Port change to Istanbul, What to do in port?

[KRCreole]

I have been informed that instead of Alexandria Egypt The Apr 17 Mediterrannean cruise of the Jade will spend 3 nites in Istanbul. What is there to do there? I don't find any ship tours being advertised. I understand that the city center is a short tram ride from the port. Has anyone sailed into Istanbul? If so what suggestions do you have for the three nites we will be there?

[Carnac767]

Istanbul is one of the most historic cities in the world. I suggest you check out the Ports of Call section and do some googling.

[Crusin6]

Istanbul...is a wonderful choice and it is about as full of history as Rome is!!!! You are very lucky.

 

Here is where you go.....among many other wonderful sites....

 

1. Hagia Sophia

2. The Blue Mosque

3. The underground Cistern

4. The Topkapi Museum

5. The Grand Bazaar

6. The palace of Emperor Sueliman the Magnificent

7. A turkish nightlife activity

8. Go to the bridge that spans 2 continents

 

Do some googling my friend....and seriously consider private tour guides!!!!

 

 

Istanbul is the reason I booked the Ruby Princess for 2012..to show my DH and kids Istanbul...a place I was fortunate enough to have an overnight stay in back in 1976 when on my first ever cruise!!

[Carnac767]

I'd add the fortress walls, initially built by Emperor Constantine. Those walls protected Constantinople for a thousand years. The Roman hippodrome is also worth a visit, if you have the time.

[run2sea]

We were in Istanbul on the Jade in March, did self-guided tours on both days, and had a wonderful time. Istanbul was my favorite port and I would love to go back and spend a week there in the future.

 

Our family of six (myself, DW, our two children under 10, and my parents) found the tram to be a very convenient and inexpensive means of getting from the cruise port to most of the major sites we visited. The nearest tram stop (Findikli) is a couple of blocks (turn right) on the main street where you exit the cruise terminal. To get to most tourist sites (Hagia Sophia/Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, etc) you will want to take the tram headed towards Bagcilar which will be the opposite direction that you walk to the tram stop assuming you turned to your right after leaving the cruise terminal. The fare is 1.75 TL per person one way, you will need Turkish Lira to purchase plastic tokens from the automated ticket booth, marked "Jeton". We made sure we had some small bills/coins from our previous stop in Izmir - I think the largest bill these machines took was 10 TL.

 

The tram route to the tourist areas is all above ground and you will have good views of the Golden Horn as you cross the Galata Bridge and will see some remnants of the old Constantinople walls.

 

For the Topkapi Palace/Blue Mosque/Hagia Sophia/Basilica Cistern/Hippodrome, get off at the Sultanahmet stop. All those sites are very close. The Topkapi Palace ticket booths did not accept Euros, US dollars or credit cards, but only took Turkish Lira, so be prepared. (Entry was 20TL for adults for the main entrance. Harem tickets are purchased inside for an additional fee). There are ATMs and money changers in the main square near the Sultanahmet stop. You will also need tickets for the Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cisterns, and I'm not sure if they accept anything other than cash in Turkish Lira. Entrance to the Blue Mosque is free, but you may need to wait or leave early when there are services if you're not participating. There's a lot of information online about appropriate attire for the mosque (DW brought her own scarf to cover her hair in the mosque).

 

Check online for days when attractions are closed. For example, the Grand Bazaar is closed Sundays. I heard that the Spice Market was open the Sunday we were in port but I don't know if that's always the case.

 

We arrived at 1pm on Saturday and that day went to the Grand Bazaar and then walked down the hill (about 30 minutes) through an interesting, non-touristy shopping area to the Spice Market. The sites will likely be crowded, so the usual pickpocket precautions are advised. At the Grand Bazaar, at least, it's very important to haggle if you plan to buy anything. (A minor lesson learned: we bought Turkish Delight from the Spice Market that tasted really good there, but wasn't as good when we got home and opened up the vacuum sealed box. The various flavors we had selected had all mixed together in the box - if you do buy I'd suggest individual small boxes for each flavor you want.)

 

On Sunday we visited Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Basilica Cistern, the Blue Mosque, and the Hippodrome area (they were doing construction on the pedestrian area where the original chariot track had been, now about 6 feet below current ground level) and had a good lunch at one of the restaurants recommended in the guidebook and enjoyed Turkish coffee and apple tea at an outdoor cafe.

 

There's so much incredible history that I would suggest either some background reading if you're interested or perhaps considering a reputable local guide. We found Rick Steve's guidebook quite good for getting us around. I also liked the short history in Giles Morgan's book "Byzantium". The history of Emperor Justinian and Empress Theodora from the 500's AD is still tied to much of the surviving city historical sites - they commissioned the Hagia Sophia and Basilica Cisterns and also quelled the Nika rebellion by sending troops who killed 30,000 rioters in the Hippodrome. The Topkapi Palace also has on display some incredible items from the Ottoman period, including fascinating relics from Mecca.

 

It's an incredible city and we found the people to be very friendly. I hope you have a great time in Istanbul!

[mypleasure]

Had I known that this extended Istanbul stay would be substituted for Egypt I would have booked the Jade this winter for sure. On my bucket list of places to visit.