Best area to stay? Istanbul 3 nights
Discussion
Loads of nice hotels to choose from but can anyone recommend an are to stay in?
Tourist stuff will be done, sights, food, usual stuff.
from below list - anywhere in particular a good shout?
1. Sultanahmet · 2. Beyoğlu · 3. Fener and Balat · 4. Kadıköy · 5. Nişantaşı and Teşvikiye · 6. Kurtuluş and Bomonti · 7. Beşiktaş and Ortaköy.
Tourist stuff will be done, sights, food, usual stuff.
from below list - anywhere in particular a good shout?
1. Sultanahmet · 2. Beyoğlu · 3. Fener and Balat · 4. Kadıköy · 5. Nişantaşı and Teşvikiye · 6. Kurtuluş and Bomonti · 7. Beşiktaş and Ortaköy.
S8QUATTRO said:
Loads of nice hotels to choose from but can anyone recommend an are to stay in?
Tourist stuff will be done, sights, food, usual stuff.
from below list - anywhere in particular a good shout?
1. Sultanahmet · 2. Beyo?lu · 3. Fener and Balat · 4. Kad?köy · 5. Ni?anta?? and Te?vikiye · 6. Kurtulu? and Bomonti · 7. Be?ikta? and Ortaköy.
We stayed between Besiktas and Taksim in early June. There’s plenty to see and eat around there and it has easy links by ferry and bus to other areas (get the Istanbul travel card), and a fairly easy run to and from the new airport. Tourist stuff will be done, sights, food, usual stuff.
from below list - anywhere in particular a good shout?
1. Sultanahmet · 2. Beyo?lu · 3. Fener and Balat · 4. Kad?köy · 5. Ni?anta?? and Te?vikiye · 6. Kurtulu? and Bomonti · 7. Be?ikta? and Ortaköy.
We stayed at the Opera Hotel on a BA Holidays deal.
Depends what you want really. I've recently returned from sultanahmet and for a first time thought it was a great location for a base. Other area would be around Takism. Balat I think is too far out and warned by a local not to venture more than 3 streets back from the water.
I found that a lot of istanbul was walkable. The tram is very easy to use and we didn't use it that often so just used our bank cards to tap on with rather than getting the istanbulkart.
I found that a lot of istanbul was walkable. The tram is very easy to use and we didn't use it that often so just used our bank cards to tap on with rather than getting the istanbulkart.
It’s not on your list but Sirkeci (very close to Sultanahmet) is a good area to stay and it’s well connected to most things/places. I can also recommend the Neorion hotel.
I wouldn’t stay in Kadikoy as it’s on the Asian side and away from many of the main attractions. I also found it a bit dull.
Istanbul is a fantastic city - enjoy!
I wouldn’t stay in Kadikoy as it’s on the Asian side and away from many of the main attractions. I also found it a bit dull.
Istanbul is a fantastic city - enjoy!
Thanks for the reply's people, I've made the mistake when visiting Madrid and Lisbon of staying in nice hotels but not in the centre, not ideal later in the evening when you want to just pop back to the hotel. So this time would like to find a nice place within walking distance of most places.
We stayed here, very close to the Hagia Sophia & Basilica Cistern.
It's an area also on the tramline, so easy to get about, although we walked mostly.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/My+Dream+Istan...
It's an area also on the tramline, so easy to get about, although we walked mostly.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/My+Dream+Istan...
I would stay in Pera/Galata personally.
Not much to see in terms of sights but it's where the restos and nightlife is. The new Galataport area looks amazing and it's walking distance (hilly though).
Taxis are fairly cheap IMHO and are the easiest way to travel point to point.
Istanbul has become massively expensive for food and drinks though, up to 4x what it cost a few years ago, just to warn you! Some meals I paid London prices for
Not much to see in terms of sights but it's where the restos and nightlife is. The new Galataport area looks amazing and it's walking distance (hilly though).
Taxis are fairly cheap IMHO and are the easiest way to travel point to point.
Istanbul has become massively expensive for food and drinks though, up to 4x what it cost a few years ago, just to warn you! Some meals I paid London prices for
We stayed in this area last week, super for walking or jumping on ferry, metro l, tram or bus. We did a lot of walking but the public transport is fantastic and cheap.
Our hotel was excellent, Levni Hotel and Spa. Not the cheapest but very good.
