MAC
yes.
every one that says hello is not friend. they are selling something no matter how unlikely it seems at first.
go to the cistern. by the blue mosque and sophia museum.
MaaaD
Hello DF,
I am logging on from beautiful Istanbul ... what an amazing city .. i will update this thread with the must do's in this city .. but meanwhile if you have any tips please feel free to add ...
MaaaD
Okay so i spent a week in Istanbul and really wish i would have stayed there more ... here is a summary of the things i think you should not miss while in Istanbul
Istiklal Cadii : Its a road that starts at Taksim square and has many shopping outlets, restuarants, cafes, etc .. this street is buzzing till the wee hours of the morning everyday .. the street is also in the district with all the lively bars and clubs of Istanbul ..
Sultan Ahmet Camii: or what is known as the Blue mosque, a magnificent place of worship .. beautiful architecture and great location overlooking the bosphorus
Ayasofia: A church that was turned into a mosque and now a museum. Inside you can find drawings of the Jesus next to calligraphy with Muhammed's name on it .. very cool, but dont expect much in terms of a museum inside it was hosting a gallery when i was there but there isnt much more than the structure itself inside.
Topkapi Palace: The palace that was used by the Sultans of the ottoman empire a great museum with some really magnificent stuff from the Ottoman empire .. if anything this is one place you don't want to miss on a trip to Istanbul. I also recommend you visit the Harem quarters even though you have to pay extra to get to that part..
Bagdat Street: This is on the other side of Istanbul (the Asian side) its really good if you wanna see the un-touristy side of Istanbul and do some shopping... it also has a bunch of restaurants and bars.
Other than these .. you have to enjoy the turkish food i didnt have one bad meal in turkey !!! every restaurant has great food and you should try the simit from the street vendors just make sure its fresh. you can do cruises on the bosphorus which include dinner, belly dancer etc ... really fun !
As for the bad things .. Istanbul is pretty polluted and crowded and the traffic can get really bad !! (Dubai is nothing compares to Ist) ...
... what a great city , i look forward to going back !!
chocolat
Hey Maad,
I just came back from istanbul and really like that city. Although it was only for 3 days, i went to all the places u mentioned(thx for the recomendation) and tried all the public transportation there, tram, old metro, nostalgic tram, bus, taxi and also ferry :)
Day 1 : Hagia Sophia, bacilia cistern, sultan ahmet, hippodrome, gulhane park & archeology museum
Day 2 : Topkapi palace, Boattrip along bosphorus, ballon tour in kadikoy, baghdat street
day 3 : Dolmabache palace, Ortakoy, Galata Tower & Istiklal Street
if i travel back to turkey, i want to visit antalya & marmaris, it's a nice beach retreat i heard