? Museum Pass in Istanbul ?

[Vertygo]

We’ll be in Istanbul for 3 days prior to 8/2  cruise. Has anyone used the Museum Pass for Istanbul and/or Ephesus? We have a private guide, but looks like we could save time standing in line to purchase admission.

Thanks, Linda

[cruisemom42]

52 minutes ago, Vertygo said:

We’ll be in Istanbul for 3 days prior to 8/2  cruise. Has anyone used the Museum Pass for Istanbul and/or Ephesus? We have a private guide, but looks like we could save time standing in line to purchase admission.

Thanks, Linda

 

I think these are relatively new offerings. The best I can suggest is to decide which museums you would actually plan to visit, then add up the admission costs and see how that compares with the cost of the card.

 

You also should add in something for the convenience of not having to stand in line to buy tickets, BUT keep in mind that the most crowded site in Istanbul is usually Haghia Sofya, which is NOT included. (Nor is the Blue Mosque). I've not seen long lines at Ephesus in the past either, and most private tours (or ship tours) include the cost of admission anyway.

 

Topkapi Palace can have long lines, but of the other included sites, I would say lines are not usually a factor.

 

By the way, I would also like to make a plug for the Archaeology Museum in Istanbul. It has some really fine pieces that should be better known than they are, including several sculpture busts of Alexander the Great, a wonderful carved sarcophagus also portraying Alexander and some of his generals, and more (including the world's first recorded peace treaty, a copy of which is displayed at the U.N. headquarters).

 

I also really enjoyed the Islamic Arts museum (across from the Hippodrome). I feel it's not visited as much as it should be. Some of the pieces are exquisite. 

 

[Vertygo]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

I also really enjoyed the Islamic Arts museum (across from the Hippodrome). I feel it's not visited as much as it should be. Some of the pieces are exquisite. 

Thanks Cruisemom42! My calculations lean towards the Istanbul Museum Card only, especially if lines aren’t long in Ephesus. I definitely want to see the Islamic Arts & the Archaeological museums, but may be hard to squeeze all we want to see in a few days.

[edinburgher]

On 4/8/2024 at 6:48 PM, Vertygo said:

I definitely want to see the Islamic Arts & the Archaeological museums,

We have visited both and walked right on in, no lines at all.

 

Given how busy the sights up in Sultanahmet were, and given the quality and quantity of exhibits, we were surprised, actually quite shocked, that the Archaeological Museum was as quiet as it was with very few visitors other than ourselves, and we spent a number of hours in there visiting the different buildings. The Turkish and Islamic Arts museum had, including ourselves, maybe 6 or 8 visitors inside and at the time we joked that there were more museum attendants than visitors.

Edited April 10 by edinburgher

[CardowMD]

@cruisemom42 thank you for the recommendation of the Archeological museum. That has been on my list since I booked my cruise. Now trying to figure out which day to visit!

[Vertygo]

@cruisemom42 Do you have a suggestion for night Bosporus cruise? I don’t want cheesy dinner party boat, but something more relaxing to see the buildings lit up.

Not sure if a ferry would be the “ticket” & I’ve read about a private company with similar routes, but looks like schedule is too early.

Do the sunset cruises I’ve seen end after dark?

Appreciate any advice you have.

[cruisemom42]

10 minutes ago, Vertygo said:

@cruisemom42 Do you have a suggestion for night Bosporus cruise? I don’t want cheesy dinner party boat, but something more relaxing to see the buildings lit up.

Not sure if a ferry would be the “ticket” & I’ve read about a private company with similar routes, but looks like schedule is too early.

Do the sunset cruises I’ve seen end after dark?

Appreciate any advice you have.

 

I've done the Bosporus cruise in the evening and during the day and I much preferred it during the day. At night the best views of the lights would be from a nice rooftop restaurant in Sultanahmet area, where you can get great views of Haghia Sofya, Blue Mosque, etc. all lit up. (IMHO).

[Vertygo]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I've done the Bosporus cruise in the evening and during the day and I much preferred it during the day. At night the best views of the lights would be from a nice rooftop restaurant in Sultanahmet area, where you can get great views of Haghia Sofya, Blue Mosque, etc. all lit up. (IMHO).

Thanks! We have a day cruise planned & our hotel, DeCamondo Galata House, has a rooftop restaurant with river views.

What evening cruise did you do?

[cruisemom42]

10 minutes ago, Vertygo said:

Thanks! We have a day cruise planned & our hotel, DeCamondo Galata House, has a rooftop restaurant with river views.

What evening cruise did you do?

 

The Galata location won't give you the great views of Sultanahmet. I prefer the latter location. At least for a dinner.

 

The evening cruise was a while ago. It was on a smaller vessel (no dinner) and had commentary. For me, I enjoyed the sunset views around departure but it was dark too soon and as you sail farther away from the city, it gets dark and isn't that well lit except in a few spots.

 

What I enjoyed about the daylight cruise was being able to see some of the old-style wooden Ottoman mansions, though more and more of them are being torn down and/or rebuilt as modern luxury dwellings.

 

[Vertygo]

40 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

The Galata location won't give you the great views of Sultanahmet. I prefer the latter location. At least for a dinner.

 

Thanks again! I’ll look into dinner in that area as well. Best of both worlds 😄