This is an Istanbul Travel guide that you can find everything about Istanbul.
The following questions are the most frequently asked by tourists before visiting Istanbul. We advise you to read our recommendations before visiting Istanbul.
The questions mentioned below are the most frequently asked questions by tourists. Going to an unfamiliar city brings many planning problems. If you want trouble-free travel planning, just contact us . We do all the planning for you, with the best price guarantee...
Istanbul General Informations
What to know before traveling to Istanbul? How many days is enough for Istanbul? Which is the best area to stay in Istanbul? Is Istanbul expensive to visit? What is Istanbul famous for? What are the best things to buy in Istanbul? How safe is Istanbul?
Is it safe to visit Istanbul 2020? Is it safe to walk around Istanbul? Is Istanbul safe for a woman traveling alone? Is it safe to walk around Istanbul at night? What should avoid in Istanbul? Currency in Istanbul What money should you take to Istanbul? Can you use the euro in Istanbul? Is it better to use euros or lira in Turkey? Climate & Weather Averages in Istanbul What is the best time of year to visit Istanbul? Which is the best month to visit Istanbul? What is the coldest month in Istanbul? Clothing in Istanbul What should wear in Istanbul? Can you wear shorts in Istanbul? Can you wear jeans in a mosque? How should female tourists dress in Istanbul? Food and Drinks in Istanbul What should eat and drink in Istanbul? Is it safe to eat street food in Istanbul? How much is a meal in Istanbul? What is the best food to eat in Istanbul? Can you drink alcohol in Istanbul? Can you smoke in Istanbul? Can I drink tap water in Istanbul? Useful Information for Istanbul What electrical sockets are used in Istanbul? Are taxis safe in Istanbul? Are taxis in Istanbul expensive? How much is taxi from Istanbul airport to city? How long does it take to get from Istanbul airport to city center? Is there Uber in Istanbul?
1.Get your visas: If you come from Europe or other foreign countries, you will need a visa. After receiving a visa, it will be valid in every region in Turkey. You can get a visa from the Republic of Turkey's official website E-Visa . For more information about e-visa please click...
Time planning for a hassle-free and efficient holiday is the most important point. 3-4-day planning will be enough for Istanbul. But you need to plan time well.
Our advice;
Day 1: In the morning you can visit the most important historical heritage of Istanbul with the Sultanahmet tour. Around 8:00 in the evening, you can take a Bosphorus dinner cruise with Turkish night in Istanbul.
Day 2: You can take a walk from Sultanahmet to the Grand Bazaar and walk around the historical structure of the Grand Bazaar. In the covered bazaar, you can buy carpets, rugs, hookahs and many handmade ornaments.
You can go down to the Grand Bazaar and go to the Egyptian Bazaar where all kinds of spices are sold. In the Egyptian bazaar, you can find everything about eating, drinking, and spices. When you approach the Egyptian bazaar, you will definitely smell the smell of Turkish coffee that surrounds all the air. We strongly recommend you to buy Turkish coffee from Mehmet Efendi at the entrance to the Egyptian bazaar.
Day 3: Escape the crowds of Istanbul, and take a one-hour boat trip to Istanbul Princes Island. Since the islands used to be an exile from the Byzantine presses, there are many mansions and historical buildings on the islands. You can also relax in nature away from the noise since motor vehicles are prohibited. You can have a nice time especially in the cafes and restaurants on the beach.
Food & Drink Tips
The most famous Turkish cuisine foods are Turkish delight, baklava, kebab, doner, lahmacun, and stuffed meatballs that know by the word. Istanbul is a place where you can find the most distinguished dishes of Turkish cuisine. You can visit our page to get detailed information about what to eat and where to eat in Istanbul .
How to get from the airport to the Istanbul city center
There are 2 airports in Istanbul. One is the Istanbul Airport and the other is Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Both are approximately 50 Kilometers from the city center.
So which one should you choose;
Flight prices to Istanbul Airport are more expensive than Sabiha Gokcen. In terms of cost, it is better to choose Sabiha Gökçen.
Another problem is the traffic problem that is very busy in Istanbul. To overcome this problem, you need to plan your flight day and time well. Choosing the days and hours when traffic is quietest saves you from a boring traffic problem on the first day. If you prefer weekdays and late hours, for example after 9:00, you can make a smooth transfer. There is very busy traffic to the city center from both airports on weekends.
You have many options for transfer from the airport. By taxi, shuttle and private transfer,
we advise you to contact your hotel and organize your transfer by the hotel.
Where to stay in Istanbul millions of tourists asked before coming to Istanbul. The answer depends on many different factors. If you have come to Istanbul for tourism purposes, of course, the most suitable region is Sultanahmet and the surrounding hotels. However, hotels in this region are more expensive than in other regions in price. The greatest advantage is that many historical monuments from the Byzantine and Ottoman empires are within walking distance of each other. Please visit our page for detailed information about where to stay in Istanbul .
Istanbul is a very expensive city for local people. But it is a cheap city for tourists. The reason is Euro, dollar and big majority of other currencies have higher values than Turkish Lira and this will help you to explore the whole city at a reasonable cost.
Istanbul is the bridge between Asia and Europe, home to three major religions. The capital of many empires throughout history, this city bears the traces of many historical monuments from Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. Sultanahmet and the Bosphorus are the most important regions. This city, which has a wide range of eating, drinking and shopping, will fascinate you. Throughout history, many poems have been written about Istanbul, a city really worth seeing.
Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Maiden's tower, Sultanahmet square, historical baths, covered bazaar, the Egyptian bazaar and many other historical traces, the only city in the world that connects Asia and Europe.
