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  • Hagia Sophia

  • Galata Tower

  • Bosphorus

  • Balat

  • Historical Area

  • Street cats

WE TICKED THE MAP TO “ISTANBUL” for a week


One of the milestone of history, bridge between Asia and Europe, road to Asia, mixture of the cultures… There is not one phase that describes Istanbul…

A population of around  15 million residents on 5.170 km² area… Just for the comparation; Paris has 105.4 km² land area with around 2 million residents… It is a crowed city which is full of historical attractions and changing it’s modern face each day…

Just to make some sense watch our Visit Istanbul- Turkey video!

HOW TO GET TO ISTANBUL?

By Plane: There are 2 airports in Istanbul. Ataturk Airport is located in the European side and Sabiha Gokcen is in the Anatolian Side. Both can be chosen depending the area you will be staying in Istanbul and the airline companies you will be traveling with (Generally, cheap flights will be from Sabiha Gokcen and Turkish Airlines flights from Ataturk Airport) Both airports offer shuttle services to and from both parts of Istanbul. Outside of the airports you can find public buses, Havatas shuttles, Havas Shuttles and many taxis! There is also a metro line from Ataturk Airport that you can prefer.

For more information on easy traveling in Istanbul without a getting lost click our blog post!

WHERE TO STAY IN ISTANBUL?

We recommend you to stay close to the city centers like in Taksim, Beşiktaş, Kadikoy areas! Check booking.com for best deals on hotels and hostels in Istanbul.

TOP THINGS TO DO IN ISTANBUL?

Bosphorus Tour: Istanbul has a unique situation! The city is landed in two continents and the Marmara Sea divides the sea in two parts: Anatolian and Asian side! One of the must seen things is therefore a Bosphorus Tour. There a a half day tours offered for 20 Turkish liras by companies like TURYOL or public ferry lines. You can also pay extra and rent a private boat for yourself!

Traditional Night Out: You need to do a Raki & Balik night! “Raki” is a traditional alcohol very similar to Greek Uzo made of anise  and “balik” is a general name for any kind of fish. While tasting Raki, eating your fish along with the “meze”, you can watch the belly dancers and listen to some live traditional music which Turkish people call “Fasıl”. To find the closest places view: Zomato.com, Time Out

For more information on Raki and other traditional drinks in Istanbul click our blog post!

Street market: Visit street markets in Istanbul. This is a must that every tourist should experience once. Streets markets are great places to get involved in a city’s locals!

For more information on street markets in Istanbul click our blog post!

Evil Eye Bead: You will see many items with an evil-eye bead while you are wandering in Istanbul. The evil-eye bead is believed to be a protector from the evil-eye of others. You should get one for yourself and one for the loved ones as a souvenir.

For more information on souvenir ideas in Istanbul click our blog post!

Turkish Delights: If you have not tried them yet, you should taste one. The dessert menu in Istanbul is wide and fantastically delicious.

For more information on Turkish dessert in Istanbul click our blog post! 

WHAT TO EAT IN ISTANBUL?

There are a lot to taste when you are in Istanbul. The Turkish cuisine is wide and yummy. You will definitely gain weight during your stay in Istanbul.

For more information on traditional food culture in Istanbul click our blog post!

On the other hand, there is a great variety of street foods which is way cheaper but still very tasty and healthy.

For more information on street foods in Istanbul click our blog post!

ISTANBUL TRIP PLAN

When our foreign friends came to visit us and Istanbul for sure, we did this tour many times and it works! Like all the menu on the table. Perfect for limited time with fullfilling city guide. Note that: it is going to be tiring…

In order to make your trip easier, we have written a special blog on “Free-Apps you must download before you visit Istanbul”. This apps will give you the confidence and freedom to visit the city like a local!

1 week is never enough for Istanbul. But if you have packed days or limited vacation or want not just to tick Istanbul on your route, here is the 1 week city guide for you! All the details are included 🙂 Ex: where to have a break, where to stay, etc.

Note that depending on your taste you can also squeeze the plan or skip some routes… Enjoy…

Day 1:Historical area/ Old Town/ Sultanahmet Sights/ Hippodrome – European Side

Day 2: Shopping& Chilling area- European Side

Day 3: Jewish area (Balat / Fener Districts ) / Golden Horn District –European Side

Day 4: Seaside area –European Side

Day 5: Islands

Day 6: Seaside area - Asian side

Day 7: Shopping& Chilling area - Asian side

OUR TIPS:

One thing you should keep in mind, if you divide Istanbul to European and Asian sides, you will save time and won’t lose time on the roads as all the sightseeings are dispersed all over Istanbul.

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