought to do 3 days in Istanbul and 4 days somewere else. But where? I don't want to be gadding about like a demented wind-up toy but I would like to see some more of this amazing country. (I've done some research and can't believe I have lived so long and not known more about it!) Ruins/historical sites/fascinating geography - which Turkey has in spades - all interest us. Plus it would be nice to have some time to laze on a beach occasionally. Am drawn to the Aegean coast, Ephesus etc. But where should we base ourselves? And is it more fun hiring a car or should we dispense with that and rely on public transport and locally arranged tours? Or maybe you think there is plenty to do from Istanbul for a week by taking day trips out of the city on some days?

Any insights most welcome!

bongo4

With 4 days it would be a stretch (you'd want to fly or take an overnight bus), but IMO Cappadocia is not to be missed.

Cheetah_SA

Thanks for the tip. I would love to see Cappadocia, but it will have to wait for next time - this trip is too short and overnight buses don't appeal to me these days!

ambrogz

w

what is the best hotel in capadoccia

pls advise

i m going there next month

thank you

ambrogz

stayed in a great marriott asia - really nice property with great spa

but so far away from ortakoy and taksim so a bit of waste

try radisson which is fab

good luck

a few words in TR is a must - englsih is not that well spoken

totti

Hi there!

Can anyone recommend any other hotel in IST than the ones stated above? I'll be in IST for 5 days in May. Maybe someone would be also so kind to share a code for booking a hotel in IST via PM. All my standard codes don't work in IST as it is not one of my normal business cities.

Thanks!
totti

mijugo

Business- or leisure-trip? Old Town or New Town around Taksim? What are your must-have´s in the hotel?

My personal IST hotel-list:

For a nice leasure-trip and sightseeing: SEVEN HILLS
http://www.sevenhillshotel.com/homepage.html
Great hotel in Sultanahmet - not a truly 5* but very personal in terms of service, unbeatable location with postcard views to the illuminated Blue Mosque in the evening. If you prefer a chain-hotel, checkout the Four Season in the old townwall, opposite of the Seven Hills.

For a standard business trip (my business is in the Taksim area or beyond): InterContinental
Not very inspiring, but IMHO one of the best hotels in IST. Providing everything, a business-traveller may need (incl. an outdoor pool) and for status guest they have a very nice executive lounge (with a great view into the Inönü stadium, wich hosts the soccer matches of Besiktas Istanbul).

For a romantic weekend in luxury: KEMPINSKI
The number one. Great views out of the Bosporus, large outdoor pool, professional service on the highest possible level.

To prepare for an early flight next morning: CROWN PLAZA
The best hotel in the airport area.

Of course, there are many more. It really depends on what you are doing in IST.

totti

Leisure trip with my wife! We want to do some sightseeing and simply relax after some busy weeks. There are no real must haves for us, just a good room in a nice hotel.

Thanks for your great list which is really helpful. I'll try to find a good rate now…

Cheers
totti

mijugo

A great time to explore a fascinating city like Istanbul. However - if you happen to book the Seven Hills or one of the other privately owned boutique hotels around (the Sultanhan is another one on my "recommend"-list) just be aware that all these hotels have "rooms" and rooms. Let them show you the room and neverever accept a room without seeing it before, be nice, full of compliments about country, the views and the welcome-tea and have a little tip ready to go - and you´ll have a great time in a great room with Bosporus-view - all the famous sights are visible from the roof-terrace where usually all meals are served + drinks in the evening.

Have a great trip!

remyontheroad

Several things to comment on here....


You can get a flight to Kayseri for as little as 60Euro r/t on Onur Air. the Flight is around an hour and the airport is about an hour from Capadocia.

My personal recommendation is the Museum Hotel, which is spectacular, though there are many other good ones.

The hotel can arrange a transfer from kayseri airport, though renting a car is also a good idea in that region.

I have a very good travel agent who has put my clients in the Princess Diana, Tan Hotel, Golden Horn and others. In general, these 4-star hotels are clean and comfortable, though not luxurious.

Some good advice from mijugo, below.

One thing that I always point out to visitors is that if they intend to be out much at night, they may be better off staying in a hotel in Taksim.

Basically, Taksim has the nightlife and a much better variety of restaurants.

During the Daytime, there are plenty of cheap, easy and safe ways to get to the old city to see the sites, but leaving a restaurant tired and tipsy at night and getting back to deserted streets of Sultanahmet is expensive at best and downright unpleasant at worst.

Of course the views of the old city at night from many of the hotels are pretty spectacular, but I find the surrounding streets unpleasant at night and the food choices to terrible and absurdly overpriced. I avoid the area as much as possible.