I will be going to Istanbul for the first time at Easter and am looking for any recommendations for areas to stay in and budget hotels that are clean and safe. We'll want to do all the 'tourist' stuff but would love any recommendations for restaurants, bars or anything that might be off the tourist trail a little bit. We're flying into Ataturk on a Friday evening and leaving on Wednesday morning, so we have 4 full days in Istanbul.
Istanbul - first time
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We stayed at the hotel Hali. You might want to take a look at my trip report; click on my name to find it.
Hi
From my previous post:
Try the Hotel Alp - http://www.alpguesthouse.com. I didn't stay there but the owner gave me a tour. I was impressed with the fact you got a taste of the Ottoman style at a very reasonable rate. It's in a quiet street in the Old City, Sultanahmet. Walk to all major tourist attractions.
If you follow the street the hotel is on a short walk takes you to a charismatic restaurant where inexpensive food is accompanied by Turkish patrons smoking their narghiles and playing backgammon. The restaurant is open air so as non smokers we were not affected by the smokers.
Try airbnb.com for accommodation. I found a place about 2 minutes walk from the Galata Tower. I would suggest somewhere in Sultanahmet for Beyoglu as these are close to the sights.
Suggest you get a taxi from airport as you need to swtich trains if you are using public transport and it's about a 500metre walk through the city between them. I got lost. Check the taxi driver knows the place you want to go to before you get in the car.
There are the standard sites which any guide book will tell you about (Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar etc which are all well worth a visit). I also enjoyed the museum of modern art, we had a lovely lunch of fish sandwich from the boats next to the Galata Bridge (note, next to, not one the bridge where things are more pricey). I had a fantastic time drinking tea and playing backgammon in a little cafe somewhere but I couldn't tell you the name of it.
Thanks for the tips!
Are you allowed to smoke in bars and restaurants in Istanbul, then? I was under the impression it had been banned!
There is a fabulous radio programme on Istanbul on BBC Radio 4 although it doesnt cover accommodation:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pz4tg
ps: only 4 days left to listen to it.
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As far as smoking, I believe it is now banned in restaurants.
We stayed in the Sultanahmet; I think it best for a first-time visitor. It's the old part of Istanbul, with the main sights: the Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, Topkapi Palace, etc. Istanbul is a very spread-out city; be careful about the location of your hotel.
How much do you want to pay per night? And do you want a double room? I would avoid airbnb; some people have had bad experiences.
most attractive points are hagia sophia, topkapi palace and dolmabahce palace , to explore all sites one by one you may check http://www.packagetoursturkey.com and get reasonable package tour turkey with best price , we hope you enjoy in this unforgettable trip.
Istanbul is one of my favorite cities. You could check Venere.com or booking.com for reasonably priced hotels. The historic attractions are mainly in the Sultahmet district and that's where I stayed on my first visit. I would stay there again because it has atmosphere. The areas across the Bosporous are interesting but don't have the same charm.
If you like mosaics, visit the Church of St. Savior - the Chora Musem and then eat at Asitane Restaurant which is worth the price. They cook traditional Ottoman recipes and the food is delicious.
Make sure your hotel price includes breakfast because the jams, breads, coffees and cheeses are delicious.
The trams are easy to use and require tokens that you can buy at the entrances. I think they also have a card you can use to buy a few rides now.
The boat ride up the Bosporus is fun and not expensive if you don't use a tour. It takes you to a town near the Black Sea. You can climb up to a tower and have a great view of the Black Sea and surrounding area, and then eat a fish lunch at one of the many restaurants or grab coffee, etc. When the afternoon boat comes, you go back to Istanbul.
I didn't have a chance to go to Prince's Island but they are boats that will go there and you can spend a few hours exploring the area.
I think smoking in restaurants is banned. Many restaurants have outdoor seating spring-fall and that's where the smokers sit. This is true all over Europe too.