Eight hours in Istanbul with a 5 yo
Sep 27, 2014, 8:03 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 312
Eight hours in Istanbul with a 5 yo
Traveling Washington, DC, to Perth, Australia, via Istanbul and Kuala Lumpur.
We have 8 hours in Istanbul on the outbound and homebound legs. Outbound is late afternoon through nighttime (4.30pm to 1.00am); coming back, we get in at 5.00am and leave in mid afternoon.
Would love suggestions either of things to do that are an easy trip away from the airport, or else any airport-based activities or places to chill out. Not sure what sort of shape we will be in when we get there.
We have 8 hours in Istanbul on the outbound and homebound legs. Outbound is late afternoon through nighttime (4.30pm to 1.00am); coming back, we get in at 5.00am and leave in mid afternoon.
Would love suggestions either of things to do that are an easy trip away from the airport, or else any airport-based activities or places to chill out. Not sure what sort of shape we will be in when we get there.
Sep 27, 2014, 9:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: BOS-TLV
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Posts: 1,318
Eight hours in Istanbul with a 5 yo
We recently traveled thru ist, and due to weather disruptions had longer than expected in the airport. We paid for entry into one of the prineclass lounges, and it was well worth it. It was the one upstairs from the food court.
Sep 27, 2014, 9:58 pm
#3
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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Take a boat trip down the Bosphorus and walk up the hill to the ruined castle at the far end. Then get a waffle (specialty of the village) from a street vendor before returning to the boat.
If you have time, go to the market and spice market.
If you have time, go to the market and spice market.
Sep 30, 2014, 10:56 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: NYC
Posts: 620
Check out the Rahmi M Koç Museum and see if that is something that would interest your child. I don't think it is far from the airport and it has a lot of interesting exhibits that may be of interest. My son was 6/7 y.o. when we were there and he loved it. Lots of cars, planes, boats if I recall correctly.
Keba
Keba
Jan 13, 2015, 6:17 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: NW, UA
Posts: 9
Definitely recommend the Aquarium!
We were just there in July with our just turned 7 year old. The aquarium was one of the highlights of our trip! When we had finished seeing everything she just wanted to go in again, which we did. Honestly, I enjoyed it as much as she did.
They also have free shuttles that go to and from Sultanahmet square if you find you have some extra time (and aren't coerced into repeating the experience like we were
) before heading back to the airport.
They also have free shuttles that go to and from Sultanahmet square if you find you have some extra time (and aren't coerced into repeating the experience like we were
) before heading back to the airport.
Jan 13, 2015, 7:06 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 312
True confessions -- we spent the entire time, inbound and outbound, holed up in the Turkish Airways lounge. 
The timing just didn't work out well. On our outbound trip, we would have had between about 6-10pm; on the inbound, between 8-11am.
The timing just didn't work out well. On our outbound trip, we would have had between about 6-10pm; on the inbound, between 8-11am.