Important informations that you should know before travelling to Istanbul;
Before photographing the locals, you should definitely ask permission from them.
When you enter a house or a mosque, you should definitely take off your shoes. You should be very careful when choosing clothes before visiting the religious places of Istanbul. Short skirts, shorts and open hills are not suitable for city observations.
You can drink alcohol only in specially designated areas.
Don't forget to bargain in markets and bazaars. Sellers increase the price for tourists.
Before you buy anything, you should ask prices few different shops or search from the internet.
Do not drink tap water.
Stay away from street vendors.
Stay away from the vendors selling tours on the street, if you want to buy a tour, you should buy from the internet or tour agency.
Always have your passport with you.
Carry cash with you.
When you buy a plane ticket to go to Istanbul, choose Atatürk Airport because it is much closer to the city center. Sabihagökcen airport is far from the city center, so the transfer fee will be higher.
Air in Istanbul is generally hot during the summer months. Choose casual and sports outfits. Pick up a few winter clothes for the other months.
Don't go to every restaurant to eat and drink, usually choose the local people's choice or ask the local people for help.
Be sure to check the voucher when paying at the restaurant.
General Informations About Istanbul
Currency: Turkish Lira (TL)
Electricity in Istanbul: In Turkey the power plugs and sockets are of type F. The standard voltage is 220 V and the standard frequency is 50Hz.
Credit Cards in Istanbul: In Istanbul, you can use Visa, Mastercard, Maestro and American Express.
Using traveller's checks in Istanbul: Exchanging Traveller’s Checks in Istanbul is difficult and will come with very high fees.
Foreign currency valid in Istanbul: Dollar, Euro and Pound is most popular.
Lifestyle: Istanbul lifestyle is a vivid mosaic; juxtaposing the Occident and the Orient, the ancient and the modern.
Cuisine: Istanbul cuisine is renowned as one of the world's best. You can taste eastern and western dishes.
Weather: There are four seasons in Istanbul. (summer, spring, autumn and winter)
Time Zone: UTC +3 hours all of the period
Best Things to do in Istanbul
You should definitely take a Istanbul Bosphorus cruise tour One of the most important tourist activities in Istanbul, Istanbul Bosphorus tour
There are two options in the Bosphorus tour.
The long one, Black sea and Bosphorus cruise
The other is the Bosphorus tour and Turkish night
Historical tour in Sultanahmet Sultanahmet Square, also known as Old Istanbul, is an important tourist destination that has hosted many empires in history. In this region, you can see many works of Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman Empire side by side. The magnificent Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Blue Mosque are just a few of them. We recommend that take a Full Day Istanbul Ottoman and Byzantine Historical Sites Tour
Shopping at the Covered Bazaar The bazaar, known as the world's oldest trade center, is a real revival of color.
There are about 3000 shops in this magnificent market with a different atmosphere. You can buy carpet, gold, silver and magnificent home ornaments.
Visiting the Egyptian Bazaar in Eminönü For the locals, visiting the corn bazaar on weekends is like a tradition. The charming atmosphere and you can find quality and cheap all kinds of spices and food. As the name suggests, it is especially famous for its spices. Besides, you can buy a lot of food products such as cheese varieties, Turkish delight and dried fruits.
Climb up to Pierre Loti with the cable car Pier Loti has an excellent location overlooking the Golden Horn region, known as the Halic, also known as the Hill of Lovers. From here the gold horn is really a very different atmosphere to watch. You can also have tea and coffee at the café on the hill.
Go to Galata Tower and Take Photos Galata Tower, the oldest tower of Istanbul, is 63 meters high. The feature of this tower is not only its height. You can watch the panoramic view of Istanbul from the tower 360 degrees. At the top of the tower, which has a café restaurant, you can enjoy a drink with a unique view of Istanbul. Also the most beautiful Istanbul pictures can be taken at Galata tower.
Cruise to the Princes' Islands with Lunch If you want to escape the crowds of the city and plan a trip with nature in the cool waters, you should definitely take part in the Istanbul Princes Islands Tour
Istanbul palaces tour There are many magnificent palaces dating from the Ottoman period in Istanbul. With its interior and exterior architecture, you must visit these magnificent palaces that you have never seen before. Topkapı Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace , Beylerbeyi Palace and Çırağan Palace are the most important of these palaces.
Istanbul 4 (summer, autumn, winter, spring) is a city seen in the season. Summers are hot and humid, spring and autumn are usually cool and rainy, and winter is cold and rainy. Istanbul's average temperatures;
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Temp Min °C 3 2 3 7 12 16 18 19 16 13 9 5 Temp Max °C 8 9 11 16 21 25 28 28 24 20 15 11 Rainfall (mm) 109 92 72 46 38 34 34 30 58 81 103 119
Summer is the most visited seasons by tourists. But our advice to you is to visit in the spring or autumn. Because in the summer, the tourist areas are very crowded and you should wait a lot for visiting the historical areas. In addition, summer is a high season for Istanbul. The majority of hotels in this month are usually full and the prices of all activities are high. If you prefer spring and autumn for your trip, you will not encounter a very busy crowd and the prices of hotels and activities will be cheaper.
