Istanbul on our own: How We Did It

[puablo]

Heads-up, you can purchase tickets to Hagia Sophia (it's 25 TL per person whether you buy online or in person) at:

https://www.muze.gov.tr/buy_e_ticket

 

Ah, good to know! For some reason I thought it was 20. That does make sense about buying online though, in part because you will probably get a better rate from your credit card than the rate for getting cash (on average, at least).

 

We bought most of our tickets online for other ports, for some reason it didn't even occur to me to try and find out if I could get tickets in advance for Istanbul attractions. But since we arrived a couple minutes after the Hagia Sophia opened, there was no wait. Topkapi had no wait either, at 11am. I didn't think to look at the Hagia Sophia line later in the day, but I have also read it can get pretty long.

 

And you make a good point about the Euro conversions from vendors, I've been to other places where non-native currency is freely accepted (Caribbean countries on the Euro, for example) and the exchange rate was usually worse than withdrawing the local currency from an ATM.

 

It's tough to gauge how much money you may want for souvenirs because while I saw nothing interesting in the Grand Bazaar, other people adore the place. I loved the spice market, but others may have no interest in buying much there. So the ATM may be the way to go for most people.

[Hlitner]

 

.....

It's tough to gauge how much money you may want for souvenirs because while I saw nothing interesting in the Grand Bazaar, other people adore the place. I loved the spice market, but others may have no interest in buying much there. So the ATM may be the way to go for most people.

 

WOW! 5000+ stalls and you found "nothing interesting." You are my kind of shopper if I am paying the bills :) We do agree with you about the Spice Market and just enjoy soaking up the atmosphere, smells, colors, etc.

 

Hank

[puablo]

WOW! 5000+ stalls and you found "nothing interesting." You are my kind of shopper if I am paying the bills :) We do agree with you about the Spice Market and just enjoy soaking up the atmosphere, smells, colors, etc.

 

Hank

 

Ok, ok, that was a poor description. :) Let's just say I was underwhelmed by the Grand Bazaar's offerings, and what I did like (the dozen-plus stores selling the colorful light fixtures) was either something I wouldn't actually buy, or wouldn't buy at even half the starting price they offered. I was also disappointed by the lack of variety - it really felt that most of the stores were repeated over and over again. Of course the Spice Market also has this problem, but it's a much smaller place, and I just so happened to like what they sold.

 

But there's no way to predict what you would want to spend money on. I didn't think I'd spend as much as I did at the Spice Market until I saw it in person, others might just like it for the atmosphere like you described. Both markets are definitely worth a visit though if you have the time to do so.

[scottishwee35]

Pualbo

 

I would like to say many thanks for your trip report and I wrote down details for tram.

 

And we are deaf family apart from hearing son and I wonder if we can do on our own and will my 2 children enjoy it? as they will be 16 and 13.

 

We went to Med 07 but we never been Instanbul.

 

Thank for your time to wrote your trip report.

 

Scottishwee35;)

[puablo]

Pualbo

 

I would like to say many thanks for your trip report and I wrote down details for tram.

 

And we are deaf family apart from hearing son and I wonder if we can do on our own and will my 2 children enjoy it? as they will be 16 and 13.

 

We went to Med 07 but we never been Instanbul.

 

Thank for your time to wrote your trip report.

 

Scottishwee35;)

 

I think you'll be fine for the most part, though you'll probably need to rely on your son for any purchases in the markets and possibly while on the tram to try and hear the announcement for the stops. We didn't rent audioguides anywhere in Istanbul and didn't feel like we needed them - we just read signs or read about the sites in guides both before and after. As for the teenagers enjoying it, I'd like to think they would enjoy at least the Cistern, and if nothing else they should enjoy being in such a unique city. Worst case, they can at least say "I've been to Istanbul!" But most people on our cruise thought Istanbul was their favorite port (this is prior to ending in Barcelona, though), hopefully your family will feel the same way.

[Canuckjammer]

Thanks so much for these wonderful reviews on how to DIY Istanbul. I'll be there for 1 day in Sept on Princess Ruby and was hoping to do Istanbul on my own. If I spent very little (or no) time in bazaar or spice market would I have time for a short ferry ride on the Bospherous?

[puablo]

Thanks so much for these wonderful reviews on how to DIY Istanbul. I'll be there for 1 day in Sept on Princess Ruby and was hoping to do Istanbul on my own. If I spent very little (or no) time in bazaar or spice market would I have time for a short ferry ride on the Bospherous?

 

I'm not sure how long the ferries take, we had not looked into that. But I can definitely say that if we didn't spend much time in either market that we would have had about 3 hours to spare. Four if we didn't bother going to the markets at all.

