3 Days in Istanbul.....

[nyyhoneybee]

...what would you do? I've read through some threads on here, but they seem to be more for one or two days at most. The trip I'm taking in April we will have 3 free days and I want to try to get some stuff planned for us!

 

It's a group of us in our 20's-early 30's who will be there for a conference the week before.

[cruisemom42]

My advice would be to visit the main Sultanahmet sites on Day 1.

 

Day 2: visit Chora church and the old city walls in the morning. Spend the afternoon in the new city (Taksim Square).

 

Day 3: Take the full Bosphorus river cruise.

 

I highly recommend Rick Steves' guidebook on Istanbul. It gives full details on all the main sites, as well as self-guided tours of the most important ones (Topkapi, Haghia Sophia, Chora Church, etc.).

 

If you're less interested in the modern city, there is also the world-class Archaeological Museum beside Topkapi Palace where one could easily spend half a day. Or visit a traditional Turkish bath (hamam). Or the Islamic Arts Museum.

[John Bull]

...what would you do? I've read through some threads on here, but they seem to be more for one or two days at most. The trip I'm taking in April we will have 3 free days and I want to try to get some stuff planned for us!

 

It's a group of us in our 20's-early 30's who will be there for a conference the week before.

 

 

Not mentioned on recent threads, (& there are more important places for the one-day visitor):

 

The ferries. Cheap & fun. Trad ferries more fun than the sea-buses. The hub is Eminonu, at the southern end of Galata Bridge. Wide choice of ferries, including:

Cross to the Asian side (mebbe 15 mins e/w)

Or to Prince's Islands in the Sea of Marmaris (give yourself half a day including an hour or two on Buyukada).

Or up the Bosphorus as far as R/Kavagi (european side) or A/Kavagi (asian side), spend a little time there & ferry back. Vaguely 3 to 4 hrs total. Mebbe do that one evening for a by day/ by night experience with dinner on-shore in between.NB not a "dinner cruise"

Or taxi to the Black Sea at Rumelifenen, a quick beer, & get dropped at the R/Kavagi pier for a one-way ferry back down the Bosphorus.

http://www.istanbultrails.com/2009/08/getting-around-in-istanbul-by-ferry-or-sea-bus/

 

An excellent engineering/transport museum a little way up the Golden Horn.

Super museum, extensive, wide-ranging, inexpensive, uncrowded. Trains & boats & planes & stuff. We came across it by accident while riding the ferry, which is the cheapest & easiest way to reach it. Ferry from near Galata Bridge (other side of the bus station) direction of Eyup, get off at Haskoy Park - you can see the outdoor exhibits from the ferry.

Wouldn't interest the mosque/palace/church enthusiast, but may be of interest to guys in your group. Closed on mondays.

http://www.rmk-museum.org.tr/english/index.html

 

Probably the best website on the 'net for an overview of Istanbul is

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/index.html

 

JB :)

[texancruzer]

Lucky you !!!!! We have visited twice ( both times overnighting while on a cruise)

 

We love Istanbul and found the people to be helpful and friendly. The food is really yummy and if you love to shop....well this is the place !

 

We had planned a hamam but time restraints forced us to miss it....... perhaps next trip !!!! So I say, go for the hamam !!!!! A true Turkish experience - which is what travel is all about.

 

There are also quite a few places to go in the evening...... dinner shows and also the whirling dervish performances.

 

So the more you research - the more things you will find to do and see....... so much that 3 days will be full !!!! Have a great trip !

[nyyhoneybee]

Thanks everyone! We will actually be there for 10 days, but I know that we will be pretty busy the rest of the days. I offered to go ahead and plan out the free days for at least 8 of us, if not more (there are about 30 people overall going).

 

Keep the suggestions coming, I'm taking notes! I plan on sending out an email today with some ideas and suggestions to start gathering ideas of what others want to see. I know I do want to do a haman for sure!

[Palmetto Lady]

You can't miss the Grand Bazaar!!!