Istanbul is grand. Istanbul is majestic. There is no other city like it. If you have not been to Istanbul, you are not born (a quote stolen from Punjabi for Lahore "O nai jummeya, Jinne Lahore Ne Wekhya")
We spent six nights and five days in Istanbul. This is the recap of our trip with guidance for the visitors-to-be.
Turkish Airline flies direct flights from Logan to Ataturk, and fares are cheap for a ten hour flight. Its cheaper than flying to London! They have a red-eye from Boston, plus you lose seven hours, and arrive late afternoon the next day.
Ataturk Airport is a very busy airport, and there are long lines to get to immigration. It can take several hours to get out. We had applied and received our Turkish visa online.
As you walk out of the baggage claim, you can get cash from the ATM machines. My bank does not charge any ATM fees, and the conversion rate at the ATM is close to the cash conversion rate anywhere in Istanbul. Although Euros and Dollars are accepted everywhere, I suggest carrying the local currency (Lira).
We stayed at Hotel Erguvan in Sultanahmet. Most hotels run taxi service, and someone will pick you up at the airport if you make prior arrangements with your hotel. You can also take the tram if you have energy left in you after a long flight (more on trams later).
Sultanahmet should be the place to stay as it is the most convenient place to launch all your excursions.
After we settled in our hotel on
Sunday night, we walked to the Hippodrome to get familiar with the area. We ate our dinner at a restaurant recommended by the hotel manager. Hotel managers at small family hotels are the most valuable resource you have. They will go out of their way to guide you.
Our agenda was museums, mosques, and Bosphorus.
We purchased two museum passes from
the Turkish-Islamic Museum at the Hippodrome (
http://museumpassistanbuldistributor.com). For eighty five TL, you can see a dozen museums. The pass is valid for five days, and once for each museum. The passes also let you skip lines at the museums. Children's entry is free if accompanied by a pass holder.
Monday
Most museums are closed on Monday.
It was a sunny day, and we decided to take the Bosphorous cruise. There are several options, but the cheapest and the most comprehensive tour is on the city's official commuter called Sehir Hatlari (
http://en.sehirhatlari.com.tr/en). Fare for each adult with museum pass discount was twenty TL. Kids are half the price. The Sehir Hatlari water bus starts at Eminonu. We walked to Eminonu (about two miles from Sultanahmet) by following the tram line. Sehir Hatlari tour starts at 10:30 AM, and they take you all the way to Black Sea.
Other ways to get to Eminonu is via tram (three TL per person) or via taxi (about twenty TL). Always ask your hotel to call the taxi, and always negotiate a fixed price with the taxi driver.
Sehir Hatlari will take about two hours, with about six total stops on the European and Asian side of the Bosphorous. There are numerous buildings and castles on both sides. We got off at the last stop - A Kavagi. Then we climbed a moderate hike to the Yoros Castle. This castle is at the opening of Bosphorous at Black Sea. You are about twenty miles from Sultanahmet. The last sea bus leaves at 4:30 PM, so you have about four hours to do this hike, eat, and relax before you head back to Istanbul.
We walked back from Eminonu to Sultanahmet through the spice Bazar, and then through Arasta Bazar. We prayed in Eminonu Mosque, then in Blue Mosque on the way.
We walked about seven miles on our first day in Istanbul (including the hike to Yoros Castle, and back and forth Sultanahmet-Eminonu). We walked to get a feel of the city. If you do not plan to walk this much then you can take a taxi or a tram.
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| The Bosphorous cruise starts: view of Eminonu |
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| Jelly fish abounds in Bosphorous |
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| Sehir Hatlari stops in Kanlica |
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| Final stop: A Kavagi |
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| Hike up to Yoros Castle: A cafe at mid point of hike |
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| Me too! |
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| Kids climbing stairs to Yoros Castle |
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| Yoros Castle |
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| A stray dog enjoys views of Black Sea |
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| A flower grows at Black Sea |
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| A bridge between continents |
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| More views on European side of Bosphorous: Chiragan Sarayi |
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| Dolphins abound in Bosphorous |
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| Dome of Eminonu Mosque |
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| Prayer times at Eminonu Mosque |
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| Three sixty of Eminonu Mosque |
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| Spice Bazar |
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| Tulips selfie near Hagia Sofia |
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| Sultanahmet Square |
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| Arasta Bazar : Deserted |
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| Dome of Blue Mosque |
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| Blue Mosque at Night |
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| Obelisk of Roman emperor Theodosius. He had it moved from Egypt (initially erected by a Pharaoh) |
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| Another structure in Hippodrome |
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| Sultanahmet Square at night |
Tuesday
Zain was running a fever, and on Tylenol since last Friday. All the Monday's activities made it worse for him, so we decided to split up on Tuesday. I went out to see some museums with Maheen, while Momina cared for Zain in the room, then when I was done, I stayed with Zain, and Maheen accompanied Momina.
