Dubrovnik, Thessaloniki, Istanbul Newbie

[Lemanja']

I am visiting Dubrovnik Croatia, Thessaloniki Greece and Istanbul Turkey. Can anyone give me travel advice on any of the locations? For example, I learned from this board that it is probably better to exchange my money once there.

What other advice do you have for a newbie?

Thanks in advance!
Lemanja' [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

"Oh, when my baby, when my baby smiles at me I go to Rio...de Janeiro!"

[zazzy]

Lemanja'
my husband and I will be visiting dubrovnik as well and from what I have found through research is that it is a very easy city to see for yourself. the most impressive thing being the wall around the city and a couple of monestaries. we plan to skip the ship's shore excursion and do this city on our own.

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=00ff00&cdt=2004;08;30;20;00;00&timezone=GMT+0100[/img]  until our virgin cruise Westerdam 8/30/04

[camelia]

Hello! Istanbul is one of my favourite places. You are so lucky that you'll be going! It was cancelled from our itinerary on Celebrity. Here are a few tips:

Even if it is hot, wear at least short sleeves (no tank tops or camisoles) and a long skirt, sarong or pants. This is a matter of respect for Turkish people. This also applies to men.

If you are a woman travelling alone or with another woman, you may get flirted at more often than you'd like. You may even be physically touched by people, especially in places such as the grand bazaar. Ideally, you should pair up with male partners to visit the bazaar or walk in the streets. A firm "No" should discourage most Turks from taking it further.

Learn a few words of Turkish; it's easy and will go a long way, even if English is widely spoken.

Turkish people are very apt salesmen; the story goes a vendor once sold a minaret to a tourist! Countless numbers will try and sell you carpets and rugs, and they can be awfully convincing! My parents bought 3 during their latest stay, and they didn't need even one! If you are interested in buying some, go for it, but try and get information beforehand so that you recognize the real from the fake, hand-made from machine-made, and the old from the new.

Whatever you want to buy, and esp. in places like the Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Bazaar, you should never ever pay full price. Haggling is essential. Paying in USD is usually preferred.

The Turks are extremely welcoming. Don't be surprised if you are invited for tea or to share a meal, but trust your instincts and do not follow strangers in dark places or streets where you can't find your way. Do not flash your money; a friend of mine got mugged a few years ago. (Of course, this also applies to NY City and most places in the world!)

You may also be asked questions that would be considered too personal in America, such as your age and marital status. Travelling alone, I wore a fake wedding band and usually said my husband was waiting for me at the hotel.

At restaurants, ensure that the bill matches what you ordered. "Extras" often find their way on the bill of unsuspecting clients.

Finally, do not drink tap water. Buy bottled water or canned drinks such as Fanta and make sure the seal is intact before drinking it.

Have a fantastic cruise! You will love Istanbul!

Camelia

[Flick]

If you have the chance go to see Dohmabace Palace while in Istanbul. I have toured castles and palaces all over the world and this one is more spectacular than any of them. The closest one to it would be Peterhof in St, Petersburg. Imagine if you can, the balastrades of the grand staircase are Baccaret Crystal! When I say MORE spectacular I am including Versailles as NOT coming close......

Rick,24 cruises and counting! Next cruise- #25-Riverboat cruise from Amsterdam to Vienna in July '04

[BMW R60]

Istanbul - I have been there 8 times and will go again.
Have a look at the Lonely Planet guide to Turkey - they tell you which days the various sites are open. The Cistern on a hot day, and the Archaeological Museum (near Topkapi) are my two favorites, partly because they are not crowded. If you are shopping, there are some very good Government run shops near the Yesil Ev Hotel (also near Topkapi) - prices are fixed but the quality is good. Also look for the Government carpet shop (I think it is run by the Ministry of Culture) which is set in a wonderful huge old Turkish Bath. Again, the prices are fixed but both the quality and the variety are excellent - and no pushy carpet merchants who are really like annoying insects.

If you only have a day in Istanbul, you can use every minute exploring the Sultanahmet (the old city area - there is so much to see, and you will suffer from sensory overload, and when I feel that way, I head for the the Archaeological Museum

[brownj]

Dubrovnik - Tender Port. Beautiful medieval stone sea fortress. Many signs of bomb damage in the back alleys, but the main street is quite modern. Leave the old town for better deals on lace and local embroidery. The food is so-so, and no one else in the world uses their currency. So don’t go overboard at the cash machine. We used the local grocery store to stock up on provisions.


Istanbul - You will regret it as we did if you do not spend a couple of days here. For our tous We used a local tour company called [url="http://more.at/byzance"]Byzance[/url]. I could not be happier with the service we received from the guide, I have never had a more positive experience with any company of any kind -- EVER! I don't know what more I could say. We had to leave very early the next morning after our arrival so we only had time to see the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia and walk through a small part of the Grand Bazaar. That means we missed Topkapi Palace entirely (it takes 4-5 hours to tour properly) and several other places we wanted to see. This is definitely on our list of places we wish to re-visit one day.

I hope this helps. We have wonderful memories of the people we met and places we visited.