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İstanbul - Otel / Hostel / Turistik yer vs. tavsiyeler
Yurtdışından bi tanıdık, arkadaş grubu (5-6 kişi) ile turtistik amaçlı olarak buraya geliyor. Daha gelmelerine 2 ay var sanırım ama booking işlemlerini şimdiden halletmek istiyorlar.
Bu arkadaşlar için güzel ve hesaplı bir otel bulmalı önce ve tabi konumuda iyi olsun, ona göre rahat rahat dolaşabilsinler, kazıklanmasınlar ayrıca.
Her türlü öneriye açığız, bu tarz bi olay planlamış birisi varsa daha önce çok daha güzel olur tabi.
Bu arkadaşlar için güzel ve hesaplı bir otel bulmalı önce ve tabi konumuda iyi olsun, ona göre rahat rahat dolaşabilsinler, kazıklanmasınlar ayrıca.
Her türlü öneriye açığız, bu tarz bi olay planlamış birisi varsa daha önce çok daha güzel olur tabi.
Yazin gelen iki arkadasim icin su metni yazmistim, daha once de bu planla epey turist gezdirdim. Belki isine yarar:
You will need a guide and map for Istanbul to maximise your stay there. What I have in this email is some insiders' views which might be somehow missing from tourist guides.
You will probably stay longer but I have tried to organise two separate days by grouping together the places you might want to see, and then some little ideas. Here it is:
Day 1: The historical peninsula..: This is the heart of the city for tourists. The good thing is that within a very short distance, you can see/visit quite a few historical landmarks such as Topkapi Palace (Palace of the Ottoman Empirers), the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and some others. If I were you, I would see all these on the same day so that you don't have to go back to the same place again. You would probably spend most of your time in Topkapi Palace as there are more things to see there compared to the others I listed above.
When you are in the Palace, make sure that you don't miss the room where they keep the Islamic Religious items. This is a very precious rooms for the Muslims as it houses to the things that belong to the prophet - you can see his beard hair, cardigan, and foot print among others. There is also constantly a member of religious teachings who reads the Quran in the room. If these items are not interesting for you, it is still important to go there because just next to this room, there is a balcony with one of the most beautiful views of the city.
If you get tired during the visit, follow the signs which leads to the restaurant. No, I won't advice you to eat there, it would be really expensive : ) Follow the signs leading to the restaurant because there is a very nice view of the city again right next to the restaurant. There are also benches, you can sit there, and enjoy the view while you are having a rest. Also, assuming that it will be a hot day while you are there, you can usually find a nice breeze there to cool down.
You won't miss the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sphia as they are enourmous constructions. But, you might miss the Basilica Cistern if you don't look closely because it is under the ground. It is somewhere very close to the main square between the Palace and the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sphia. Have a look at your guide and or make a online search to see what it is, but make sure you have some coins with you to throw into the water and make a wish - it is traditional.
At the corner of the Cistern, there is a street starting, which is called "Divan Yolu Caddesi". You can recognise this street because the tram goes through it. When you are hungry, walk along this street to find a place to eat. The cafes right next to the palace will be full and they are slightly expensive. If you are looking for a rather cheap and not so trouristy place to eat, try the street with the tramline. But don't sit at the restaurants right at the beginning of the street. Walk about 5-10 minutes, and you will find cheaper but still nice cafes or little restaurants.
If the historical peninsula is too much to see in one day for you, divide it into two and add the Grand Bazaar to the list of places to see within this group. It is a must see for a tourist too. And the good thing is, it is on the same street I have just mentioned, "Divan Yolu Caddesi". It is on the third tram stop from the palace but I usually walk this distance. It is up to you. Here you can find some traditional presents to take back with you if you are planning to do so.
Day 2: Modern Istanbul..: For the rather modern face of Istanbul, I would go to the Taksim Square to start my day. This square is the heart of the daily life in Istanbul, so with any kind of public transport, you can end there. When you are there, follow the crowd which would be walking down the Istiklal Street. This street is the most popular and most crowded street in Turkey. Depending on how busy it is, it would take me about 20 minutes to walk it from one end to other if I didn't stop for shops. This would give you an idea how long it is. On the side of the street, there are the shops of the big brands. There are various side streets where you can find small shops or cafes. When you are tired, have a drink in one of these cafes of the side streets.
