Istanbul, Turkey

[MassageDrew]

Hi guys, just curious if anyone has traveled to Istanbul and what are your thoughts.

 

Where to stay particularly ther neighborhood?

What sights to see?

How long to stay? (I'm thinking 5 days)

When is the best time of the year to go? I hate oppressive heat.

Any other suggestions?

Is it safe to go alone? I'm typically a lone traveler.

 

Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks

[Guest]

Hmm. I've preferred staying near Taksim Square, which has easy transportation to Sultanahmet, and more modern conveniences. You could probably see most sights in 4 days. It depends on what kind of excursions you'd like. Best months are probably May and September. It's always seemed safe to me, but be careful of people inviting you into bars with no prices. I've heard of bad scams. Read about the place and scams before you go. Try to go to one of those Dervish places. Of course, the Turkish baths and the palaces, and a Bosphorus cruise (quite inexpensive, public transportation).

Edited November 21, 2019 by Unicorn

[Guest]

https://turkeytravelplanner.com/details/Safety/SingleMaleScams.html

"Here’s an example of one variation (there are many): while you wander around on your own in the evening, you’re approached by a well-dressed man who addresses you in Turkish. You respond that you don’t speak Turkish, and he says “Oh! I thought you were a Turk.” Or perhaps he asks you to take his photo with his mobile phone, then offers to do the same for you.

 

This is an opener to establish his “innocence“—that he is not looking for a tourist to rob.

 

You discover that he speaks English well. He chats with you, then he suggests you have a drink together. He might lead you to a normal, innocent place first in order to gain your confidence, then afterwards go to the scam location. The innocent place may be a restaurant, where he may pay for your dinner, even if you don’t want him to—he wants to make you feel obligated to do what he wants.

 

He will probably want to go to the scam location by car. Don’t get in the car!

 

At the scam location, as soon as you sit down, women and perhaps other men also sit at your table and order drinks (usually, but not always, “champagne”). Sooner or later the bill will come, you will be expected to pay it, and it will equal or exceed the total amount of money you have with you; or your credit card will be forcibly taken and charged for a huge amount. Typical “bills” presented to victims are between TL1000 and TL10,000. In fact, they will usually take all the money you have or have access to.

 

If you protest the scam, you may be taken into a backroom “office” and beaten or even threatened with death until you agree to pay. You may also be forcibly taken to an ATM and ordered to take as much money as you can from it.?

[alkan]

I "walked the walls" on my own and that takes you through some pretty rough neighbourhoods and in retrospect was probably not the best idea. At the time, though, it did not feel unsafe. In general I suppose taking the ordinary precautions that a single traveller should take will (probably) keep you safe, i.e. keeping to well-populated areas and not accepting invitations to go with someone you don't know to somewhere unknown.

 

As for what you should see, you will get the greater value from the historic mosques and palaces if you read up a little in advance. This city has a truly fascinating past, long and diverse, and populated by a cast of unique and colourful characters, inspirational, mad and evil beyond comprehension in turn. The Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia mosque are the main tourist sites, together with several of the grander mosques, all of which are organised for tourist visits. Of the smaller (not that much smaller) mosques, I would suggest the Sokullu Mehmed Pasha or the Rustem Pasha mosques, the first for the instructional design and the second for its eye-popping traditional decoration. The Saqarin is a more modern and quite stunning example of the genre. (Most mosques are named after an historical figure, or the patron who paid for them. Even a little research here will pay off in terms of added interest.) I would suggest that you spread out your mosque visiting so you don't, like me, get the details confused in your memory.

 

If you visit most of these and add the covered markets and the Bosphorus cruise (I went up to the Black Sea and back, half a day, but even the ferry crossing to the Asian shore for lunch would be worthwhile), you can see that three or four days can be taken up. Add in a visit to the ancient cisterns under the city and perhaps the Dolmabahce palace for variety and you won't in five days have time for even one out-of-town excursion.

 

The city has hotels in abundance in the full range of prices. The traditional wooden hotels are quite scarce but worth looking out for if you are happy with a less luxurious feel (not always cheap though and often in dark sidestreets.). Other forms of entertainment like belly dancing during dinner (oddly enjoyable) and Mameluke music together with experiencing the whirling dervishes as @Unicorn suggested are easily accessible to the interested visitor. Taxis are reasonably cheap and public transport useful though crowded. Beware of the suburban train services unless they have now decided to have doors on them!

