Advantages: So many wonderful sights, clean and easy to get around, reasonable prices Disadvantages: Smoking in some places put us off our meals
Istanbul sightseeing. This is a review of my experience and really there is so much to see and do you need to read a few of the great reviews on this site, as I did before we went in order to make your own mind up as to what you want to experience for yourself. There is no way I could go into depth about every sight, I have tried to create a desire to go and a taste of what is there. WHEN WE WERE IN ISTANBUL: We spent five days in Istanbul just before ... ...old Istanbul. (Another separate review) Istanbul is the only city built on two continents and split by the sea. The Bosporus is the section of water which unites the two continents and joins the Sea of Marmara to the Black sea. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: The first thing that struck me as we drove from the Airport to the hotel (apart from the speed and interesting lane changes) was the number of spring flowers along the roadsides. There was a mass of colour ...
catsholiday 27.05.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Fascinating, historic, romantic, magical, nowhere else like it Disadvantages: Must go at the right time, can be very busy
...of the world's biggest cities, Istanbul is almost too diverse and too historic to sum up in one review. One could spend weeks in this fascinating metropolis and still barely scratch the surface. The city is at once bewildering, enchanting and exciting and exploring it can sometimes feel like hard work but your efforts will be rewarded many times over. I can only give a very general overview of Istanbul here, it's unrealistic to think that one could ... ...about the city. Istanbul has a population of around 12 million - more or less; the authorities don't really know how many people actually live there because hundreds more people arrive from rural areas every day, many of them living in illegally built apartment blocks on the outskirts of the city (although Ankara has an even greater problem with this). It's known as the city where Europe meets Asia but that is a little confusing because what is geographically ...
fizzytom 05.04.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Feels very different with only a 3 hour flight Disadvantages: Not very restful - not a family holiday destination
...the Venice one immediately.
ISTANBUL - A UNIQUE PLACE
For one thing, it's the only city in the world that spans two continents. Indeed, if it wasn't for the fact that one third of its people live in Asia, it would knock London off its 'Europe's Largest City' pedestal by a few million souls.
In truth, the city is in three parts, two in Europe and one across the entrance to the Bosphorus in Asia. The two European parts are separated by a stretch ... ...Sea Of Marmara, and Asian Istanbul beyond completed the panorama.
PLACES TO GO - PEOPLE TO SEE
I don't suppose many first-time visitors to Istanbul would come away without a visit to The Blue Mosque. This is a magnificent structure, the second largest outside Mecca, I'm told, and daring to equal it with 6 minarets. To be honest, I found the interior rather disappointing. We went on a dull day, so sunshine wasn't pouring through the stained glass. ...
BNibbles 01.04.2005 (14.04.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Lots to see, friendly people Disadvantages: Very exhausting, wheelchair users will have big problems in getting around
...As I had visited Istanbul before my relocation and loved the city, I always made sure that this stop-over was not only going to happen there, but would also last a minimum of 3 days - rather then the usual 30 minutes pit-stop it would take to reach the UK, or anything between 1-8 hours, as in my case, to reach Germany.
With my husband being Turkish-Cypriot and having friends in Istanbul we didn't have to bother with accommodation.
"Lucky you" I ... ...To get around in Istanbul is fairly easy. If you have a centrally located hotel you can do quite a bit by walking. Make sure to wear very comfortable shoes, as the pavements are very uneven (a real killer with high-heels) and full of pot-holes, big enough to bury a cat inside.
The pavements are also very high, so crossing the road can be a bit of a climb and, if like us, you are travelling with small children, who still need a buggy, be prepared ...
fritzthecat 07.04.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: itīs very different Disadvantages: itīs very different
...Iīve wanted to go to Istanbul for yonks, but somehow never found the time in the ideal period for visiting this city which is from the middle of May until June when itīs not too hot yet and spring in full swing.
Last year around Easter the being responsible for the weather in Turkey hadnīt read our guide-book, though, we started from a wonderfully warm spring in Germany and landed in rainy and cold Istanbul (4° !) Divine inspiration had made me ... ...same time. Why Istanbul at all? I love Byzantine and Islamic art and the sound of the Turkish language. How can I know when Iīve never been to Turkey before? Well, I hear it every day, I only have to leave my house and go shopping or to the pedestrian precinct. Turks have lived in Germany since 1961 when the economy was booming, now there are about 2 1/2 million living here. My husband and I didnīt go with an organised tour, we went to a travel agency ...