We saw Museum of Turkish-Islamic Art, Hagia Sophia, Archaeology Museum, Museum of Islamic Science, Great Palace Mosaic Museum, and Ayasofia Kucuk. We walked to all these places as they are in the Sultanahmet area.
In my opinion Archaeology Museum is the best of all the above museums. The holy relics in Museum of Turkish-Islamic Art are quite unique and worth seeing. Hagia Sophia is majestic, and must be on everyone's list of places to see.
Topkapi is closed on Tuesdays.
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| Hagia Sophia artwork |
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| Me at Hagia Sophia |
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| Three sixty of Hagia Sophia |
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| Courtyard at Hagia Sophia |
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| Building outside Hagia Sophia |
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| Oldest Quran in Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts |
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| Blue Mosque: View from Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. |
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| Ayasofia Kucuk Mosque dome |
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| Mosaic Museum |
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| Front view of Hagia Sophia |
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| Archaeology Museum: Many thousand year old statues. This one seems to be from Persia |
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| Archaeology Museum: Roman statues |
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| Archaeology Museum: Soft face Medusa |
Wednesday
We planned all rainy days
for inside activities. We spent the whole day exploring Topkapi and the accompanying Hagia Irene. Zain was feeling better, and we headed to Topkapi. We entered the Haram first, which has the most impressive artwork. Haram is the residence of the Sultans, and a must see. Haram has an extra fee for people who do not have museum passes. Then we exit the Haram into the main area of the Topkapi palace. There are several rooms with relics and crowns/jewellery. Sword of Ali, Dress of Fatima (RA), and many many more holy relics are forbidden for photography.
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| Topkapi: Haram domes |
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| Topkapi: Haram domes |
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| Topkapi: Haram domes - the most beautiful room |
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| Topkapi: Haram domes |
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| Topkapi: Haram domes |
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| Topkapi: Yard overlooking Bosphorous |
Hagia Irene was a let down and can be skipped.
We walked out of Topkapi in Gulhane
Park. The park is full of tulips, and we saw storks building nests in trees. Museum of Islamic Science which is in Gulhane Park is also a worthy visit. The museum displays machines (and their replicas) built by scientists in Middle East while Europe was in dark ages. Zain took quite a bit of interest in this museum due to his fascination with science.
We walked back from Gulhane Park to hotel, then after some rest took a taxi to Taksim square. We walked down Taksim to Galata via Istiklal Cad., then to Eminonu, then to our hotel in Sultanahmet.
Taksim and Istiklal is a very busy place, full of people wandering aimlessly. This can be considered a bigger more modern Grand Bazar.
Thursday
We decided to visit the Eyup area, then walk back to Sultanahmet. We took a taxi to Eyup Sultan Mosque which lies at the tip of the Golden Horn outside the city walls. We prayed at the mosque and visited the grave of Abu Ayyub Al Ansari (RA). He died on siege of Constantinople in 674 AD.
We took a cable car from the mosque to the Golden Horn view point, then walked back down through the historic graveyard.
We walked from the mosque to Chora Church. This church in my opinion has better artwork than Hagia Sophia. Then we walked to the nearby Fathieye Church. This church is not as impressive as Chora Church and can be skipped.
We took a taxi to Shehzade Mosque. Shehzade Mosque is another majestic mosque rivalling Blue Mosque in grandeur.
We walked from Shehzade Mosque to Suleymanye Mosque. Suleymanye Mosque is a must see mosque. It seems bigger than Blue Mosque, and has unparalleled open views of Bosphorous and Galata Tower. We walked from Suleymanye Mosque down to Eminonu, then to Grand Bazar. Since I had no interest in shopping, I took Zain back to the hotel. The ladies turned up at hotel around 8 PM with some jewellery bought at the Grand Bazar.
