Istanbul thoughts

[yvonneh]

We are looking at a Greece & Turkey cruise next summer with an overnight in Istanbul. Everyone says that Istanbul is one of the best ports, but I just don't understand what the attraction is? I know it is where East meets West and some of the history, but besides visiting mosques, what is there to do?

 

 

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[brunello22]

We are looking at a Greece & Turkey cruise next summer with an overnight in Istanbul. Everyone says that Istanbul is one of the best ports, but I just don't understand what the attraction is? I know it is where East meets West and some of the history, but besides visiting mosques, what is there to do?

 

 

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WOW, where do I begin? We spent 5-1/2 days in Istanbul last year pre-cruise (old town) and two more days (Asian Istanbul) post-cruise. So many people have the same thoughts about Istanbul ... yes, there are mosques ... there are plenty of mosques, but aside from the must-see sights, and of course you must see them, Istanbul is an ecclectic, fast-paced, cultural, and historic-meets modern city.

 

Of course, visit the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia, and other landmarks (these places are spectacular to see at nighttime), but also taste the wonderful street foods which are plenty on every street corner ... fresh baked simit, pomergranate, roasted corn, turkish delights, spice stores (they have strict regulations, so they are very clean and safe). Be sure to check out the "new" district and walk Istikial (spelling) street, visit Asian Istanbul (people here are more "western-ized"), take a ferry to Princes Island for the day (if time allows), see an authentic Dervish ceremony, drink apple tea and smoke from the hookah while playing backgammon, shopping (wonderful shopping ... visit Grand Bazaar and side-street markets), have sunset cocktails at many of the cities rooftop bars (many restaurants near the mosques do not serve alcohol). I could go on and on.

 

A good way to get a feel of the city is to take the hop on/hop off bus, located in the city center.

 

Remember, do not limit yourselves to only the historic landmarks ... immerse yourself in its culture, it is a wonderful city!

Edited July 7, 2014 by brunello22

[cruisemom42]

Visiting mosques probably accounts for the least amount of the time I've spent in Istanbul (3 separate visits and a fourth one upcoming this October). I find it one of the most fascinating cities in the world. It was the eastern capital of the Roman empire, then the capital of the Byzantine empire before becoming the capital of the Turkish empire.

 

Aghia Sophia (not a mosque but a museum) is one of the oldest existing churches. The current building is the THIRD church on the site and it still dates from around 550 AD. Beautiful architecture (including the amazing dome) and beautiful mosaics preserved on the second floor.

 

Several Roman cisterns can be visited, including the very atmospheric Basilica Cistern which also dates from the 6th century and has more than 300 columns supporting the subterranean vaults.

 

Topkapi Palace (including the Harem) gives some insight into how the Sultans lived, including a display of their wealth (gems, arms, etc.)

 

The Istanbul Archaeological Museum contains a lot of the best pieces excavated from western Turkey -- which played host first to some very important Greek colonies and then to some even more important Roman colonies. In my opinion it's very underrated and under-visited. They have a fantasic sarcophagus with a high relief scene of Alexander the Great that could easily take pride of place in the Louvre.

 

Many people opt for a boat ride on the Bosphorus, where you can see both the beautiful remaining Ottoman wooden mansions on the water and also the grand houses of the newly rich that are gradually replacing them.

 

Of course, there are mosques that (to my mind) are some of the grandest and most beautiful in the world -- the Blue mosque for its tiles but also the even more impressive Suleymaniye mosque, which just underwent a major renovation and is stunning.

 

There are several other Roman/Byzantine sites worth a visit: the Great Palace Mosaics Museum just beside the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome with its surviving monuments.

 

Or you can visit Chora Church with its extremely beautiful mosaics and then take the opportunity to walk along the ancient city walls nearby.

 

If you like shopping: Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar (also called Egyptian Bazaar) and Arasta Bazaar. (Those are listed in reverse order of how much I like them.)

 

Plus, Turkey is known for its excellent food. They have a wide variety of cooking styles, delicious fresh produce, and a very sophisticated use of spices that make Turkish food delicious. Walking across Galata bridge and sampling some of the fresh fish and local specialties is fun. Have you heard of Turkish ice cream (very different)? And simit, which is a bread snack that's a bit like a flattened bagel.

 

If you don't like historic sites, the modern part of the city (in a different area) is bustling and fun.

 

I could go on and on.....(and obviously I have). But to summarize, I have rarely come across someone who didn't enjoy a visit to Istanbul. It has something for nearly everyone and it's safe and easy to get around.

[Tommy3putts]

We just returned from an 11 night med cruise aboard Celebrity Refelction. The itinerary included an overnight in Instanbul. I can only say wow! I thoroughly enjoyed Istanbul. It is a wonderful city; fifth largest in the world. There is a ton to see an do. We enjoyed our brief stay there.

[kikki21]

I will echo everything what cruisemom wrote and more - Istanbul is a very visually beautiful city - to sail into and out of Istanbul at any time of day/night is just wow!

 

We totally loved it (apart from the hideous traffic jams!) but you get round that by travelling around in the fast and efficient tram service! We also waled in the old town area and we really enjoyed the food at Sarnic which is an underground cistern restaurant and lunch with a view at Imbat!

 

We did the touristy bits too and probably only did a quarter of what there is to see and do! :) definitely want to go back there one day!

[yvonneh]

All this information is fantastic, thank you so much everyone! I truly appreciate you taking the time to respond.

The Reflection 11 night is just the itinerary we are considering. :0)

[texancruzer]

We will be going back for our third visit via cruiseship next April……. can't wait. Istanbul is my second favorite city (after Rome)…….. the list of things to see and do is so long you have to keep going back :D

 

BTW: Our first visit was on Solstice, second on Equinox and this one will be the Reflection 11 nighter :) Love Celebrity Solstice class ships !!!! You can't go wrong.