Is it safe to visit Istanbul 2019?
After the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, no incidents occurred in Istanbul. There were no attacks or terrorist incidents in Istanbul where millions of tourists arrived after 2016. As reliable as other countries in the world in terms of truism reliable in Istanbul.
Food & Drink Tips
When you come to Istanbul, you should try the food and drinks that we recommend.
Istanbul is a city where you can find all the cuisines of the world.
Do not go without taseting the world-famous Turkish cuisine, kebab, lahmacun, Turkish ravioli, stuffed leaves, stuffed meatballs, pancake, rotary meat (doner).
Do not go without taseting famous dessert of Turkish cuisine, baklava, donut sweet, kadayif, icecream, semolina and Turkish delight.
for the drinks Buttermilk, turnip juice, wine and raki should try.
Which airport in Istanbul is better?
The most important decision you will give before starting your trip to Istanbul is which airport. Because Istanbul is a very busy city about traffic. From the first day, you should consider our suggestions so that your trip does not return to a nightmare.
There are 3 airports in Istanbul. Now let us examine all the advantages and disadvantages to make your preferences easier.
1. Atatürk Airport: (It is no longer used.) The nearest airport is the city center. It is about 20 km away and you can reach Sultanahmet Square in 45 minutes. Due to the proximity to the city, the transfer fee will be lower. But air tickets for this airport are expensive.
2. Sabiha Gökçen Airport: It is 44.5 Km away from the city center. The city center is 1.5 - 2 hours away. Because of the long distance, the transfer fee will be higher. Flight tickets are cheaper than Atatürk airport.
3. Istanbul Airport: This airport is the largest airport in Europe. This airport is 47 km from the city center and has a high transfer fee to the city center. Air ticket prices are cheaper than Sabiha Gökçen and Atatürk airports.
How do I get to the Istanbul city center from the airport?
You can get to the city center from Istanbul Ataturk Airport by taxi, private transfer vehicles, airline transfer bus or metro.
There are no metro at other airports. You can use taxi, private transfer vehicles and airway transfer buses.
If you have received your hotel before your travel, you can negotiate with the hotel and get your private transfer. Because there is a very busy traffic in Istanbul, so if you prefer a taxi in Istanbul you can make a large amount of payment. if you choose airline bus transfer, You can have a nightmare in the traffic because it cannot get out of the route.
Istanbul is a very rich city about accommodation.
The most important accommodation area is Sultanahmet. In this area, you can find a pension, boutique hotel and luxury hotel. This region, which is the center of the city, is the most preferred region. Because Istanbul's most important historical structures are located in this region. If you choose a hotel in the Sultanahmet area you can walk to important historical sites on foot without paying a taxi or transfer fee. Accommodation prices are higher than in other regions.
The other area is Aksaray and Laleli, which are approximately 15-20 minutes away from Sultanahmet. Hotel prices in this area are cheaper. You can easily reach Sultanahmet square by using a tram. Be careful while you are choosing a hotel in these areas some hotels may not be suitable for families. Before choosing your hotel please read the comments about the hotel from the internet carefully.
Another area is Taksim. Hotel prices in this area are cheaper than Sultanahmet hotels, it is more expensive than Aksaray and Laleli hotels. It is a 30-minute drive from Sultanahmet Square. You can get there by metro. You can choose this area suitable for family.
The last recommended area is Karaköy and Galat. Hotel prices are also suitable in these areas. It is located in the middle of Taksim and Sultanahmet area. You can get there by tram or metro. For more information...
Istanbul: How many days needed?
There are many things to see and learn in Istanbul. So much so that once you go to Istanbul, maybe not to live, but to visit Istanbul again, you will call yourself. The name of this city, which has witnessed a great history, has been constantly changing throughout history.
Until today, the city was named Byzantion, Augusta, Antonina, Nova Roma, Constantinople, Kostantiniyye, Islambol and Istanbul.
It will be enough if you make a 3-5 day holiday plan to visit the city that smells of history.
Tips For Getting Around Istanbul
Because the traffic in Istanbul is very busy, traveling by car will really turn your trip into a nightmare. When planning your trip you should decide on accommodation very well. Although hotel prices are a bit expensive, choosing the Sultanahmet area hotels will allow you to visit the historical sites on foot. Another option is to choose hotels on tram or metro routes. In this way, you can reach the historical areas of Istanbul in a short time without traffic.
It is enough to buy Istanbulkart which is sold at the stations to use tram or metro. You can only get money for vending machines that do not require any documents or paperwork.
