May 1 Labour Day in Istanbul

I saw a while back a site where the author stated that there are celebrations and demonstrations on May 1 Labour Day in Istanbul that often turn quite violent. The author went on to say that a person would be advised to stick to the Sultanahemt neighborhood on that day.

As it happens. our cruise leaves out of Istanbul on May 2, and we've planned to visit Istanbul on April 30 and....May 1.

Does anyone have enough experience there to tell me how such activities might effect our stay and where is the best places to stay out of trouble and still catch the sights, to the extent such violence is a genuine concern.

Most of the popular sights (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Cisterns, Grand Bazaar) are in the Sultanahmet area anyway.

Just received word from Celebrity regarding our visit next May….

We were scheduled to arrive on the 1st, overnight and leave on the 2nd.

They have now re-arranged our itinerary. We will visit Kusadasi first on the 1st of May and then travel to Istanbul arriving on the 2nd and leave on the 3rd.

They must have felt it was worth the trouble to adjust the itinerary which is no small deal even though it is a bit over 6 months out……..

We have visited Istanbul twice before (both overnights) and love love love this city !!! But I am extremely happy that this change has been made for us - just makes things a bit more stress free.

Hope things work out ok for you on your visit…… I am sure the hotel staff can advise once you are there.

I saw a while back a site where the author stated that there are celebrations and demonstrations on May 1 Labour Day in Istanbul that often turn quite violent. The author went on to say that a person would be advised to stick to the Sultanahemt neighborhood on that day.

 

As it happens. our cruise leaves out of Istanbul on May 2, and we've planned to visit Istanbul on April 30 and....May 1.

 

Does anyone have enough experience there to tell me how such activities might effect our stay and where is the best places to stay out of trouble and still catch the sights, to the extent such violence is a genuine concern.

As long as you stay away from the Taksim Square area, you should be fine. The sights most first-time visitors want to visit all are located south across the Golden Horn in the Sultanahmet area, far away from ground central for demonstrations.