Visiting Istanbul before cruise. Thoughts?

[juanarcin]

Wondering if you all have any suggestions or words of advice on traveling to Istanbul pre cruise. I leave out of Athens and am considering flying to Istanbul for a day and returning the day before we sail. Overall I’m curious on all your thoughts (due to your travel experience). Specifically I’m wondering your thoughts on safety in that part of the world and any issues that I am not considering. I’m making sure to fly back the day before we sail to avoid issues with flight delays, but besides this can you think of anything that can go wrong? want to have my bases covered before I start buying hotel and flight. Thanks!

 

In case the details help:

We sail on a Tuesday. The plan is to fly to Istanbul Sunday afternoon and fly back to Athens Monday afternoon. It's an hour and a half flight.

Edited February 25, 2016 by juanarcin

[Keith1010]

The reality is you will get different answers on the safety.

 

It is really a personal decision. No one can guarantee safety and certainly there have been some issues.

 

Giving yourself one day is wise.

 

Try to fly back on a morning flight so you have more flexibility but coming in the day before as you have planned is fine.

 

Have you been to Istanbul before? While shopping is interesting there if it was me my focus would be on all of the places you can visited from a cultural perspective rather than the shopping. For shopping I actually prefer Kusadashi but again for me Istanbul is mainly about the culture and the sites to see.

 

Keith

[juanarcin]

The reality is you will get different answers on the safety.

 

It is really a personal decision. No one can guarantee safety and certainly there have been some issues.

 

Giving yourself one day is wise.

 

Try to fly back on a morning flight so you have more flexibility but coming in the day before as you have planned is fine.

 

Have you been to Istanbul before? While shopping is interesting there if it was me my focus would be on all of the places you can visited from a cultural perspective rather than the shopping. For shopping I actually prefer Kusadashi but again for me Istanbul is mainly about the culture and the sites to see.

 

Keith

 

Thanks Keith, this would be my second time in Istanbul. I agree with you, but we wanted to shop and have a more relaxing day due to the port heavy cruise we will be taking a few days later. We plan on being very tired after all the amazing Med ports! So Istanbul, while I agree has lots of culture to see, we want to take very easy.

[John Bull]

Thanks Keith, this would be my second time in Istanbul. I agree with you, but we wanted to shop and have a more relaxing day due to the port heavy cruise we will be taking a few days later. We plan on being very tired after all the amazing Med ports! So Istanbul, while I agree has lots of culture to see, we want to take very easy.

 

That fits in very well with travel advice.:)

 

Whilst the risk of being involved in another Istanbul atrocity aimed at tourists is very low, all agencies suggest that folk avoid being in large groups of tourists. That's more than a little difficult for those wanting to tour the sights such as the Blue Mosque & Aya Sofia, but very much easier with your laid-back plans.

 

JB :)

[Clarea]

Thanks Keith, this would be my second time in Istanbul. I agree with you, but we wanted to shop and have a more relaxing day due to the port heavy cruise we will be taking a few days later. We plan on being very tired after all the amazing Med ports! So Istanbul, while I agree has lots of culture to see, we want to take very easy.

I think that's a good plan.:)

[Hlitner]

There are too many bad actors in the world, and one does need to carefully gauge risk. Turkey is a fascinating country that DW and I have enjoyed on many occasions, and we expect to be back in Istanbul at the beginning of April. Sure, there is a risk, but we also routinely are in New York City (DD lives in the East Village) where one could argue there is a greater risk. DW and I have followed a philosophy is based on our love of travel and our decision not to put ourselves in a prison of our own making.

 

Regarding the OP, not sure we would fly to Istanbul for 1 day/night as flying is more of a hassle then the Turkish merchants :). Most of the decent markets are closed on Sunday which makes it our least favorite day to be in Istanbul....so the idea of flying to the city on a Sunday and returning on Monday would not be an attractive option. And another factor is that Athens has a fun Sunday flea market in Monastiraki so we actually enjoy Athens more on a Sunday then Istanbul. As to the security issue, it would be a complete non-issue (for either Athens or Istanbul) unless circumstances change in the next few weeks/months.

