Originally Posted by
erik19283
I guess that may depend on the day of the week and the time you arrive in IST. I got there on a Sunday morning and it took maybe 30 or 40 mins from the airport to my hotel in Sultanahmet by car.
I actually was going to have a long layover in IST next summer to enjoy the city for the day, but I changed that to just a few hours because I'll meet a friend in BCN later on that day; otherwise, I think 12 hours is more than enough to leave the airport and go visit Istanbul.
That's possible. The thing also is, I prefer public transport for short layovers (!) because I can predict exactly how long it takes - and car as a second option if I can get solid evidence it goes faster. but with IST, the former is barely an option, and the latter is a bit of a hit and miss because of traffic ... you're right that weekend would be quick, but I've been there on a weekday and it took like an hour and a half to get in.