MALU 10.05.2004 (30.09.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Different, value for money Disadvantages: Touts & tourists
...breakfast. My first view of Istanbul in daylight was wondrous. The Marmara Sea, on one side, covered in a haze as the sun did not fully manage to burn through the light clouds. On the other side of the hotel, the magnificent domes and minarets of Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque overlooking the scenery. Instantly I knew that I wouldnt be able not to return to this place at least once in my lifetime. GOING THERE I used expedia.co.uk to book my flight ... ...(it will get hot in Istanbul in summer!), you should consider a visit to the Sunken Cistern. It was built in AD 532, and is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in Istanbul. Nowadays it is used as a tourist attraction. When you walk down the stairs, you are met with a damp and cool atmosphere, quiet music and an almost eerie feeling comes upon you when you see all the rows of columns extending into the darkness. I looked down into the water, and ...
Yain 18.04.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Istanbul is a very diverse city with endless cultural sights and beautiful landscapes. Food and nightlife are excellent and very different to the rest of Europe. Disadvantages: Traffic is an absolute mess. It can be hard to find a park or green spot downtown. The souvenir dealers and "guides" in the touristic areas can be very annoying.
...this city and its people. Istanbul is so many things in one: a meeting place of cultures eastern and western, a historic battleground of Greek, Roman, Persian, Byzantine and Turkish empires, and a thriving metropolis with modern lifestyle and chaotic traffic. Istanbul is the unofficial capital of Turkey, and the only city that can claim to be part of two continents, Europe and Asia. At already over fifteen million inhabitants, it still keeps growing ... ...every day.
And yet Istanbul still has its quiet places, untouched by the hectic ongoings in the city, and undiscovered by the self-declared travel gurus of the Lonely Planet and Rough Guides. Be it a melancholic reminiscence of the old Constantinople in a silent spot on the Theodosian City Wall, or a moment of reflection in a small mosque on the Asian side, Istanbul provides plenty of space for inner and outer journeys far more than could be covered ...
From_The_Continent 18.02.2001 (21.07.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: As cheap as you like Disadvantages: Not well advertised
Istanbul is a city break to be done. It is a place where there is lots of sightseeing, shopping, eating, exploring and discovering. I love Istanbul and find that everytime I go I learn something new about the old city. With so much to do I promise myself each time that my next stay will for a longer period but I have yet to stay long enough to satisfy my hunger for this city.
I have stayed in two very different types of accomodation in Istanbul, ... ...On my last visit to Istanbul I stayed at a very simple hotel in Sultanahmet which was very clean and ideal for shopping as it was easy to access all areas from there. The square in Sultanahmet is quite spectacular with the mosques and a few tourist shops and adoreable places to eat which are rather quaint and friendly.
The accomodation was cheap more importantly clean and welcoming.
The joy of Istanbul is that the variety is so grand. You can shop ...
Saziye 09.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Great food, diversified cuisine and an amazing city Disadvantages: N/A
...some knowledge about restaurants in Istanbul and I hope you use it when you go. After all, It is a great city.
Check out Reina (www.reina.com.tr) and Sortie (www.sortie.com.tr). Both of these locations are nice locations by the Bosphorous. They both have several restaurants and bars so you can go for drinks in the afternoon, dinner and late night dancing. Both have amazing views. I recommend Dragon (Chinese), Park Samdan (International and Turkish) ... ...belly dancing, fun place) and Marca at Sortie.
Ulus 29 is one of my favourite restaurants. It has an amazing Bosphoros view and great food. Very classy and romantic place. Booking advised. I definitely recommend it. Turkish and international cuisine. (http://www.club29.com/ulus_intro.html )
You should also try a fish restaurant by the Bosphorus as well. I recommend Bebek Balikci, Eftalya (www.eftalya.net) or Kiyi (www.kiyi.com.tr ). Or if you want ...