 

Hank

Edited February 25, 2016 by Hlitner

[juanarcin]

There are too many bad actors in the world, and one does need to carefully gauge risk. Turkey is a fascinating country that DW and I have enjoyed on many occasions, and we expect to be back in Istanbul at the beginning of April. Sure, there is a risk, but we also routinely are in New York City (DD lives in the East Village) where one could argue there is a greater risk. DW and I have followed a philosophy is based on our love of travel and our decision not to put ourselves in a prison of our own making.

 

Regarding the OP, not sure we would fly to Istanbul for 1 day/night as flying is more of a hassle then the Turkish merchants :). Most of the decent markets are closed on Sunday which makes it our least favorite day to be in Istanbul....so the idea of flying to the city on a Sunday and returning on Monday would not be an attractive option. And another factor is that Athens has a fun Sunday flea market in Monastiraki so we actually enjoy Athens more on a Sunday then Istanbul. As to the security issue, it would be a complete non-issue (for either Athens or Istanbul) unless circumstances change in the next few weeks/months.

 

Hank

 

Thanks for the advice. These are all things we took into consideration. In fact the reason we decided to do it these days was that I believe things will be closed in Athens on Monday due to a holiday (the trip is is June). the flight we don't see as that big of an issue since we have a hotel room already booked in Athens, so we can easily just leave our luggage and fly with just a backpack with toiletries and clothes for the next day. so hopping on and off a hour and a half long flight seems more manageable that way.

 

And I see what you mean about things being closed on Sunday in Istanbul, but we are actually leaving Sunday afternoon around 6pm, so we can still enjoy Athens on Sunday and pretty much just show up to Istanbul for Dinner. then the next day spend the day shopping while things in Athens are closed. And head back on a 6pm flight. It sounds doable and not too intense, I just hope I'm not underestimating the amount of effort I need to pull this off.

[whogo]

Is it too late to fly from LA to Istanbul and from there to Athens? You have at least one more flight than I would want to take. Flying to and from Istanbul for a one day visit does not appeal to me at all.

 

The chances of getting caught in a terrorist attack anywhere is remote. Take the usual precautions.

[cruisemom42]

For me, I would not have particular concerns about safety in Istanbul other than being sensible and perhaps avoiding large groups of tourists.

 

However, I'm not sure I'd want to fly there and back just for a day. Sure the flight is short, but you have to pack (at least something), add the time to get to/from airports -- and in Istanbul traffic is terrible -- and add the time you have to be AT the airport in advance of flying, etc.

 

I realize it's a holiday in Athens. I might consider doing something like going to Piraeus and taking a ferry to Aegina for the day. Just easier and very low key, which you said you're looking for....

 

Or find a local beach.

[Keith1010]

Glad you have been there before.

 

In the end you have to make the decision about safety. No one can promise you whether or not there would be an issue. It is sort of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. The odds say you will be fine, but......you just never know.

 

As others said to me it's a lot of work to fly in and out for one day. For me it wouldn't be fun. But you are not me and I am not you.

 

Wishing you the best no matter what you decide.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

For me, I would not have particular concerns about safety in Istanbul other than being sensible and perhaps avoiding large groups of tourists.

 

However, I'm not sure I'd want to fly there and back just for a day. Sure the flight is short, but you have to pack (at least something), add the time to get to/from airports -- and in Istanbul traffic is terrible -- and add the time you have to be AT the airport in advance of flying, etc.

 

I realize it's a holiday in Athens. I might consider doing something like going to Piraeus and taking a ferry to Aegina for the day. Just easier and very low key, which you said you're looking for....

 

Or find a local beach.

I agree, seems like too much for just one day.

[JMorris271]

Going to Istanbul these days,, no way. It has been a lovely city in the past though, until the bombing started. Good kabobs.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Many of the ships have now dropped Istanbul from their itineraries.

We went over there 4 days before our cruise many years ago -- sure glad we did as I would not go back there now.