 

I could go on but as you see I am an enthusiast.

[cany10011]

Definitely a fun place to visit. I stayed at the Four Seasons in the Golden Horn. Beautiful hotel, great terrace and near some really upscale carpet stores. I stayed 5 days in Istanbul and spent 3 days in Cappodocia and 2 days in Izmir... flew on cheap russian puddle jumpers which was a little scary and traveled on dirt roads in Ankara to get to our hotel in Cappodoia. ...good thing the bf knew how to drive stick shift. Used the Wallpaper guide to Istanbul as a guide. Traveled to Cappodocia and stayed in the Butterfly Cave hotel... wonderful romantic location and visited the various hidden churches in the area. Great time. Went in the spring when the weather was good and not many tourists so the christian churches in the caves were not well guarded so you can take nice pictures (which is usually a no no). Turkish guys are super hot...saw some hustlers in Taksim Square but they looked underfed and I was with my bf. Bought a beautiful silk carpet for one-tenth the price of the ABC store in Union Square, NYC. Enjoy Turkey! If the political situation remains stable, I'm planning to visit Antalya in summer 2020.

Edited November 21, 2019 by cany10011

[Rod Hagen]

it's been so long but the small four seasons that's in the famous former prison near H. Sophia is fantastic. There is, even closer to H. Sophia a cheaper hotel, not luxury, that has a really fun rooftop terrace for dinner and brkfst and a couple rooms that are so close to H. Sophia, that during the morning call to prayer your soul will try to leave you. I think it's called 7 wonders, something like that.

[+ Billsboy4]

Turkey is a fascinating country to visit. Besides Istanbul, there are alot of places to visit....Ephesus, Capadocia, etc.

[spacecowboy]

it's been so long but the small four seasons that's in the famous former prison near H. Sophia is fantastic. There is, even closer to H. Sophia a cheaper hotel, not luxury, that has a really fun rooftop terrace for dinner and brkfst and a couple rooms that are so close to H. Sophia, that during the morning call to prayer your soul will try to leave you. I think it's called 7 wonders, something like that.[/quote

 

It’s called the seven hills hotel, and the toof terrace is great as you said.

[Rod Hagen]

Yes, thank you Space Cowboy. Seven Hills is a very affordable hotel that I recommend

https://www.sevenhillshotel.com/

 

And if you need luxury, I recommend highly this very intimate four seasons:

https://www.fourseasons.com/istanbul/

[+ azdr0710]

it's been so long but the small four seasons that's in the famous former prison near H. Sophia is fantastic.

 

ok.....I'll post it.........

 

[+ nycman]

And if you need luxury, I recommend highly this very intimate four seasons:

https://www.fourseasons.com/istanbul/

A rare disagreement with my luxury top brother......

 

I prefer the Four Seasons on the Bosphorus: https://www.fourseasons.com/bosphorus/

The Spa is amazing and dinner overlooking the Bosphorus is a welcome break after a hectic day in Istanbul.

 

Admittedly, the one in Sultanahmet is in a much better location for tourism.

[scorpio1988may]

i've been there 3 times (first time was in the 1980s - when it was a military dictatorship and hyperinflation and no tourists - now it gets like 50m visitors)

last time was feb 2020 and the transformation has been incredible - still not as developed as western europe but better than the east with great subway and public infrastructure

the city core is very walkable so any comfortable / affordable hotel is good - i've stayed in different areas and found Taksim a bit loud with a lot of bars

as a lone male i never felt unsafe - but i did attract touts offering hook ups with women or inviting me to a bar - just ignore them and travelling extensively i know to always ask prices up front including from cab drivers

the sites are amazing - i love history and architecture and ephesus and cappadocia are not to be missed (in the 80s i saw families still living in the caves that are now $200 a night hotels!)

food is good and incredibly cheap and if ur looking for other diversions the younger guys are super hot - dress nicely and are fit and well groomed (odd but most men over 35 are pudgy and had a receding hairline - like they've just stopped trying)