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In my opinion, any argument centred around what is the greatest city in the world must involve Istanbul. A city rich in culture, it is no surprise it was the third most visited European city in 2017, below only London and Paris. The atmosphere around the city is unique, from the bustling markets and bazaars to the little coffee shops situated down the small alleyways. There is so much to see and do in this cultural marvel, you will leave feeling like you needed more time there. Personally, I left Istanbul with a belly full of delicious food and an urge to return as soon as possible. This Istanbul Travel Guide will hopefully help you in some way to see the best of an amazing city, eating the best food available whilst you are at it.

Currency Converter – 10TL = €1.50/£1.30/$1.75

Getting In

Being the city of choice for most tourists visiting Turkey, you are more than likely going to arrive in Istanbul by air. Istanbul is served by three major international airports, Atatürk, Sabiha and the newly opened Istanbul New Airport. All three offer easy access to the city using public transport. Whilst Atatürk Airport is on metro line 1, Sabiha only has one mode of public transport to reach the city. Havabus run a regular bus service from both of these airports to a couple of different locations in central Istanbul. Buses also run every 30 minutes from both airports to Taksim and Kadikoy. From either of these locations, the metro or tram line will get you to where you need to go. Istanbul New Airport is connected to the city by two metro lines, one of which will take you right into the heart of Istanbul’s Taksim area.

Where To Stay

Istanbul is a huge city, choosing to stay in the right area is vital. With the Bosphorus running through the centre of the city, you have 3 main options to choose from. Firstly you have the Fatih area of the city. This is close to all the “main” tourist attractions such as the Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. You are also more likely to find restaurants here designed for tourists (with staff standing outside trying to get you in). Then there is Kadikoy on the Asian side of the river. This area is nice with quite a few restaurants, bars and cafés around. It is quite atmospheric on this side of the water, though you are a boat or metro ride away from most attractions in the city here.

My recommendation is the Galata area of the city. Across the Galata bridge from the Fatih area and a boat ride to Kadikoy, Galata is close to Taksim Square and in walking distance to Beşiktaş. This puts you right in the middle of everything. A short walk, either way, will get you to the sights you want to see and the delicious food you should be eating. The area is also on top of quite a steep hill so the views from any terrace can be spectacular. Istanbul is a very pedestrian friendly city though and it also has excellent public transport. None of these three areas leaves you secluded. I just feel that the Galata area has the best atmosphere with quite a local feel in parts and is a perfect base for exploring the city by foot.

When To Go

Istanbul experiences hot summers and cold winters. The summer months can be extremely hot, making the city quite unbearable to walk around. Snow is common in the winter time, which of course is not ideal. I would recommend visiting in either spring or autumn. March to May and September to November are the perfect times to visit. The weather is comfortable with the right clothing and won’t stop you from doing and seeing all that you want to do.

Useful Phrases

English is not commonly spoken by locals, so it is a good idea to know some Turkish words and phrases before going.

Hello – Merhaba (Pronounced Mare-Ha-Ba)

Please – Lütfen (Pronounced Lut-Fen)

I don’t speak Turkish – Türkçe bilmiyorum (Pronounced Turk-Jeh Bill-Mi-Yor-Um)

Do you speak English? – İngilizce konuşur musunuz? (Pronounced Inn-Gliz-Je-Con-Muz-Un-Nuz)

How much does it cost? – Ne Kadar? (Pronounced Nay-Ka-Dar)

Yes – Evet (Pronounced Ev-et)

No – Hayir (Pronounced Hi-Ear)

Thank You – Teşekkür ederim (Pronounced Te-Sh-Qu-Err-Ed-Err-Im)

Tea – Çay ( Pronounced Chai)

Coffee – Kahve (Pronounced Ka-Vay)

One – Bir

Two – Iki (Pronounced Ik-Ye)

Three – üç (Pronounced Uch)

What To Do

Grand Bazaar

The best place to go for all your shopping needs and more. There is said to be over 4,000 shops spanned across 61 covered streets in the Grand Bazaar. At times it can feel like a maze, especially as you find yourself walking past the same shop for the tenth time. It is a great place to visit though. You can find so many amazing items here from Turkish rugs to chandeliers and of course souvenirs. Just remember that every price is up for debate here and that haggling is expected by the vendors.

A walk from the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, in Eminönü, to the Grand Bazaar offers you the best shopping opportunities in the city.

Hagia Sophia

The most popular tourist attraction in Istanbul, Hagia Sophia was built as a Greek Orthodox Cathedral before being converted into an Ottoman Mosque. It is now solely a museum, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the near 1,500-year-old building. The domes are quite a sight to see and it is definitely a place you should not miss during your time in Istanbul. Entry is 60TL and the line can get quite long, so I highly recommend you visit as early in the day as you can. You can hire an audio guide for 30TL if you wish to learn more. Whilst this is not necessary, there is very little information inside as to what you are looking at, so if you are keen to learn as much as you can, it is recommended.

Blue Mosque

Across from Hagia Sophia is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, commonly known as the Blue Mosque. It is famous for the blue tiles that are used to decorate the interior walls. Despite it being a hugely popular tourist site it is still a fully functional Mosque, the most important in all of Istanbul. Entry is free and visitors must be covered up before entering. Be warned that the Mosque closes to visitors during prayer times. You could spend a large part of your day visiting both the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, two of the major must-see sights in Istanbul.