There is a historical tram passing through the street, you can take that if you like, just for fun of course. Don't take it to see the street otherwise you would miss most of it.
While you are there, visit the Pera Museum. Somewhere through the middle of the street, you would need to take a right turn. Have a look at the map on the link as well as the days it is open. This is relatively new museum. The most important item is the "Mona Lisa of Turkey", that is to say, the most expensive and known paintings in Turkey; Kaplumbaga Terbiyecisi. You should see this painting. I love sitting in front of it and had a good look at it.
When you finish walking the Istiklal street, keep walking in the same direction, down the hilly road to see the Galata Tower. You need a ticket to climb up to the tower, but you will have such a nice view there.
If you still have energy for just another modern museum, go to the Istanbul Modern. This is my favourite museum in Istanbul. It is close to the Galata Tower, again I walk this distance but it might be too much under the sun, have a look at your map and decide. I don't think there is a convenient public transport but I might be wrong. The metro is new, it is done after I left, so have a look at the metro maps.
Little points which I think would be good idea:
If I were you, I would buy a IstanbulCard at the first chance. This card will enable you to pay for all public transport as you put money in it. The card costs 10 liras (about 4 euros) but it will save you a lot of hassle and money. More information about the card can be found here. Just note that it won't work on what we call "minibus", the little (usually) blue busses or vans. Other than that, I think it is safe to say that it will work in any kind of public transport in Istanbul. Another note, with one card you can pay for as many people as you like, so no need to buy two separate cards if you are visiting Istanbul with someone.
The Turkish people commonly call two group of professionals as "mother fuckers". These are doctors and taxi drivers. I hope you won't need to see a doctor during your stay in Istanbul. But taxi drivers are more likely professionals for the tourists to meet. We hate taxi drivers because they try to trick their customers every time (the usual tricks include taking a longer route than needed, leaving the taximeter off on purpose and asking a much higher fee than the taximeter would show for the same distance, trying to charge for luggage etc) and because they are rude to the customers. Taxidrivers are like kings in their taxis. They do anything they want to the customer and unfortunately there is nobody to stop them. If the customer is a foreigner like yourself, it is almost guaranteed that the taxi drivers will try to take as much money as they can from you. So, my advice is to avoid taxis as well as doctors in Turkey (doctors' story is a long one too but to cut it short: they are extremely rude to the patients and they usually do not understand the problem and prescribe wrong medicines).
When you are there, Istanbul will be hot. There will be a lot of people in the streets selling water. I never buy water from street sellers but always walk into a shop (they are called BAKKAL or MARKET) to buy one. The bottles from bakkals are colder and cleaner and most importantly cheaper. Sometimes it is harder to see these little bakkals but they all have ice cream stalls in front of them, so watching for these stalls you can recognise a bakkal from far away.
If you feel a bit hungry any time while you are on the streets, just look for a simit stall or shop. Simit is a kind of bread with sesame seeds. It is very traditional and very common to have one when you are a bit hungry but when you don't want to sit in a restaurant and eat. They are delicious and very cheap. It is traditional to buy them from street sellers but recently they are concept shops opening everywhere in Istanbul. In a Simit shop you can find more varieties if you would like to sit and eat a cheap but tasty snack. If you sit in a shop, make sure you order tea to drink while eating simit because they go very well together.
Visit the Istanbul Toy Museum. It is created by a famous poet. It is fun.
At least once, take one of the ferries crossing the bosphorus. If you do so, make sure you sit at the balcony, which is at the sides on the ground level. Put your feet up to the fences like a true Turk. Enjoy the view, smell, and the cooling wind. I think Besiktas-Kadikoy (or of course Kadikoy-Besiktas) Ferry has the best views. Also right next to the Eminonu Pier, where the Eminonu-Kadikoy ferries depart, has one of my favourite vies of the bosphorus.