[cruisemom42]

I think the shortest Bosphorus "cruises" are around 3 hours. I don't know how long it would take to get the ferry over to the Asian side and back -- probably not too much less, and the "cruise" is a bit more scenic.

 

I've said before that I don't think a Bosphorus cruise is a must for folks with just a day (or parts of two days) in Istanbul. There is so much else to see. If you don't want to shop, you can always visit one of the great museums in Istanbul (the Archaeological Museum is outstanding and is right next to Topkapi Palace yet is rarely visited).

 

Or you can take a cab to Chora church to see the exquisite mosaics and also see (and walk on) the old city walls a couple of blocks away.

[John Bull]

Thanks so much for these wonderful reviews on how to DIY Istanbul. I'll be there for 1 day in Sept on Princess Ruby and was hoping to do Istanbul on my own. If I spent very little (or no) time in bazaar or spice market would I have time for a short ferry ride on the Bospherous?

 

Ferries & tour boats leave from the western side of Galata Bridge at the southern end of the bridge, marked A on the map. Its directly opposite the Spice Bazaar & a short tram ride from your cruise berth along the pier stretching west from the Bridge on its northern end.

 

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=%C4%B0skele+Yolu,+Istanbul,+T%C3%BCrkiye&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=41.017049,28.97364&spn=0.005351,0.01104&sll=41.019218,28.976988&sspn=0.005351,0.01104&oq=Iskele+Yolu&hnear=Hobyar+Mh.,+%C4%B0skele+Yolu,+Fatih,+Turkey&t=m&z=17

 

Because of your limited time, ferry timetabling, switching ferries part-way, reliability, & language, your best bet is a tour boat - much more expensive than regular ferries but still only peanuts.

Can I suggest you take the tram to Eminonu, check out the tour boats first & decide Bazzar or boat first according to boat timings. I think you can probably get a tour boat taking only 90 mins or so. Hardly a Bosphorus cruise, but it will give you a flavour. As will the ferry across to the Asian side, they leave from the same area..

 

Even if you're not an ancient ruins nut like Cynthia :p;), there's an awful lot to see in Istanbul and a cruise isn't best use of a short amount of time.

But its your vacation.

 

JB :)

[thunefeld]

We just returned from a sailing on the Norwegian Spirit. We did the exact same itinerary as Puablo and his wife – 4 months later, and likewise (with his and Rick Steves’ help) did many ports on our own. Since we gained much of our information from Cruise Critic and “Puablo”, we felt it would be helpful to report how we did in each port.

 

The NCL Spirit Southern Europe * Eastern Mediterranean Cruise

October 26-Nov 6, 2013

Venice > Greece > Turkey > Western Italy > Barcelona

 

Our posting of our Istanbul adventure!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=36086839#post36086839

 

Thank you Puablo and thank you, Rick Steves!

As Oprah would say, “Woooo-hooo!”

 

Terry Hunefeld & Ann Dunham

Inn At Moonlight Beach Bed & Breakfast

San Diego

[puablo]

We just returned from a sailing on the Norwegian Spirit. We did the exact same itinerary as Puablo and his wife – 4 months later, and likewise (with his and Rick Steves’ help) did many ports on our own. Since we gained much of our information from Cruise Critic and “Puablo”, we felt it would be helpful to report how we did in each port.

 

The NCL Spirit Southern Europe * Eastern Mediterranean Cruise

October 26-Nov 6, 2013

Venice > Greece > Turkey > Western Italy > Barcelona

 

Our posting of our Istanbul adventure!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=36086839#post36086839

 

Thank you Puablo and thank you, Rick Steves!

As Oprah would say, “Woooo-hooo!”

 

Terry Hunefeld & Ann Dunham

Inn At Moonlight Beach Bed & Breakfast

San Diego

 

 

I'm glad I could be of help! Sounds like you had a blast. The more I think about my day in Istanbul I regret going to a sit down restaurant for lunch, I wish I ate more street food (and got chestnuts twice instead of once). We convinced my in-laws to do this cruise next spring and we're pretty much telling them to do exactly what we did in every port since we had such a great time.

[karoo]

I loved your review and helpful information. I'm on the Jade in January. We'll be in Instanbul 1pm, overnight and all the next day, leaving about 6pm I think, so I'm copying all your helpful info into a word document. I want to do it all on my own. Not the ship tours. I might bring some TL with me from here. I'll check the rates out first. I love the historical sights and looking at markets, but I never buy much. We can't bring food/plants/wood/spices etc. back home and Turkish rugs wouldn't match my decor, plus getting them back here would be too much trouble. My main expenses will be public transport, admissions and snacks. I probably won't bother with meals as Turkish delight is really the only Turkish food I'm keen on. We have heaps of Turkish food outlets here and there were heaps of Turkish restaurants/snack bars in Germany and France, where I was January 2012. 2011. I do love the hot chestnuts though. Ate plenty in Strasbourg/France last year.

