Going to Istanbul, what to do?

[M.D. Holloway]

I'm going to spend a few weeks in Istanbul. Any things to do, pay attention to, avoid (besides the prisons?)

[stevej37]

Travel light.

[72doug2,2S]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Travel light.

Exactly my thoughts

[Steve Carlton]

You could get some home remodeling ideas.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Originally Posted by stevej37

Travel light.

That movie scared the absolute ***** out of me when I was too young to watch it. May be why I never messed around too much with pot or other drugs, besides alcohol. I don't travel much, so no good recommendations from me other than to 2nd the no prison or smuggling advice.

[Steve Carlton]

[Rick Lee]

Don't go to the Saudi embassy.

[pwd72s]

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293974-Activities-Istanbul.html

[TimT]

Check out Constantinople while you're there... its close..

[unclebilly]

^^^ Ha. Beat me too it.

[Steve Carlton]

Nicely played!

[LWJ]

I have been twice recently. I absolutely recommend hiring a guide the first day. You will see so much of the city and get a solid foundation to work with for the rest of your trip.

It will be like being Bezos wealthy. The exchange rate was $1 USD to 28 Lira last I checked. It was 1:4 my first trip in 2019.

Turkiye/ Turkey is one my most favorite trips I have taken. Istanbul was a city when Paris was a village. It was also the seat of 4 Empires (pretty sure on that one!)

The food is great. The people are tolerant (for the Middle East). The hairplug industry is booming. What’s not to love?

DM me if you want to know more. I can easily recommend our Guide as well. We hired him both times. We have now met his family. And we are solid friends.

You will have a spectacular time!

[Bill Douglas]

And Greece is only a short boat ride away if you don't like it.

I'd concentrate on the kebab houses. The food must be amazing if the westernised stuff is pretty darn good. Just remember, no running around naked and/or smoking dope.

Edit: Greece is fine with running around naked and/or smoking dope

[jcommin]

Originally Posted by LWJ

I have been twice recently. I absolutely recommend hiring a guide the first day. You will see so much of the city and get a solid foundation to work with for the rest of your trip.

It will be like being Bezos wealthy. The exchange rate was $1 USD to 28 Lira last I checked. It was 1:4 my first trip in 2019.

Turkiye/ Turkey is one my most favorite trips I have taken. Istanbul was a city when Paris was a village. It was also the seat of 4 Empires (pretty sure on that one!)

The food is great. The people are tolerant (for the Middle East). The hairplug industry is booming. What’s not to love?

DM me if you want to know more. I can easily recommend our Guide as well. We hired him both times. We have now met his family. And we are solid friends.

You will have a spectacular time!

A work colleague just came back from there with a new head of hair. $2K for his transplant.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by LWJ

I have been twice recently. I absolutely recommend hiring a guide the first day. You will see so much of the city and get a solid foundation to work with for the rest of your trip.

There it is...if you don't know a local, hire a local for a fam hop.

I was in Istanbul in the 90's so I am glad you posted, LWJ. I really enjoyed the city (I was with a Turk) but my references would be 30 years old!!!

[jcwade]

Don't miss the cistern.


It is in the plaza between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.


The Suleiman Mosque.

Also the Topkapi Palace, it has a great view of the Bosporus.



If you can get away for a day or two, visit Troy. Absolutely fantastic, except for the cheesy wooden horse just outside.

[Otter74]

I loved, loved, loved Istanbul. I spent a week there in ca. 2014 and walked everywhere. I'm not sure I'll be able to contribute much that others won't already, but a couple of things that come to mind:

Go to a place on the Asian side in the Kadıköy Market called Çiya Sofrası. I think there are like three next to each other, all with a different focus - I mean the one that is sort of a cafeteria-style mezze place. The food blew me away. I already had an inclination towards food from that corner of the world, but the trip (and that restaurant in particular) is what made me start cooking Turkish food at home. They were all started by a chef and writer named Musa Dağdeviren, who spent a lot of time diving deep into regional Turkish home cooking, and showcases all of this at his restaurants. I didn't learn of this place until I was already in Istanbul and read a New Yorker article that a friend sent my partner while we were there.

Aside from the main bazaar, I recommend stopping by ordinary neighborhood bazaars or outdoor markets if you happen to see one. They're a different experience than the main one, and they're where a lot of normal people shop.

Walk as much as you can. It's a wonderful city for walking.

[p911dad]

My wife and I spent some time in Istanbul a few years ago and roamed around on our own and did some cool stuff. One day we hired a local guide, well worth the money!
One was a visit to a Turkish Bath, which she wanted to do and i didn't. So we took a streetcar to that neighborhood and roamed around until we found it. There is a men's and women's separate sides and we entered our respective side. There were individual locker rooms. I went into the spa and soon got naked for the ritual. The attendant poured warm water over me to get ready for the massage on the very large heated marble slab (like 12' X 12'). Then on to a steam room with my towel to sit for a while (surrounded by grumpy looking mustache Pete kind of old guys). Then on to a sauna and then a cold plunge pool in a grotto which look to be carved out of solid rock, very amazing. On to an individual shower and back to the dressing room and out. My wife had a similar experience.

[M.D. Holloway]

I was wondering they had Turkey in Turkey?

[Hugh R]

Take a bus tour around the City Perimeter and see the extent of the walls. Plus one on the Cistern.