Istambul - walkable?

[sun16]

We have never had Istambul as our port - we have an overnight there in October - 2023.  We are pretty good walkers - are most of the sights doable on foot and without a guide?  Spice Market - Bazaar, etc.?

 

Any recommendations?

[MeHeartCruising]

Most of the major sites themselves are immensely walkable to each other.  They are in the Sultanahmet  area of the city.  I did not use a guide, as I had done my research prior to my trip.

 

However, you will likely want some form of transportation to go from your ship to the Sultanahmet area.  There is a tram that runs from outside the cruise port to the tourist area.  You should read up on that option.  It can be walked.  I did the walk from Sultanahamet back to the ship when I was there, but it is a lengthly walk that I would not recommend starting your day with. I would estimate I walked for 45-60 minutes - including an occasional stop for pictures.  Once you see the lay of the land, you could possibly decide to walk back later in the day or on the second day.  I think most people do not walk it.

Edited August 17, 2023 by MeHeartCruising

[edinburgher]

21 hours ago, sun16 said:

We have never had Istambul as our port - we have an overnight there in October - 2023.  We are pretty good walkers - are most of the sights doable on foot and without a guide?  Spice Market - Bazaar, etc.?

Absolutely walkable as indicated above, with the main sights in close proximity to each other in the Sultanahmet district, and others between there and the waterfront, an easy enough walk downhill  from Sultanahmet.

 

You will though probably want to take a tram from the port to Sultanahmet as traffic in the city is dreadfully slow and a tram more useful.  The waterfront is approx half way back to the ship so you can decide whether to walk the remainder or take a tram one or two stops.Lots of previous info on threads about the trams and Sultanahmet, use the SEARCH tool under your username to find them, or search the internet.

 

No guide actually needed, but you might want to take some info with you, or know how to access it when you are there as that would be helpful.

Enjoy as it is a fascinating city to visit.

Edited August 18, 2023 by edinburgher

[Labanos]

Walked around Istanbul a few days ago while on our Enchanted Princess cruise. Like @edinburgher and @MeHeartCruising already wrote you can easily discover Istanbul on foot. Made some personal notes here:

 

[John Bull]

Best - and easiest - use of your time is to take the tram (heading to your left) which takes you over the Golden Horn on the Galata Bridge & up the hill to the stop marked "Sultanahmet".  Tram ticketing has changed since we were last in Istanbul, but it's still one flat fare for any journey, and you might want to buy tickets for the return journey at the same time. Your tram has its own dedicated centre of the road and glides past the congested traffic. 

Now everywhere is level or downhill.

 

Near the Sultanahmet stop  are the hippodrome and the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii), then in very easy walking distance the Roman cistern (Yereybatan Sarnici) 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C4onQG3ViY 

and Hagia Sophia (various spellings).

 

Then either ....

a 15-minute walk back over the tram line to one of the upper entrances to the Grand Bazaar (perhaps the one behind the Nuruosmaniye Mosque) then meander thro the Grand Bazaar to its lower exit and down to the Spice Bazaar (aka Egyptian Bazaar) and the waterfront at the Galata Bridge, or 10 minutes across to the impressive Suleymaniye mosque. Perhaps a short ferry ride up the Golden Horn if you have the time, then the tram back to the ship.

or ..........

a 10-minute walk from Hagia Sophia to Topkapi Palace.  We've not been there, but apparently it's very spread-out, lots of walking. Hopefully others or that nice Mr Google can give details, also the nearest tram stop to return to the ship.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

[edinburgher]

2 hours ago, John Bull said:

the nearest tram stop to return to the ship.

It is called Gulhane- the same tramline #1 , just one stop downhill from Sultanahmet. Stops are announced.

Gulhane will sound something like "goolhanny", Sultanahmet will sound something like "sooltanahmet bloomosque" 

Sometimes trams are very crowded. On the way TO Sultanahmet to begin your day, when you hear "goolhanny" you will know to prepare to get off at the next stop which should be Sultanahmet.

Edited August 18, 2023 by edinburgher

[Nebr.cruiser]

We walked from the ship over the bridge and to the Spice Market and Bazaar.  It wasn't bad at all.  Loved walking over the bridge.  This was in 2012, so take that into consideration.

 

Our first day there we had an excursion that did all the major sights, such as the Blue Mosque, etc.

Edited August 19, 2023 by Nebr.cruiser

[edinburgher]

5 hours ago, Nebr.cruiser said:

We walked from the ship over the bridge and to the Spice Market and Bazaar.  It wasn't bad at all.  Loved walking over the bridge.

sun16, be aware that the Spice Market and bazaar walk referred to as being "not bad at all"  in post #7 is a flat and easy enough walk from the cruise terminal across the bridge to the waterfront, but only around half way or a little less to Sultanahmet with the remainder of the walk uphill. As others have advised, probably best to take a tram.

 

Enjoy your time there as Istanbul is a fascinating city to visit.

[Nebr.cruiser]

23 minutes ago, edinburgher said:

sun16, be aware that the Spice Market and bazaar walk referred to as being "not bad at all"  in post #7 is a flat and easy enough walk from the cruise terminal across the bridge to the waterfront, but only around half way or a little less to Sultanahmet with the remainder of the walk uphill. As others have advised, probably best to take a tram.

 

Enjoy your time there as Istanbul is a fascinating city to visit.

I am quite sure that we did go to the 'big bazaar.  I really don't remember that much for hills, yes, some.  It was definitely not on the water front, as the spice market its.  I still don't consider it difficult, but thanks for the additional info, as the hills may be an issue for some.  We spent most of the day wandering around, taking our time and resting at times. 

[Labanos]

Yes, after the Galata bridge it's uphill all the way to the Blue mosque. It's doable and not very steep. From the bridge to the Egyptian spice market is not to hilly. Thats why we took the tram to the Grand Bazaar stop and then visited everything we wanted to see while walking down.

[sun16]

Thanks everyone for your information!!  Think I will print some of it off to take along with us.  Looking forward to Istambul.  Again Thanks so much.

[edinburgher]

On 8/19/2023 at 11:09 PM, Nebr.cruiser said:

It was definitely not on the water front, as the spice market its

 

are most of the sights doable on foot and without a guide?  Spice Market - Bazaar, etc.?

 

 

The Grand Bazaar covers quite a large area and runs from near waterfront (Eminonu) uphill to the edge of the Sultanahmet district.

 

There are a few gated entrances and I suspect you wandered in one of the lower ones but didn't continue all the way through the Grand Bazaar up to the main entrance which is to be found at the top.

 

Most going there from the cruise terminal would take the same #1 tramline a couple of stops further along from the "Sultanahmet/Blue Mosque" stop to the Beyazit stop, enter the GB at the top (main) entrance  and walk downhill through it as Labanos in post #7 has described.

 

That entire area is an interesting and diverse area to wander around with lots to see along the way.

 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by edinburgher