Originally Posted by
f0zzyNUE
One short layover walk I can recommend.
Take the metro into town and exit at Taksim square (you have to change lines at Gayretepe station). Walk down Istiklal street (window shopping and grabbing some streetfood snacks) to Galata tower.
Then head down go Galata Bridge and cross the bridge (on the upper deck and watch the anglers or walk on the lower deck and pass all the touristy fish restaurants) - on the other side you could get a Balik Ekmek at one of the Chinese style boats then walk through the underpass to the Spice Bazar.
From there walk to Sirkeci Station (google for Ali Usta Cigköfte close by and get a Cigköfte dürüm - He is one of the funniest guys selling Cigköfte). From Sirkeci follow the tramway tracks to Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque and after that continue to walk along Divan Yolu Street - doing more window shopping and street snacking passing Grand Bazar and Beyazit Mosque. After the Mosque search for Vezneciler metro stop and hop on the metro back to the airport or take a taxi (that will cost around 1000Lira).
That walking route should take around 2-4 hours (depending on your window shopping pace
) - in case you like chocolate and pistacchio get into a Bolci store and buy some chocolate with whole pistacchios.
P.S. Ali Usta -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=seE2omUnMoM - if you are not hungry just watch him
I mapped it out from Tasksim Square to the Grand Bazar with stops at the Gelata Tower and Walking Over the Bridge. It appears to be about 2 miles and an hour walk (nonstop). This might be the perfect way to kill 3-4 hours as we stop along with way for a drink or in stores, etc.
Is it a safe walk between these locations? Is it easy to catch a taxi just outside the Grand Bazar?
If we do this on the outbound, it would be from roughly 7-10 pm. Will most of the stores and Bazar be open at that time? Enough nightlife to sit and have a drink or quick dinner long the walk?