Ceramics, Turkish lamps, evil eye ornaments, hookah pipes, Turkish tea, Turkish coffee, Kilim carpets, Turkish spices, Turkish silver and gold jewelry, Turkish delight, baklava you can buy a lot of products.
If you prefer the Grand Bazaar and the Egyptian Bazaar for shopping, you will also visit these historical markets that have witnessed history.
When you visit an unfamiliar city for touristic purposes, security is your most important concern. Although there have been a few terrorist attacks in the past, Istanbul is now very safe, just like other countries in the world. Some tourists are concerned about the terrorist incidents in Syria, but between Istanbul and Syria is about 1470 Km (about 920 miles). There have been no terrorist incidents in Istanbul since 2016.
Yes, it is safe to walk the streets in Istanbul. You will not have any security problems especially in the touristic areas. However, it may be troublesome in some areas to travel alone or in groups. These areas are usually remote areas outside the tourism area. We recommend that you get information from your hotel about the area you want to visit.
According to a number of already-available statistics and surveys, Istanbul is one of the safest big cities in Europe for women to travel alone. However, as a general warning, I would suggest that you stay in the touristic areas, avoid alleys and empty neighborhoods.
Life continues until late, especially in touristic areas in Istanbul. For this reason, strolling in the tourist areas in the evening does not create any security problems.
1. Don't buy anything without price research and bargaining.
How much money you bring with you depends entirely on you. Your cost may vary depending on the hotel you will be staying, the activities you will do and the tours you will attend. However, we advise you not to have all your money with you and do not exchange all your money in Turkish Lira. You can make all kinds of bank transactions from many ATMs in the tourist areas. we recommend that you keep your money in your bank and withdraw as much as you need from the ATM.
Euro and dollar are the most used currency in touristic areas in Istanbul. However, you can exchange other valuable currencies at the exchange offices.
Keeping your money in the euro is more profitable. However, if you are thinking of shopping, you should exchange the euro to Turkish Lira at the exchange offices.
Due to temperatures, room rates and tourist activities, it is considered the best time to visit Istanbul between March - May and September - November. In the summer months (June, July and August), Istanbul is very crowded, so you may have to wait a long time in the historical places you will visit during these months. Also, accommodation and tourist activity prices are high in these months.
The best month to visit Istanbul between March-May and September-November. Accommodation and tour prices were lower during these months. Moreover, Istanbul is not very crowded in terms of tourism during these months. It is a good option to stroll during these months when the weather is cool.
The coldest months of Istanbul are winter (January, February, March). Visiting Istanbul during these months is not the right option. Rainy and cold weather will make it difficult for you to walk around and take a Bosphorus cruise.
You will not have any problems with clothing in Istanbul. Like other cities in the world, Istanbul is a city where you can feel comfortable about it. We recommend you to bring comfortable sports clothes with you according to the month you came. If you are thinking of visiting the mosque and the holy places, we recommend you to bring a scarf.
Of course, you can wear shorts. While walking in Istanbul, you will see that the clothing of the local people is not different from Europe.
There is no problem wearing jeans during mosque visits. The only thing you need to pay attention to is not to go in with shoes, wearing a scarf, not to visit during praying times.
Most local women dressed in smart fashions which included sleeved dresses, long tunic tops, and straight cut pants and jeans. There are both very conservative women with their heads covered in scarves and those who are more modern who are not covering their heads.
The flavors you must-try during your visit to Istanbul;
1. Kebab
for more information please click...
To answer this question first let's answer what are the main street delicacies in Istanbul. One of the street delicacies of Istanbul is fish bread in Eminönün. In Ortaköy, there are baked potatoes, kokorec and simit which you can find in every district of Istanbul. you can enjoy these flavors without hesitation. Local people eat every day without problems.
It depends exactly on where you eat, what you eat. If you eat at a restaurant in the tourist area prices will come a bit expensive. Our advice to you is to ask the local people, they know where to eat and what to eat. You can visit our page for what to eat and where to eat in Istanbul .
It all depends on your taste. However, going back from the Istanbul without trying doner, kebabs, and baklava will be bad luck for you.
In Istanbul you can drink in areas other than mosques, religious areas and public parks. However, we recommend you to drink in a restaurant. Drinking in public areas is not welcome.
There is no inconvenience about smoking in open spaces. Smoking is permitted in public areas such as tram and bus stops.
Do not drink tap water in Istanbul, although the authorities say that you can drink water from the tap. However, you can easily use it for cooking, brushing teeth and taking a bath.
Turkey operates on 220 volts, 50 Hz, with round-prong European-style plugs that fit into recessed wall sockets /points. Four- and five-star hotels often provide North American-style 120 volts, 60 Hz flush-mounted sockets (points) for North American flat-prong plugs.
Taxis are safe in Istanbul. However, if you are traveling by taxi, pay according to taximeter without bargaining. Before getting into a taxi, navigate by mobile phone to create the nearest route and follow that route. Since the traffic in Istanbul is very busy, taxi drivers will try to take you on a road where the tariff is low but the route is longer. This will give you extra cost.
Taxi prices are cheaper than most European countries. Just look at the traffic density and the shortest route of your destination in advance to avoid high costs.
There are two airports in Istanbul. Both are about 50 kilometers from the city center. It costs about 35 dollars or 30 euros. However, the traffic density and the route the driver brings you may vary in price.
This is a bit difficult to answer, as traffic in Istanbul is very busy. Normally it takes about 1 hour.
You can not find uber in İstanbul because uber is prohibited in Istanbul.