Kadikoy is the nicest town to be in the Asian side. I have grown up by walking in the streets of this town, I love being there, just walking even if without an aim. Thought there is nothing much touristic in Kadikoy like there is nothing much touristic in the Asian side of the city. Still, it is worth going there if you have time. If you do go to Kadikoy, make sure you walk towards Moda by the sea, have some turkish tea and simit at one of the cafes by the sea again, and watch the sunset.
You will need a guide and map for Istanbul to maximise your stay there. What I have in this email is some insiders' views which might be somehow missing from tourist guides.
You will probably stay longer but I have tried to organise two separate days by grouping together the places you might want to see, and then some little ideas. Here it is:
Day 1: The historical peninsula..: This is the heart of the city for tourists. The good thing is that within a very short distance, you can see/visit quite a few historical landmarks such as Topkapi Palace (Palace of the Ottoman Empirers), the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern and some others. If I were you, I would see all these on the same day so that you don't have to go back to the same place again. You would probably spend most of your time in Topkapi Palace as there are more things to see there compared to the others I listed above.
When you are in the Palace, make sure that you don't miss the room where they keep the Islamic Religious items. This is a very precious rooms for the Muslims as it houses to the things that belong to the prophet - you can see his beard hair, cardigan, and foot print among others. There is also constantly a member of religious teachings who reads the Quran in the room. If these items are not interesting for you, it is still important to go there because just next to this room, there is a balcony with one of the most beautiful views of the city.
If you get tired during the visit, follow the signs which leads to the restaurant. No, I won't advice you to eat there, it would be really expensive : ) Follow the signs leading to the restaurant because there is a very nice view of the city again right next to the restaurant. There are also benches, you can sit there, and enjoy the view while you are having a rest. Also, assuming that it will be a hot day while you are there, you can usually find a nice breeze there to cool down.
You won't miss the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sphia as they are enourmous constructions. But, you might miss the Basilica Cistern if you don't look closely because it is under the ground. It is somewhere very close to the main square between the Palace and the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sphia. Have a look at your guide and or make a online search to see what it is, but make sure you have some coins with you to throw into the water and make a wish - it is traditional.
At the corner of the Cistern, there is a street starting, which is called "Divan Yolu Caddesi". You can recognise this street because the tram goes through it. When you are hungry, walk along this street to find a place to eat. The cafes right next to the palace will be full and they are slightly expensive. If you are looking for a rather cheap and not so trouristy place to eat, try the street with the tramline. But don't sit at the restaurants right at the beginning of the street. Walk about 5-10 minutes, and you will find cheaper but still nice cafes or little restaurants.
If the historical peninsula is too much to see in one day for you, divide it into two and add the Grand Bazaar to the list of places to see within this group. It is a must see for a tourist too. And the good thing is, it is on the same street I have just mentioned, "Divan Yolu Caddesi". It is on the third tram stop from the palace but I usually walk this distance. It is up to you. Here you can find some traditional presents to take back with you if you are planning to do so.
Day 2: Modern Istanbul..: For the rather modern face of Istanbul, I would go to the Taksim Square to start my day. This square is the heart of the daily life in Istanbul, so with any kind of public transport, you can end there. When you are there, follow the crowd which would be walking down the Istiklal Street. This street is the most popular and most crowded street in Turkey. Depending on how busy it is, it would take me about 20 minutes to walk it from one end to other if I didn't stop for shops. This would give you an idea how long it is. On the side of the street, there are the shops of the big brands. There are various side streets where you can find small shops or cafes. When you are tired, have a drink in one of these cafes of the side streets.
There is a historical tram passing through the street, you can take that if you like, just for fun of course. Don't take it to see the street otherwise you would miss most of it.
While you are there, visit the Pera Museum. Somewhere through the middle of the street, you would need to take a right turn. Have a look at the map on the link as well as the days it is open. This is relatively new museum. The most important item is the "Mona Lisa of Turkey", that is to say, the most expensive and known paintings in Turkey; Kaplumbaga Terbiyecisi. You should see this painting. I love sitting in front of it and had a good look at it.