[Hlitner]

My reaction is, where do we begin (but somebody else already said that ). So I have a sincere question for the OP. What are you looking for when you go to any port? Is it shopping? Hard to beat Istanbul's Grand (Covered Bazaar) and Egyptian (Spice) Markets for browsing (although we think there are much better shops/stores elsewhere.

 

Do you like to visit Churches (a favorite pastime for many in Europe)? Well you have Hage Sophia which was actually a church before it became a Mosque before it became a museum.

 

Do you like to visit Museums? Then you have Topkapi which is quite an interesting cluster of buildings with a world-class collection of various artifacts including the famous Topkapi Dagger.

 

Do you like to visit Palaces? Well, there is the Dolmobache Palace which is actually within walking distance of the cruise port if you like to take very long walks.

 

And by the way, some of the Mosques are quite amazing. We have visited the popular ones (like the Blue Mosque) but also walked into many other lesser known Mosques (when they would allow us to enter) and many were architectural wonders.

 

Do you like to try regional cuisine? Istanbul has all kinds of restaurants and some fascinating food stands, not to mention some excellent candy places.

 

We could go on and on. We have been to about 100 countries and many more cities around the world and Istanbul is certainly in our top 5 favorite cities.

 

Hank

Edited July 7, 2014 by Hlitner

[24butterfly]

We are looking at a Greece & Turkey cruise next summer with an overnight in Istanbul. Everyone says that Istanbul is one of the best ports, but I just don't understand what the attraction is? I know it is where East meets West and some of the history, but besides visiting mosques, what is there to do?

 

 

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You're kidding. Get a good guide book and check out what there is to do and see. I've been 4x and LOVE the city.

[Dididi]

OP,

 

We were in Istanbul last summer on an overnight stay aboard the Pacific Princess. Loved it! Just came back from a second, short visit earlier this week. We consulted the Rick Steves Istanbul book (actually written by two local guides) throughout our visits. Tom's Port Guides (google it) offers great advice and photos on how to get from the port to Old Town on the tram. Check them out.

 

On our cruise visit, we did not take a ship's tour but explored Old Town by ourselves. Blue Mosque (free), Hagia Sofia (it's a museum so there's a charge, but so worth it) and the Basilica Cistern (featured in one of the James Bond movies - a magical place). In the afternoon, we went to the Grand Bazaar looking for a knitting wool store. I had the name written down, and looking for the store took us on a wondrous, overwhelming adventure through the bazaar and nearby streets. After buying the yarn and some souvenirs along the way, we could not figure out how to get back to our starting point, so asked for directions to the tram every couple of blocks. This was a lot of fun. We ended up in the Spice Bazaar, three tram stops from our starting point and closer to the bridge and our ship.

 

On our second day, we went to the Archeological Museum in the morning. I studied the Alexander Sarcophagus in college, but it was bigger, more intricate, and in better condition than I ever imagined. The tile pavilion across the museum was beautiful too. We took the tram back to Kabatas (end of the line, past the port) and then took the one-stop ride up to Taksim Square to walk along the modern part of town. Among the usual stores, you can find local purveyors of turkish delights, scarfs (Ipek, recommended by Rick Steves) and ice cream (the stretchy turkish kind), and a lot of restaurants.

 

This year, on our way back to the States, we spent two nights in Istanbul. Turkish Airlines was fantastic (great food) and the price could not be beat (even if going east to Istanbul made our return flight longer). Right now it's Ramaddan (Ramazzan in turkish), and it might be during your cruise next year. I must admit that this made me a bit worried, but my turkish friends told me that the breaking of the fast in Istanbul would be a family friendly experience. It was.

 

After an early dinner (not all restaurants are open during daylight, including the famous koftesi (turkish meatballs that look like sausage links, yummy) place in Sultanahmet), we sat on a bench in front of the fountain between the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque (what a treat!). Lots of moslem families were setting up their picnic dinners on the grass all around. Street sellers were selling toys for children and snacks. At dusk, the lights on the Blue Mosque came on and there was an announcement re the end of the fast (could not understand but everyone began to eat after it). The Blue Mosque (and other mosques throughout the city) had signs wishing for a happy Ramazzan in lights. Music shows came on later in the evening.

 

On this second, short trip, we finally made it to the Topkapi Palace. The jeweled daggers and such did nothing for us, but the views and the airy pavilions were dreamy. Chora Museum/Church and its mosaics were worth the detour -- and we got to see the Golden Horn area and the city walls. Much more awaits our next trip to Istanbul, whenever that may be.

[yvonneh]

Thank you so much! I am convinced that we are going to love it too, and I am so thankful for your responses, advice, and suggestions. This helps me so much!! :)

[brunello22]

Thank you so much! I am convinced that we are going to love it too, and I am so thankful for your responses, advice, and suggestions. This helps me so much!! :)

 

Please write us back after your visit and let us know about your experience!

 

Happy travels!

[dmacp]

We are looking at a Greece & Turkey cruise next summer with an overnight in Istanbul. Everyone says that Istanbul is one of the best ports, but I just don't understand what the attraction is? I know it is where East meets West and some of the history, but besides visiting mosques, what is there to do?

 

I have been to Beijing, Tokyo, Paris, Rome, Cairo and many other places. Istanbul compares favorably to all of those cities. Art, architecture, history, food, and cultural experiences abound.

[rkhtex]

We will be having a layover in Istanbul next year. We arrive about 3 in the afternoon and leave around 10 the next morning. Is it preferable to get a tour guide to take us around (we are a group of 4 adults) or can we see things on our own. Basically we have only one evening. Any suggestions?

 

Thanks.