 

Now to find your Athens review. :)

[eclue]

We did Istanbul on our own last summer...going back in the spring and will do it again.

One thing you should do after you tour the Blue Mosque is go down around to the left and find the Arasta Bazaar...much smaller and tamer than the Grand Bazaar. It was wonderful....did some shopping there and then walked over to the Grand Bazaar which is overwhelming to say the least.

We loved Istanbul...was the highlight of our Med cruise.

 

eclue:)

[puablo]

I loved your review and helpful information. I'm on the Jade in January. We'll be in Instanbul 1pm, overnight and all the next day, leaving about 6pm I think, so I'm copying all your helpful info into a word document. I want to do it all on my own. Not the ship tours. I might bring some TL with me from here. I'll check the rates out first. I love the historical sights and looking at markets, but I never buy much. We can't bring food/plants/wood/spices etc. back home and Turkish rugs wouldn't match my decor, plus getting them back here would be too much trouble. My main expenses will be public transport, admissions and snacks. I probably won't bother with meals as Turkish delight is really the only Turkish food I'm keen on. We have heaps of Turkish food outlets here and there were heaps of Turkish restaurants/snack bars in Germany and France, where I was January 2012. 2011. I do love the hot chestnuts though. Ate plenty in Strasbourg/France last year.

 

Now to find your Athens review. :)

 

If you are coming back to the U.S., spices are allowed back in the country if they are vacuum-sealed, which every vendor in the spice market did for us. We later bought some non-sealed tea and in the end, nobody cared, but I think legally it could have been confiscated due to not being sealed.

[Fetchpeople]

The Arasta Bazaar is surely tamer than the Grand Bazaar, but it's also smaller (perhaps 99% smaller). It's solely for tourists, has a narrow spread of inventory and tends to be higher priced as well.

 

It does have one advantage: being close to the Blue Mosque and all the other amazing sights.

 

There is one other disadvantage and a big one: the Grand Bazaar is close enough to the Spice Market to be able to walk to it. That walk will take you through some of the most frenetic and eye-opening shops and stalls anywhere. Not to be missed. In turn, the Spice Market brings you closer to where cruise ships dock.

[eclue]

I disagree about the Arasta Bazaar being higher priced...the turkish people assume that we will bargain and in the Arasta, they come down considerably in price compared to the Grand Bazaar.

WE bought a leather jacket custom fitted for pennies on the dollar.....also lots of other leather goods priced well below the GRand BAzaar....

Just because they give you a price does not mean that is what they expect you to pay.

 

I loved the relaxed attitude of the Arasta and actually made some friends there that we will visit again this spring on our next trip. One of the merchants took us to lunch and we have been in contact ever since...

 

I say do both ARasta and Grand Bazaar.....

 

eclue:rolleyes:

[KirkNC]

Thanks for your DIY review.

[4774Papa]

Top.Pal

Hag. So.

Bl.Mo.

 

After looking at these short youtubes, I want to see all of Top. Pal. and the others.

[puablo]

Don't forget the Basilica Cistern:

 

Though I would say it looks vastly better in real life than in this video.

[Cornishpastyman1]

....show in the last of those YouTubes

If I had my time again I would skip the Grand Bazaar. It's not that it's not an interesting experience (it is), but that there will be better uses of your precious time. Now I'm sure I didn't do it justice but with a group of 6 we always worried about getting split up, and without mobile phones (or even with them) the chances of meeting up in there are slight, as it is a vast maze of identical-looking shops.

[texancruzer]

....show in the last of those YouTubes

If I had my time again I would skip the Grand Bazaar. It's not that it's not an interesting experience (it is), but that there will be better uses of your precious time. Now I'm sure I didn't do it justice but with a group of 6 we always worried about getting split up, and without mobile phones (or even with them) the chances of meeting up in there are slight, as it is a vast maze of identical-looking shops.

 

I loved the Grand Bazaar but I realize it is not for everyone. But we got there very early (we overnighted in Istanbul) and it was neat watching the shop owners open up for the morning. Each one would mop the floor in front of their shop, clean items and then of course, have their morning tea delivered. We found the antique section and believe me, there was some stuff in there you won't see anywhere else !!! Our second trip there we traveled with some in-laws and we made sure before we went in to make arrangements to meet at that spot at a certain time IF we got split up. But we ALWAYS do that when we travel with others. It is easy to get parted so just makes sense.

 

Now the Topkapi palace....... I wasn't impressed at all. Except for the treasury room (with the daggers and jewelry) I could have skipped the whole thing.