When you finish walking the Istiklal street, keep walking in the same direction, down the hilly road to see the Galata Tower. You need a ticket to climb up to the tower, but you will have such a nice view there.
If you still have energy for just another modern museum, go to the Istanbul Modern. This is my favourite museum in Istanbul. It is close to the Galata Tower, again I walk this distance but it might be too much under the sun, have a look at your map and decide. I don't think there is a convenient public transport but I might be wrong. The metro is new, it is done after I left, so have a look at the metro maps.
Little points which I think would be good idea:
If I were you, I would buy a IstanbulCard at the first chance. This card will enable you to pay for all public transport as you put money in it. The card costs 10 liras (about 4 euros) but it will save you a lot of hassle and money. More information about the card can be found here. Just note that it won't work on what we call "minibus", the little (usually) blue busses or vans. Other than that, I think it is safe to say that it will work in any kind of public transport in Istanbul. Another note, with one card you can pay for as many people as you like, so no need to buy two separate cards if you are visiting Istanbul with someone.
The Turkish people commonly call two group of professionals as "mother fuckers". These are doctors and taxi drivers. I hope you won't need to see a doctor during your stay in Istanbul. But taxi drivers are more likely professionals for the tourists to meet. We hate taxi drivers because they try to trick their customers every time (the usual tricks include taking a longer route than needed, leaving the taximeter off on purpose and asking a much higher fee than the taximeter would show for the same distance, trying to charge for luggage etc) and because they are rude to the customers. Taxidrivers are like kings in their taxis. They do anything they want to the customer and unfortunately there is nobody to stop them. If the customer is a foreigner like yourself, it is almost guaranteed that the taxi drivers will try to take as much money as they can from you. So, my advice is to avoid taxis as well as doctors in Turkey (doctors' story is a long one too but to cut it short: they are extremely rude to the patients and they usually do not understand the problem and prescribe wrong medicines).
When you are there, Istanbul will be hot. There will be a lot of people in the streets selling water. I never buy water from street sellers but always walk into a shop (they are called BAKKAL or MARKET) to buy one. The bottles from bakkals are colder and cleaner and most importantly cheaper. Sometimes it is harder to see these little bakkals but they all have ice cream stalls in front of them, so watching for these stalls you can recognise a bakkal from far away.
If you feel a bit hungry any time while you are on the streets, just look for a simit stall or shop. Simit is a kind of bread with sesame seeds. It is very traditional and very common to have one when you are a bit hungry but when you don't want to sit in a restaurant and eat. They are delicious and very cheap. It is traditional to buy them from street sellers but recently they are concept shops opening everywhere in Istanbul. In a Simit shop you can find more varieties if you would like to sit and eat a cheap but tasty snack. If you sit in a shop, make sure you order tea to drink while eating simit because they go very well together.
Visit the Istanbul Toy Museum. It is created by a famous poet. It is fun.
At least once, take one of the ferries crossing the bosphorus. If you do so, make sure you sit at the balcony, which is at the sides on the ground level. Put your feet up to the fences like a true Turk. Enjoy the view, smell, and the cooling wind. I think Besiktas-Kadikoy (or of course Kadikoy-Besiktas) Ferry has the best views. Also right next to the Eminonu Pier, where the Eminonu-Kadikoy ferries depart, has one of my favourite vies of the bosphorus.
Kadikoy is the nicest town to be in the Asian side. I have grown up by walking in the streets of this town, I love being there, just walking even if without an aim. Thought there is nothing much touristic in Kadikoy like there is nothing much touristic in the Asian side of the city. Still, it is worth going there if you have time. If you do go to Kadikoy, make sure you walk towards Moda by the sea, have some turkish tea and simit at one of the cafes by the sea again, and watch the sunset.
- hapsuruk
(22.02.13 19:17:32)
çok teşekkürler gerçekten yardımcı olur bu. konaklama konusunda bir tavsiyeniz olur mu acaba ?
- Deathklaat
(22.02.13 20:27:22)
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