ayalasaf 05.01.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Beggars hold out their hands in desparation as they sit outside the Topkapi Palace. Inside there are millions of pounds worth of emeralds, rubies and diamonds. An 84 carat diamond set in a gold mount and surrounded by 79 brilliants (these are what they call the relatively small stones that are worth little more than our average house) is displayed in a glass cabinet and the entire place is bursting with almost unseemly wealth. Meanwhile, the people ... ...Bridge and a child approaches with his entire stock of cigarettes (two packets) hoping to sell you one for a few pence profit. If he doesn't sell them quickly the rate of inflation will render them worth less than he paid for them. Have you seen the exchange rate? You get around a million lira to the pound, it was 30 when I first visited in 1979. Another child, or maybe an adult, offers to sell you a couple of raw fish displayed on a tea plate whilst ...
petehall 10.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Great food and wares Disadvantages: Crowded
The Grand Bazaar is a must for any tourist visiting Istanbul, but it's not a peaceful experience! The only aisle we didn't get harrassed to buy goods was in the Gold section - we obviously didn't look rich enough!
The Grand Bazaar attracts more tourists than any other market in Turkey - the store holders are very persistent and the goods will definitely be priced at tourist prices!
We visited the Spice Bazaar which is very close to the Grand Bazaar ...
zorro 10.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Princess Islands Disadvantages: Constant Haggling
I reccommend Istanbul as a must for any traveller. It is the most beautiful city that I have been to and i have travelled my share of the World. The highlights of this bustling city full of people has to be the Blue Mosque for me. Its amazing Architecture reaching back several hundred years is truly an amazing sight. The high domes and the intricate detail on the Inside with domes and arches merging into each other is truly a sight for any mathmetician/architect ... ...on ones face.
Istanbul also has the Great Topakapi museum. The museum holds great artifacts, ornaments and items of great value dating back thousands of years, a great day out for those interested in studying the history of this great city and the origins of the religion of Islam.
Just a ferry ride away is the magnificent Princess Islands. What amazed me most about these Islands was that there were no motorised transport allowed on it. The only ...
Yasman 19.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Loads of things to see and do in the city. Disadvantages: may not be much to do for children
Istanbul is the only city in the world which is on 2 different continents, Europe and Asia. The city is divided by a narrow channel which links the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
The city centre is in the European side of the town, and is a very lively area, with some great markets and shops, but an area called Taksim Square may always be remembered for the murder of two English football fans last April.
However, my personal experience showed ... ...The Asian side of Istanbul is not as interesting, but it was still enjoyable to wander around, and generally not as busy.
Istanbul, although not the capital of Turkey, is the cultural and commercial centre, with the busiest airport, an advanced motorway network which is otherwise undeveloped in Turkey, and the biggest port.
The hotel we stayed in was not brilliant, but there are some very good hotels in and around Istanbul, and overall I spent ...
Yeahmate 03.04.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: Delicious food, lots of culture, friendly people Disadvantages: Too many places to see
Istanbul is a fusion of the east and west, meaning its very cosmopolitan and westernised but has not lost its culture or traditions. Definitely a positive experience for any traveller from the West. Turkish people are famous for their hospitality, everyone's very warm and friendly. The food is delicious, pure pleasure for your tastebuds...And, of course, the prices are all fair.
If you want to stay in Istanbul, I recommend at least a weak, preferrable ... ...there. Nightlife in Istanbul is great, you won't be disappointed there either. Another pleasure is going to the tea gardens (Ulus is my favourite place), they have good tea, Turkish toasts and waterpipes with yummy flavours (Apple). Take a tour along the Bosphorus as well, and if you have time, visit Princess Island, you can go in the morning and come back in the evening, its beautiful there! And my favourite - breakfast in Istanbul! It is heaven...go ...
ciao_erikak 05.10.2004 (25.10.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
Advantages: A great city Disadvantages: Nothing really
Istanbul is a definate must to the travelling person. The historical background in this city is absolutely amazing!! When i went there we went on the bosphuros is which a must do because it is the chanel that separates the asian continent from the European one. With this you can then travel to the Bazaars and I strongly recommend that you go to the Spice bazaar and the grand bazaar. You can buy many things including fine turkish leather and some ... ...it's pitches and places to practise and play. Only members of the island are allowed to go there so it is quite special. So if you are in Istanbul I definatley recommend that you go on the bosphuros and that you go to the buildings and the bazaars. ...
Inferno 08.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Istanbul (Turkey)
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