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| Mosque of Abu Ayyub Al Ansari dome |
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| People praying at the grave of Abu Ayyub Al Ansari. You can see the grave from the window |
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| Golden Horn vista point. Cable car runs from bottom to the vista point |
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| The Eyup mosque from the graveyard |
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| Stray animals abound in Istanbul. They are everywhere and roam free. They are well fed and healthy |
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| Dome of Chora Church |
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| Another dome in Chora Church |
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| Saints of Chora Church |
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| Another artwork in Chora Church |
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| Fathieye Church |
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| Dome of Shezade Mosque |
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| View of Galata from Sulemaniye Mosque |
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| Sulemaniye Mosque vista point: Galata Tower |
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| More minarets of Sulemaniye Mosque |
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| Sulemaniye Mosque |
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| Sulemaniye Mosque dome. Largest dome in Istanbul. |
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| Three sixty of Sulemaniye Mosque |
Friday
We decided to visit Buyukada (pronounced Buke-adaa). Buyukada is the farthest of the Prince's Islands in Marmara Sea, South of Istanbul. Sehir Hatlari runs service from Kabatas. We took the tram from Sultanahmet to the last station (Kabatas) and then walked to the Sehir Hatlari sea bus terminal. The bus runs every couple of hour. We took the 10:30 AM service. The sea bus made several stops at the Asian side, and at other Prince's Islands to arrive at Buyukada. Total travel time is about two hours for four TL (about two US dollar).
Buyukada does not have any motorized vehicles. Only horse carriages and bicycles are allowed. However, there is no comparison with Mackinac Island. The company that runs carriages there makes the roads unsafe. Since there are no speed limits on the Island, the carriage drivers will run their horses as fast as possible to get more tourists hauled through the day. They will run over any
pedestrian in their way. They speed through busy streets. The horses are mistreated, starved, and beaten. The carriages share the roads with pedestrians and the bicycles.
There are plenty of places to eat in Buyukada, and food price is similar to that in Sultanahmet.
Before we knew about the dangers on Buyukada roads, we decided to rent some bikes, and ride around the Island. Its about ten miles ride, up and down some hills. You barely get to see the ocean due to private construction with tall walls. It took us about two hours to circle the island on the ring road. We were very careful and soon learned to co-exist with the carriages. We saw some roaming horses in the way, and some openings offered views of Istanbul and Marmara Sea. I will not ride bikes with kids on Buyukada roads again.
We bathed in sun while we waited for the next sea bus back to Istanbul. We arrived in Kabatas at 7 PM, walked up to Taksim, then down to Galata. We visited Galata Tower at night, then walked down to Galata Bridge. From there, we took the tram to Sultanahmet.
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| On our way to Buyukada on Sehir Hatlari |
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| Carriages and Bikes in Buyukada |
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| Plenty of free horses on roads |
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| View of Istanbul from Buyukada ring road |
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| Dolmabahce Mosque |
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| Dolmabahce Mosque: Dome and the biggest chandelier I have ever seen |
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| Istiklal Street. Busy and nothing special. |
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| Galata Tower at night |
Saturday
We took the tram from Sultanahmet to Ataturk Airport for our return trip to Boston. The tram journey from Sultanahmet to the airport is about one hour and costs six TL per person (there is a change in tram at Zeytinburnu). You see the city wall near Zeytinburnu station.
Since we did not have enough time, we skipped the Asian side of Istanbul for another day.
Tips
Get a hotel in Sultanahmet to save time. Get a hotel that has breakfast included to save time in the morning.
Get the tram card (Istanbulkart) ASAP to save yourself a lot of walking. Trams go everywhere and run frequently.
All public rest rooms are paid (one TL per person). You can use your tram card for rest rooms.
Sea buses to Asia, and to Prince's Islands, and even the cable car at Eyup/Golden Horn accept tram card.
Taxis are actually cheap for a party of four, but make sure you bargain and negotiate a fixed price (plus five TL for traffic).
Tips are welcome but not required.
Sometimes locals can be rude, and annoying, but do not take that as insult. It is a different culture from US. It is more like a Pakistani culture where people show emotions more openly. People will touch you and your kids to show affection. This is normal.
Do not take the carriage ride at Buyukada.
Sit on left side of Sehir Hatlari when going out on long Bosphorous tour. Sit on right side of Sehir Hatlari when going out to Buyukada. These positions will give best views of the city on the European side. On return trip, sit on opposite side to see the Asian side (less scenic).
It can get really cold in the sea bus. Sit inside, or bring warm clothes.
To capture the artwork at domes, bring along a wide angle lens (fish eye is the best).
