Our (long) DIY experience in Istanbul with pictures

[happytravelleruk]

Thank you. Believe me, a few years ago I didn't take any notice of accessibility either! Istanbul seems like a great place to visit.

[Thailander]

Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures and your travel path. We are heading to Turkey for 2 days in November and I was really unsure of how to see Istanbul. Now you have me thinking and since everything is so close together is sounds like we may be off on our own.

[AttilaTheFun]

Thank you for sharing these wonderful pictures and your travel path. We are heading to Turkey for 2 days in November and I was really unsure of how to see Istanbul. Now you have me thinking and since everything is so close together is sounds like we may be off on our own.

 

That's great! With some research and a good map, it's a fantastic place to do on your own.

[Lovemychoos]

Thank you so, so much for all this info. We are in Istanbul for a day and a half next month, and found ourselves looking at the organised tours and trying to decide which one to go on, when in fact we didn't really want to do any of them,lol.

 

I have copied and pasted your text part of your review, and I will study this before we go, and take it with me for further reference.

 

Again, thank you for all this info - very much appreciated

 

Louise

[ascatalano]

Attila, thanks so much for posting your DIY trip and your beautiful pictures! We'll be in Istanbul for a day in June and your post has been really helpful.

[AttilaTheFun]

Attila, thanks so much for posting your DIY trip and your beautiful pictures! We'll be in Istanbul for a day in June and your post has been really helpful.

 

I'm glad to help out :)

 

Enjoy your trip! Wear shorts!

[Thailander]

We did Istanbul on our own when we were there in November. It is a magnificent city, and I wish we'd had longer than the 1.5 days that the ship docked.

 

Thanks for the information again it really helped to make our trip so enjoyable!

 

My only thing is to be extra careful on the trams as they were quite busy each morning when we left the ship and sometimes you didn't have anything to hold on to! But it is all in the experience :-)

 

Hopefully we will be back to Istanbul again soon.

 

Shannon

[jklc123]

Hello Shannon

 

We will be in Istanbul next Nov. What was the weather when you were there? And was it still very busy with tourists?

 

Linda

[Lady Anna & Sir Troy]

I loved your review and the pictures were amazing! We went to Istanbul a couple of years ago for a week and are coming back on a cruise ship for two days in March. We too found Istanbul very easy to diy and walked or took a tram almost everywhere (we did take a ferry to the Asian Side). I didn't find the Grand Bazaar to be my cup of tea either, but loved the Spice Bazaar and small shops just outside the Spice Bazaar. Shame you didn't make it to Topkapi, if you go back I can highly recommend a visit including the Harem section which we found was the most interesting part.

 

We were there in late November and found the weather beautiful. It was felt like it was in the mid sixties F during the day getting down to the fifties F at night. We often often tied our jackets to our waists and had them on by 4pm. We also went on the ferry to the Asian side and stayed inside on the way there in the morning, but had no problem sitting on the top on the way back in the mid afternoon. We are from Minnesota though and it was 40 F when we left home to come to Istanbul. Those coming from warmer climates at this time of year may find it cold (like Arizona, US for example).

 

L.A.S.T.

[Thailander]

Hi Linda,

Just like Lady Anna said in their post, it was quite nice this past November. It was a little breezy.

 

We had the opportunity to see Istanbul twice on our cruise, once as we sailed the Bosphorus to access the Black Sea and again for two days when we made our way back to Italy.

 

The day we sailed through it was raining but I was still out in a light sweater and didn't worry too much about getting a little wet.

 

The other two days we were there were beautiful. Where we are from (Calgary Canada) they were having snow storms, so it was warm enough that we just wore light jackets and scarfs as it was windy.

 

There is too much to see in Istanbul in two days, so I can hardly wait to go back.

 

The one great thing about November is we did not have to stand in line for anything! There are not nearly as many tourists at that time of year and we had no problems accessing the major sites. We just walked up to Hagia Sophia and paid the admission price, same with the Cistern. The Bazzaar was rather empty which made bartering easier (not as many people to sell to so if they can sell it they will).

 

If you plan on visiting the Blue Mosque, I would recommend looking up the times for the prayers for the day, otherwise you may loose a lot of time waiting as they close it to tourists during prayer time as it is still an active Mosque.

 

Be sure to find a cafe and have a cup of Apple tea. It was one of our favourite things in Istanbul.

 

If you have any other questions just let me know :-)

 

Hope you enjoy your trip Linda!

 

Shannon

[maryann ns]

As for timing around prayers, we just went first to the Blue Mosque and it was prayer time so we made the three? minute walk to Hagia Sophia and visited there. We were also there in November, so while there were lots of people, it was not crowded.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the report!

