ISTANBUL - Need advice on timings and order of sites

[didi7]

Thank you for all of the advice here. We are cruising out of Istanbul so we have overnight. We have to deal with Topaki closed Tuesday and Haggai closed Monday. So, we will try to see Topakai and ??? (Need advice here) on Monday after settling into ship. I was thinking either G Bazaar or Spice Bazaar. Any suggestions for either or another choice. I thought we would see Haggai, Blue Mosque and Cistern on Tuesday. We sail at 4 or 5. We also will do Panorama of Asia & Europe Istanbul at night on Monday. Would appreciate comments and particularly about Topaki and whether Harem worthwhile, perhaps as opposed to Spice B. We probably will not return to Istanbul and it, together with Ephesus and Dubrovnik, is reason we chose this cruise. Thank u!

[richfromhaw]

We were in Istanbul June 6 & 7 prior to our cruise.

 

I pre-purchased on-line tickets for both Hagia Sopkhia & Topkapi Palace.

This saved us time not having to wait to purchase entry on day of visiting.

Another option is to pre buy the Museum Pass which covers the sites mentioned but also others.

 

After travelling all night & that morning, we were at our hotel around 2PM & started touring at 3PM.

 

We went first to Blue Mosque which had impossible queue times for entry. Instead we moved on to Hagia Sophia & spent around 2 hours touring that site.

We then walked to Spice Market did that then it was dinner time.

 

Our June 7 we had to be at our cruise boat around 14:00.

So we started touring eraly & was at the Blue Mosqur by 9AM, no line, walled in & saw it.

We then walked up and spent the rest of the morning at Topkapi which in my opinion is the highlight of Istanbul.

 

Hope this helps you in your plans. Enjoy your holiday.

[40lovetennis]

richfromhaw,

Thanks for the response. Another question for you-did you take the tram to visit all the sites? Did you find it easy to navigate? Again thanks for the information.

[nana541]

richfromhaw,

 

Thanks for the response. Another question for you-did you take the tram to visit all the sites? Did you find it easy to navigate? Again thanks for the information.

 

 

Ok maybe my memory is bad but while we did get on the tram once... Many of these sites are in the old city and the tram does not run there except the perimeter.

Expect to do a bunch of walking! The tram even in April was jam packed.

 

Get the Rick Steve's Med Port book he has great info for getting around and he will give you common sense advice. His book has fairly current info and was a life saver to us!

 

 

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Edited June 17, 2014 by nana541

[cruisemom42]

Ok maybe my memory is bad but while we did get on the tram once... Many of these sites are in the old city and the tram does not run there except the perimeter.

Expect to do a bunch of walking! The tram even in April was jam packed.

 

 

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I think maybe you should check your memory chip (:D), the tram runs right through the "main drag" of Sultanahmet, which is the old city. One stop (Gulhane) is within a block or so of the entrance to Topkapi and the Archaeological Museum. A second stop (Sultanahmet) is about equidistant from Haghia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cisterns (about a block or so to each). And finally, a third stop (Beyazit) gets you close to the Grand Bazaar.

 

If you want to get off at the Spice Market and/or walk across Galata Bridge, that stop is Eminonu.

 

So as you can see, there are quite a few stops in the historic area. Sure, you may have to walk a block or so -- but in the context of a big city, that's pretty darn good.

[John Bull]

Ok maybe my memory is bad but while we did get on the tram once... Many of these sites are in the old city and the tram does not run there except the perimeter.

Expect to do a bunch of walking! The tram even in April was jam packed.

 

Get the Rick Steve's Med Port book he has great info for getting around and he will give you common sense advice. His book has fairly current info and was a life saver to us!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I can confirm what you say.:)

........... that you've got a poor memory :D

 

The tram-stop at Sultanahmet is less than 300 yds from Blue Mosque, same from Hagia Sophia & Roman cistern.

The stop at Gulhane is less than 300yds from the entrance to Topkapi, ditto the one at Beyazit for Grand Bazaar and Eminonu the same from the Spice Bazaar. And by organising your walking route from sight to sight you can do it all with just one tram ride out & one tram ride back.

It's very simple, there's just the one route which serves the cruise port & these stops, pretty impossible to go wrong. And one low flat fare

 

Yes, the trams are often crowded. But when they're crowded the traffic is pretty-well grid-locked while the trams have their own dedicated part of the road. :)

 

Be in no doubt, tram is the way to see all those sights.

 

JB :)

[cruisemom42]

It's very simple, there's just the one route which serves the cruise port & these stops, pretty impossible to go wrong. And one low flat fare

 

Yes, the trams are often crowded. But when they're crowded the traffic is pretty-well grid-locked while the trams have their own dedicated part of the road. :)

 

Be in no doubt, tram is the way to see all those sights.

 

JB :)

 

This sums it up about as well as anything I've seen.

 

(From someone who has been using the tram since before Rick Steves' Istanbul or Med Cruises books were ever published....)

