Istanbul during Eid-ul-adha

[avalong]

We will be arriving in Istanbul on September 24th, and departing there on a cruise Sept. 26th. Apparently this is smack in the middle of a big holiday, Eid-ul-adha, during which the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market are closed and animal sacrifices take place in the Sultanahmet district. I believe the mosques will be open. Aside from the mosques, does anyone have any suggestions as to what to see in Istanbul given that the major tourist attractions are unavailable (Sultanahmet is available, but I'd rather skip that scene)?

[cruisemom42]

I'm curious -- do you have reliable information that there is actually slaughtering going on in Sultanahmet? I've been in Turkey during Eid (not Istanbul though), and it's not like there are animals being killed everywhere or blood running in the streets or anything...:eek:

 

The Turkey Travel Planner website is generally excellent and very accurate with information, and from what I read there (link below), the animals can only be killed in specific areas outside the city:

 

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/Religion/kurban_bayrami.html

 

Also, any slaughtering of sheep takes place only on the morning of the first day of Eid, e.g., September 24th in 2015, and tourist sites may be open after the first day. On the minus side, the city is likely to be EXTREMELY crowded.

[avalong]

I'm curious -- do you have reliable information that there is actually slaughtering going on in Sultanahmet? I've been in Turkey during Eid (not Istanbul though), and it's not like there are animals being killed everywhere or blood running in the streets or anything...:eek:

 

The Turkey Travel Planner website is generally excellent and very accurate with information, and from what I read there (link below), the animals can only be killed in specific areas outside the city:

 

http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/Religion/kurban_bayrami.html

 

Also, any slaughtering of sheep takes place only on the morning of the first day of Eid, e.g., September 24th in 2015, and tourist sites may be open after the first day. On the minus side, the city is likely to be EXTREMELY crowded.

 

I've read so many travel reviews about this that I'm not really sure where I read about animal sacrifices in the Sultanahmet. But thanks for your encouraging words! I'll check out that website.

[Granny DI]

We were in Istanbul during EID last year. The Spice market is closed for the entire time. We hired a guide so he planned our tour around the holiday hours. I would never go again during this holiday because Istanbul was so crowded! It seemed all of Turkey was in Istanbul for the holiday. Everything was open but crowded. Our guide bought our tickets in advance so we didn't have to stand in long lines. We saw everything but the Spice Market. We were in Istanbul from Friday to Tuesday.

Edited July 2, 2015 by Granny DI

[avalong]

We were in Istanbul during EID last year. The Spice market is closed for the entire time. We hired a guide so he planned our tour around the holiday hours. I would never go again during this holiday because Istanbul was so crowded! It seemed all of Turkey was in Istanbul for the holiday. Everything was open but crowded. Our guide bought our tickets in advance so we didn't have to stand in long lines. We saw everything but the Spice Market. We were in Istanbul from Friday to Tuesday.

 

I was looking into a guide, but the one website I looked at (Urban Adventures) weren't offering tours during this period. Did you arrange your guide in advance or were you able to do it once you got to Istanbul? Would you mind sharing the name of the company you used?

[Granny DI]

Go to tripadvisor.com. You will be able to find a tour that suits your needs. We paid nothing until the end of the tour. We paid in euros. The guide changed the order of things because of the crowds. Saturday is also protest day so we went to that area first before the crowds began to assemble. Our days were full..usually 9 to 6.

[singlegrandma2]

I will also be there during the Holiday. I am using Ephesus Shuttle at both Ephesus and Istanbul. The Bazaar will be closed but she assured me that a lot of shops will be open. Hope it isn't too crowded..... I didn't think about that.

[Gourmet Gal]

We will be at Kusadesi on Sept. 25 and Ekol Tours responded to my query that all sites and museums will be closed all morning and that no tours can begin until noon. Has anyone else heard this?

[singlegrandma2]

We do not dock until 11.. so I set up my tour with Ephesus Shuttle to pick us up at 11:30 so I am not sure. She said everything should be open in Ephesus ......except the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and the Blue Mosque is closed on Friday the day we are touring there. Since that is an overnight we might jump in a taxi and go back Saturday morning.