See Istanbul by Boat

Istanbul has many modes of public transport, one of the most popular is a boat along the Bosphorus. This gives you an opportunity to see the city from a different angle, where you can take in the sites before being dropped off in a different area to explore. The Beşiktaş to Kadikoy route would be my recommendation. The journey takes just over 20 minutes and costs 5TL.

Beşiktaş

A cool neighbourhood outside of the main tourist area. This is quite a hip part of the city filled with restaurants and cafés in a very local setting. The local football club dominates the area with flags and statues a common sight. This is a great place to come and explore, picking up some excellent food whilst you are at it. Some of my best meals in Istanbul were in this area.

Get A Haircut

This one is just for the men. Turkish Barbers are world renowned. Getting the opportunity to see them ply their trade in their homeland is too good to turn down. They are on a different level to any barber I had visited before. With the speed of their hands and the care they put into every action they make, you can’t help but leave impressed. A haircut, shave and a hair wash cost me 60TL and took half an hour.

Taksim Square/Independence Avenue

By far the busiest area of the city, especially in the evenings. Every night thousands of people flock to this area to eat and shop. The streets are lined with shops, restaurants and buskers. Whilst you won’t find the best food here in terms of value or quality, there is a great selection of sweets to buy and walk with. From Baklava to Turkish Delight, you won’t be short of a treat. Spending a few hours here in the evening is a must when in Istanbul.

Explore Istanbul’s Parks

Although Istanbul is quite an enclosed city with many tight streets, it has plenty of green areas. These are great places to relax, people watch or have a picnic, making use of the takeaway options across the city. My two favourites were Yildiz Park in the Beşiktaş area and Gülhane Park in the Fatih area. Both of these parks are beautiful with plenty of benches to sit on. They make for a great place to spend some quiet time away from the hustle and bustle.

Dolmabache Palace

Built in the 1800s as a main administrative centre of the Ottoman Empire, today it is solely a tourist attraction, where you can explore the palace and its grounds. There are many rooms to explore and a visit here will take anywhere between 2-3 hours. I used the Palace as a starting point for a day exploring the Beşiktaş area that it is close to.

Take in a Football match

There is no doubting that football is the biggest sport in Istanbul and Turkey. It’s a sport that’s taken very seriously there. Istanbul is home to four major football clubs, Galatasaray, Fenerbache, Beşiktaş and Istanbul Basaksehir. The atmosphere at these games can be on a different level to anything you may have seen before and things can get quite intimidating at times. However, if you are lucky enough to be there when a game is on, I would suggest attempting to get yourself a ticket. If you fail to do so (tickets can be quite hard to get), why not do a stadium tour at one of the grounds, this is a great way to learn about the history of one of the clubs.

Galata Tower

My favourite building in Istanbul, Galata Tower stands tall overlooking the Bosphorus and the crowded Galata streets. The building also offers one of the best photo opportunities in the entire city. If you are willing to pay the 25TL and brave the queue, you can climb to the top for panoramic views of Istanbul. Climbing it after dark is a popular activity for tourists. However, if you want a quicker and quieter experience, I recommend coming earlier in the day as queues start to form before the tower even opens!

Where To Eat

In my opinion, Istanbul is the best city in the world for food. I don’t even think of it as a close contest. Istanbul hands down trumps any other city that I have visited. To read all about the delicious food you have to try and where you need to try it, click here.

What To Avoid

Taxis

The yellow taxis of Istanbul are a prevalent sight, as are the tourists using them. I don’t understand it. Public transport across the city is excellent and varied in modes of transport. It is also very well priced with most journeys costing just 5TL. On top of all that, it is a great city to walk around. There are new sights and smells around every corner. Getting from A to B as quickly as possible may mean you miss all that. Get your walking shoes on or stick to the metro, trams and boats for a cheaper and better experience in Istanbul.

Scams

To be honest, I didn’t find scams to be too prevalent in the city. They do exist though, even if they are not in your face. One that I read about before arriving, which I was lucky enough to see in action was the shoe shiner scam. A man carrying his shine kit will walk in front of you before dropping his shoe shiner. He will pretend not to notice. Then when you pick it up for him he will offer you a free shoe shine as a thank you. When he is finished he will then request an exuberant amount of money. They tried it on me. I saw it coming from a mile away and I found it quite amusing watching it play out. Just keep walking if this happens to you. Keep some common sense about you and you will be fine in Istanbul.

Boat Tours

Across the city, especially near the river, you will see people selling boat tours along the Bosphorus. Of course, they won’t be cheap but they are unnecessary. The boat taxi system can get you up and down the river for 5TL a trip. This will give you the chance to see the sights for a fraction of the price. There is a Bosphorus boat tour that is officially run costing just 20TL. If you are desperate to spend more time on the water then this is the best option for you.

I found that Istanbul was a city impossible not to love. Every day I spent there was incredible but it would never be enough. Leaving was really difficult. I returned for a second time shortly after and leaving that time was even harder. There was so much more to see, even more, to do and much more to eat. I went to Istanbul with high hopes but what I expected didn’t even come close to the reality. I didn’t expect to meet so many friendly people, to see such incredible sights and to eat even better food. It’s safe to say I will be returning to Istanbul many, many times in the hopefully not too distant future. I can’t recommend a visit to the city highly enough and hopefully, this Istanbul Travel Guide will go some way to making you want to visit too.

Before you go, why not read about the best food that can be found in the city. You can do so by clicking here.

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The Roaming Irishman

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