[ttnc4me]

Fantastic review. Thanks so much!

[April Jewel]

Thanks for a wonderful report and pictures. We are looking at doing Istanbul on our own in August and you have given us some great tips

[AttilaTheFun]

Glad people are still finding my advice helpful :) Coming up on the 1-year mark since our visit and Istanbul is still a place I'd love to visit again someday!

[homeinboca]

Glad people are still finding my advice helpful :) Coming up on the 1-year mark since our visit and Istanbul is still a place I'd love to visit again someday!

 

Thanks for posting the great review and wonderful pictures. We are visiting Istanbul on the new Royal Princess this summer, and very excited to visit this exotic city for the first time. We are a group of 8 people and have hired Lale Kosagan to be our tour guide for the day. We really wanted to have someone tell us the history and stories behind all the places we'll be visiting. I've heard wonderful things about Lale and looking forward to a great day.

[ascatalano]

Hi Attila- Thank you again for this wonderful review- I keep coming back to it as we plan for our upcoming cruise. I was wondering- did you (or anyone else reading this) happen to buy and spices or teas while there? If so, were you able to bring them back into the US? I know customs can be fairly particular about what qualifies as food or produce that could be brought back into the US, so I want to make sure that if we buy something we can actually bring it home! Thanks again, and we so love your photos!

[AttilaTheFun]

I was wondering- did you (or anyone else reading this) happen to buy and spices or teas while there? If so, were you able to bring them back into the US? I know customs can be fairly particular about what qualifies as food or produce that could be brought back into the US, so I want to make sure that if we buy something we can actually bring it home! Thanks again, and we so love your photos!

 

We bought some apple tea, but I think it's just a powder that you dump into water (we still haven't tried it yet :o). However, this list from US Customs and Border Protection lists tea and spices as generally fine to bring back, with a few exceptions:

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/kw/can%20I%20bring%20in%20spices/session/L3NpZC8zRlRpc0hvbA%3D%3D

[ascatalano]

Thanks! I should have looked that up myself but didn't even think of it! :)

[Roo]

Glad people are still finding my advice helpful :) Coming up on the 1-year mark since our visit and Istanbul is still a place I'd love to visit again someday!

 

Hi and thanks for your informative and colourful post. Do you or anyone else have any suggestions what to do other than the usual big sites? We were in Istanbul a few years ago and spent an intensive 2 days with and without a tour guide.

 

We will be there again this Fall and wanted to look at short day trips or travelling out of Istanbul and staying there for 2 nites and touring in the vicinity. The thing is - we don't want to travel too far as on the return day, our flight is early from Istanbul. Cappadocia is out, soooooo any other suggestions where to plant ourselves for the few days?

 

Thanks in advance.

[GradUT]

It's hard to make a suggestion without knowing your interests. If it were me, I'd go to Gallipoli.

[AttilaTheFun]

Hi and thanks for your informative and colourful post. Do you or anyone else have any suggestions what to do other than the usual big sites? We were in Istanbul a few years ago and spent an intensive 2 days with and without a tour guide.

 

We will be there again this Fall and wanted to look at short day trips or travelling out of Istanbul and staying there for 2 nites and touring in the vicinity. The thing is - we don't want to travel too far as on the return day, our flight is early from Istanbul. Cappadocia is out, soooooo any other suggestions where to plant ourselves for the few days?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Sorry, we had such a short amount of time in Istanbul that we could only see the major sights. Maybe try starting a new thread looking for advice, although a guide book may provide more options.

[frogsgirl]

Going to Istanbul in October & your review has raised our excitement levels up a notch!....thank you:)

 

Can I ask how you found the restrooms, was there a charge? would you recommend going to a cafe for a comfort break? :o

 

Thanks again:)

[maryann ns]

One of my most memorable washroom experiences ever was in the public ones underneath the Blue Mosque as the speakers piped in the call to prayers. We walked over and visited Hagia Sophia while waiting for prayers to finish.

 

This washroom had diagrams to show which were squat toilets and which were sit down ones.

[frogsgirl]

One of my most memorable washroom experiences ever was in the public ones underneath the Blue Mosque as the speakers piped in the call to prayers. We walked over and visited Hagia Sophia while waiting for prayers to finish.

 

This washroom had diagrams to show which were squat toilets and which were sit down ones.

 

Yikes....squatting?:eek: I know I know my western toilet concerns are probably very prudish! I know it's not the greatest topic but I would appreciate any hints & tips for clean (clears throat), :o sit down facilities....