[Cornishpastyman1]

I loved the Grand Bazaar but I realize it is not for everyone. But we got there very early (we overnighted in Istanbul) and it was neat watching the shop owners open up for the morning. Each one would mop the floor in front of their shop, clean items and then of course, have their morning tea delivered. We found the antique section and believe me, there was some stuff in there you won't see anywhere else !!! Our second trip there we traveled with some in-laws and we made sure before we went in to make arrangements to meet at that spot at a certain time IF we got split up. But we ALWAYS do that when we travel with others. It is easy to get parted so just makes sense.

 

Now the Topkapi palace....... I wasn't impressed at all. Except for the treasury room (with the daggers and jewelry) I could have skipped the whole thing.

The more I read (when I got back) the more I realise that the Grand Bazaar deserves far more time than I was able to give it. Being in a party, and short of time we only stayed on the outskirts of it. If I'd had an hour (minimum) to explore it properly I'm sure I'd feel like you. Being there first thing sounds good too, to see it spring to life.

 

Topkapi ? I know what you mean, it's nowhere near as architecturally imposing as HS or BM, but I found the Harem really interesting, as well as the overall history of the place. The Treasury was indeed stunning, shame we were not allowed any photography in there.

[texancruzer]

The more I read (when I got back) the more I realise that the Grand Bazaar deserves far more time than I was able to give it. Being in a party, and short of time we only stayed on the outskirts of it. If I'd had an hour (minimum) to explore it properly I'm sure I'd feel like you. Being there first thing sounds good too, to see it spring to life.

 

Topkapi ? I know what you mean, it's nowhere near as architecturally imposing as HS or BM, but I found the Harem really interesting, as well as the overall history of the place. The Treasury was indeed stunning, shame we were not allowed any photography in there.

 

Yep, there are areas that are truly interesting in that they are much older. There are goldsmiths in there with tiny shops where they work and they love to show off their skills.

 

As for no photography in the Treasury at Topkapi....... we must have seen 5 or 6 people with cameras around their necks discreetly taking pictures......or so they thought. One guard approached a man and wanted his camera. He refused. Then another guard showed up and he changed his mind :eek: They then proceeded to delete all the pictures he had just taken in that room. They did give his camera back tho.

[dougo in oz]

Nice review but I beg to differ about the Topkapa Palace and the Grand Bazaar.

 

The Topkapa Palace is a great place to visit IMO ... and worthwhile paying a couple of dollars for the audio guide (to the right as you enter) and I would also encourage visitors to buy a map of the Palace so you can plan your visit (from the bookshop to the left as you enter).

 

While I can understand that people don't think the Palace is perhaps as richly decorated as some of the Mosques for example, it is the Iznik tiles in the Hareem that are of historical significance and truly beautiful IMO and the details in the architecture etc.

 

As others have mentioned, the Treasury with huge jewels and jewel studded furniture and artifacts is quite amazing ... as are the clothing worn by Sultans etc not to mention the jewel studded garments elsewhere in a small separate building on the Palace grounds.

 

A visit to the kitchen was interesting if you are interested in how people lived in centuries past ... huge pots etc ... kind of reminded me of the kitchen at Mt Vernon but on a much larger scale.

 

There's spectacular views of the Bosperous too if you traverse the grounds of the Palace .. we spent about 4 hours there and still didn't see it all and if you go there wondering how the sultans and their minions lived, this will give you a glimpse into a little bit of that.

 

Re the Grand Bazaar ... the reason you saw pretty much the same things in the area you visited is because ... to the best of my knowledge ... there are various areas of the Bazaar where certain items are sold. For example the entrance we went in - there are several of them which is why they are numbered so you can remember which one you walked through - there were lots of shops selling scarves and pashminas, some jewellery, some shops selling colourful lights then a separate enclosed (?) area with narrower aisles filled with shops selling Antiques and jewellery.

 

We didn't even scratch the surface of this old Bazaar with some 4,000 shops.

[Julessmiles]

I agree with Dougo, we loved Topkapi and would not have missed it- there were some beautiful buildings & wonderful views. We are returning to Istanbul this year on a B2B cruise so will be doing Istanbul twice. Last year we were there for 1 1/2 days & did Topkapi, Blue Mosque, the Cisterns, the Spice Market and also managed a cruise on the Bosphorous which also was beautiful.

 

This year we would like to see the Hagia Sophia - is it worth a visit and also the SultanAhmed Mosque - any tips on these places? We are also thinking of doing the Princess Islands & wonder if anyone has any tips on how to get there; is a tour better or is it easy to DIY and what is there to do & see there. Are there any beaches at all?