Edited June 17, 2014 by cruisemom42

[nana541]

I can confirm what you say.:)

 

........... that you've got a poor memory :D

 

 

 

The tram-stop at Sultanahmet is less than 300 yds from Blue Mosque, same from Hagia Sophia & Roman cistern.

 

The stop at Gulhane is less than 300yds from the entrance to Topkapi, ditto the one at Beyazit for Grand Bazaar and Eminonu the same from the Spice Bazaar. And by organising your walking route from sight to sight you can do it all with just one tram ride out & one tram ride back.

 

It's very simple, there's just the one route which serves the cruise port & these stops, pretty impossible to go wrong. And one low flat fare

 

 

 

Yes, the trams are often crowded. But when they're crowded the traffic is pretty-well grid-locked while the trams have their own dedicated part of the road. :)

 

 

 

Be in no doubt, tram is the way to see all those sights.

 

 

 

JB :)

 

 

Oh good... Yep the mind is the first to go! I remember a tram jammed with bodies, though a very nice woman in traditional black robes made her husband vacate his seat, so I could sit down and we talked by hand gestures about grandchildren.... A great memory.

We walked and walked and got lost in the Grand Bazaar :)

 

Rick Steve's book really gave us good info before we ever got to Istanbul and while we were there. A great planning tool.

 

Istanbul was magical, who would have thought!

 

 

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[4774Papa]

You already have a lot of great advise, so I will try to keep my advise short.

 

1. The key sites are close together. I would go to the Hippodrome/Blue Mosque, which doesn't take more than an hour.

Then hit the Basilica Cistern, that is less than an hour. Hagia Sophia is the NUMBER 1 site, and next. DON'T miss it.

Next is Topkapi. GO to the Harem, it is worth the time and money.

 

2. The Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar are interesting, but to me they were secondary to the sites mentioned. Also, they are a bit away from these sites.

 

3. Purchase your tickets on the internet prior to going on your trip. Print out your admission voucher, then purchase the audio-guide for each, no guide needed.

 

Here is my review of our trip including our cruise.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=228545

[Katgoesonholiday]

We were in Istanbul June 6 & 7 prior to our cruise.

 

I pre-purchased on-line tickets for both Hagia Sopkhia & Topkapi Palace.

This saved us time not having to wait to purchase entry on day of visiting.

Another option is to pre buy the Museum Pass which covers the sites mentioned but also others.

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply! I would dearly love to know how you managed to pre-purchase online tickets for Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. I can't seem to find a functional website anywhere for doing this! :confused:

[4774Papa]

Thank you for taking the time to reply! I would dearly love to know how you managed to pre-purchase online tickets for Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. I can't seem to find a functional website anywhere for doing this! :confused:

http://www.muze.gov.tr/harem-en

The Hagia Sophia was formerly a church and then a mosque and is now just a museum. Tckets cost 25TL per person and we purchased our tickets online in advance (no added charge) at https://www.muze.gov.tr/buy_e_ticket

 

Topkapi palace 25TL (u12s free), + another 15TL for the Harem

 

Hagia Sophia

Entry cost 25 TL

 

For both of these you can buy tickets in advance (except for the Harem, which you get from the box office once inside the Topkapi palace) from http://www.muze.gov.tr/hagiasophia This worked out well as we went straight in past the long lines. You print out an email with a QR code for each ticket and remember to take it with you

 

For u12s (free) you don't need a ticket. Our youngster was obviously under 12 and the official at the turnstile waved her through, but we had her passport with us anyway.

 

The only downside with buying your ticket in advance is that the website makes it clear it is non-refundable so if you don't use it, it's lost. But as 25TL is not a fortune I'd say getting it this way is well worth it - just double check you get the date right.

 

Blue Mosque

Entry is free and they provide clothing if your shorts don't cover your knees. You can't go in at prayer times, so as the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque are almost next to each other go to the mosque first and check your possible entry times (i.e. outside of the 5 prayer periods). That way you will know when to go there and not waste precious time. If you get lucky and can go in straight away, do so and go to the Hagia Sophia afterwards - your ticket there is for the day and does not specify a time. Once inside the mosque we spent about 15 minutes looking round. The tiles are stunning and I would have liked longer here but was mindful of our schedule.

 

Basilica Cistern

You can't buy your (10 TL) ticket in advance but the queue moves quickly. There are over 50 steps down to the cistern floor. I think this is another 'must-see' as there can't be too much else like it anywhere. It's a one trick pony but a great one, and we spent 15 minutes down there.

 

Grand Bazaar, Galata Tower (12 TL) & Spice Bazaar

[richfromhaw]

Yes we used the tram to come back from Spice Market/Galata Bridge ( think stop was named Emmou on the tram) to Sultanhamet stop.

Our hotel was a short walk from there and the hotel gave us tokens to use for the fare ( need these tokens to ride the tram), hope this helps

[nana541]

Oh 4774PAPA, I loved your post and pictures, such great memories of Istanbul !!

 

PS we took the Public Ferry up the Bosphorus from right next to the Goleta Bridge, that was a nice rest and I think it was 10 euros.

 

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Edited June 18, 2014 by nana541