Istanbul

[JT]

good tour

I don't know of any cruises or boats/ferries that you do not have to pay on

Lots of other things to see and do but dont forget that ideally if you are incorporating this into say a fortnight stay in Icmeler or Marmaris then we normally get you on the 9amish flight from Dalaman to Istanbul giving you a full day and night there, then a full day and night the next day then usually bring you back on the evening of the third night getting back to the resort at 10pmish so getting 3 full days and 2 nights there in the big city

[dksbbs]

I don't know of any cruises or boats/ferries that you do not have to pay on

I think you must be tired John after your long summer, my post says fee for the cruise and not free.

[JT]

Definitely

I was reading free

[Sami]

I would love to visit Istanbul. Got no-one to go with me.

[diannne123]

I have booked New Year in Istanbul 28/12/12 - 10/01/13.

Has anyone got any tips, Do's & Don'ts ?

Do i take English money like in Icmeler or Euros?

So excited can't wait....have waited nearly 10 years to do this trip !!

Diane

[JT]

Dianne I would really start to read about Istanbul now before you go, in fact read about Turkey to find out about it's people and culture

The currency of Turkey is the Turkish Lira so take that with you

[Kalof]

We've not long come back from 5 days in Istanbul, we stayed in the Sultanahmet area in a supposedly 4* hotel in the Laleli district. It wasn't a 4*, more like 2* but it was ok a bit rough around the edges. The Laleli district is a textile area, loads and loads of clothes shops but you can't buy 1 item you had to buy 5, all in the same colour and size, needless to say we bought nothing! Also full of Russians! Everything was in dollars and euros. Apparently the Russians spent thousands of dollars there (they don't in Icmeler!) and it was an amazing sight seeing "barrow boys" running up and down the streets laden with huge packages on their barrows, all the packages going cargo to Russia. I'm blonde and the times I was spoken to in Russian really got to me in the end.

We were about 10/15 mins walk from Ayia Sofia, Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. Amazing places, particularly loved Topkapi Palace and the Harem, its a lot of walking in one day though, we did these in 2 days and we were still knackered!

We went on a boat on the Bhosphorus, definitely worth it if its a good day, there are some beautiful houses and palaces along the front.

Traffic is horrendous there!!!! From our hotel there was always a queue of traffic from very early on in the morning until gone 10 pm so be prepared for lots of honking of horns. Went on tram down to the boats, that was an experience! Sardines isn't the word for it, plus straying hands!!!!

We've been to Taksim Square before so we didn't venture to that part this time but I believe that the majority of Taksim Square is being dug up for a new traffic system so not sure how much you can walk around there now. Lots of restaurants and bars and night clubs there.

Loved Sultanahmet and the historical sights, weather was very kind to us too. If we were to go again would pick a better hotel but you pay's for what you get! So many places to see in Turkey, but at least we've felt that we did Istanbul!