Our hotel was excellent, Levni Hotel and Spa. Not the cheapest but very good.
superpp said:
We stayed here, very close to the Hagia Sophia & Basilica Cistern.
It's an area also on the tramline, so easy to get about, although we walked mostly.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/My+Dream+Istan...
It's an area also on the tramline, so easy to get about, although we walked mostly.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/My+Dream+Istan...
Stayed in Sultanahmet in May. Wouldn't recommend either of the hotels we were in - they were okay but then economy scores higher on my list of priorities than it might for some others and you tend to get what you pay for - but you're right beside all the sights.
It's pretty easy getting around Istanbul by underground, tram or by bus. The yellow cabs are strictly controlled too and not very expensive should you need one - you pay no more for one in the early hours than you would during the day.
It's a wonderful city. You'll have a great time.
It's pretty easy getting around Istanbul by underground, tram or by bus. The yellow cabs are strictly controlled too and not very expensive should you need one - you pay no more for one in the early hours than you would during the day.
It's a wonderful city. You'll have a great time.
S8QUATTRO said:
Thanks for the reply's people, I've made the mistake when visiting Madrid and Lisbon of staying in nice hotels but not in the centre, not ideal later in the evening when you want to just pop back to the hotel. So this time would like to find a nice place within walking distance of most places.
I'd recommend Sultanahmed or thereabouts, then. Everything is easily accessible but it's not, in my experience, rowdy at night. Lots of choice from boutique (I stayed in the Empress Zoe Hotel a few years ago and it was charming and good value) to much bigger, fancier places. It’s an arm and a leg job, but the Four Seasons Bosphoros is breathtaking. The building, outside areas, service, food etc are spot on.
Outside of that, I personally didn’t enjoy Istanbul, though it was still a bit “post Covid”. A lot of shady people, broken streets, graffiti and stray dogs and mega hot with not enough greenery.
Outside of that, I personally didn’t enjoy Istanbul, though it was still a bit “post Covid”. A lot of shady people, broken streets, graffiti and stray dogs and mega hot with not enough greenery.
Did you visit recently?
muscatdxb said:
It’s an arm and a leg job, but the Four Seasons Bosphoros is breathtaking. The building, outside areas, service, food etc are spot on.
Outside of that, I personally didn’t enjoy Istanbul, though it was still a bit “post Covid”. A lot of shady people, broken streets, graffiti and stray dogs and mega hot with not enough greenery.
Outside of that, I personally didn’t enjoy Istanbul, though it was still a bit “post Covid”. A lot of shady people, broken streets, graffiti and stray dogs and mega hot with not enough greenery.
S8QUATTRO said:
Did you visit recently?
There are quite a lot of stray dogs but they are all tagged, jabbed, tame and somehow reasonably well fed. The authorities have given quite a lot of thought to whether to keep, reduce or eliminate them and seem to have settled on a policy of controlling them. It's nothing like what you might encounter in some other places further southeast, where there are packs of rabid dogs howling all night. muscatdxb said:
It’s an arm and a leg job, but the Four Seasons Bosphoros is breathtaking. The building, outside areas, service, food etc are spot on.
Outside of that, I personally didn’t enjoy Istanbul, though it was still a bit “post Covid”. A lot of shady people, broken streets, graffiti and stray dogs and mega hot with not enough greenery.
Outside of that, I personally didn’t enjoy Istanbul, though it was still a bit “post Covid”. A lot of shady people, broken streets, graffiti and stray dogs and mega hot with not enough greenery.
They've passed a new law which will result in the death of stray dogs.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2487197/backlash-inte...
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsmanchester/turk...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2487197/backlash-inte...
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsmanchester/turk...
SlimJim16v said:
They've passed a new law which will result in the death of stray dogs.
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2487197/backlash-inte...
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsmanchester/turk...
given the critera below it doesn't seem the worst idea:https://tribune.com.pk/story/2487197/backlash-inte...
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/newsmanchester/turk...
...stipulates that animals displaying aggressive behavior or suffering from untreatable diseases will be put down...
... in response to concerns over attacks, road accidents, and rabies...
It doesn’t really matter where you stay imo out of the areas you mention. Just make sure it’s near a tram or tube stop and get yourself an Istanbul card. The public transport is great. In each of the main areas you can walk to most things although be aware some areas are quite hilly. The ferries are great and included in the public transport network and the funicular too so just travel round like you would London. Also take the ferry out to the princes islands
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