Istanbul - can we get as much out of it on our own?

[travelingmcmahans]

My husband and I are independent travelers and normally shy away from any organized tour. When visiting St Petersburg Russia on our first cruise, though, we decided to use the services of a guide and driver. This ended up being a great decision for us. We skipped all lines, learned a great deal of history and culture from our guide, and avoided wasting time looking for places because we had a knowledgable driver. That said, it was not inexpensive.

 

We are visiting Istanbul on our Celebrity cruise in June. This is the highlight of the trip for me, as St P was on the Baltic cruise. We have about 24 hours there and I can't decide if we should go it alone or hire another private guide. A particular challenge is that part of the visit falls on a Sunday when some sights may be closed.

 

We manage fine on our own in cities like Paris, Rome, Budapest and Krakow, using public transportation and guidebooks, but then again we had plenty of time in these cities. With such limited time I think a guide would help us make the most of our visit. But it is a significant added expense to an already expensive trip and if we could see the highlights on our own, I don't know if it would be worth it. The other drawback to having a guide is that the experience is more programmed. We like to have the freedom to just stop for a drink or browse in a shop that catches our interest.

 

I would love to hear from people who have visited Istanbul independently and those who used a private or very small tour group service. Is the local transportation easy enough to figure out quickly? Is there a good tourism infrastructure in terms of visitor's center, maps, etc? Did guides offer a deeper look at the history and meaning of the places you visited?

 

As well, we're considering spending the night in the city so as not to waste time going back and forth to the port. We can use points to stay for free so cost is not a factor in that decision.

 

Thanks for any input. I have contacted at Melitour who seem good, but I would really like to hear firsthand comments about them.

[Kenwoody]

We were in Istanbul in October 2006, and spent one night only. It is an area where I believe there is so much we were unable to see in one day. We did hire a guide from our hotel, actually the owner, who gave a walking tour of the town and explained the culture and area. He did by pass one line and was able to show us things of interest. He also showed us where to shop and eating places. It was only 100 Euro for the day. He also arranged pick up for us from the ship, taking us to the hotel, and they took us to the airport the next day. Which was a different fee( but very reasonable). I highly recommend a guide, to save time and learn their country.

P.S. Wish I had bought a rug.

[Kali4]

I can't help you in the area of if you should go it on your own or get a tour guide, that is a decision that my family and I are still contemplating. Just thought you might want to know that the Grand Bazaar is the only major site closed on Sunday. The Dolmabache Palace and St.Hagia Sophia are closed on Monday and the Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday. If you are there both days you should be able to see all the major sites between the two days. From my research it seems that many of the sites are all in walking distance of each other in the old section of the city. We will most likely take a cruise tour because we will be in Istanbul on a Tuesday when the Topkapi Palace is closed, if we take the cruise tour we will still be able to gain entrance to the Palace. If we go it on our own or with a tour guide we will not be able to see the Topkapi palace. Hope you have a good time whatever you decide!

[travelingmcmahans]

Thanks to both for the input. Kenwoody, can you share the name of the hotel/guide? Thanks!

[kinghw]

I had been to Istanbul on business but elected to do a private tour when my wife and I stopped there with the HAL Rotterdam last May. We used Lale Kosagan after reading many good reviews on this site and others, and I would recommend her, there are many others who get consistently good reviews as well. The cost for the two of us for the day was about $250-$300, if I recall correctly, for all tranportation, entrances, guide services, lunch, and tip.

 

We also have travelled extensively in Europe by ourselves, and I would not have hesitated to "do" Istanbul on our own, but I am glad that we hired Lale. We had a well planned and stress-free day and the frank conversations about what life is like in Turkey (or anywhere) are enjoyable and difficult to experience without a local guide.

 

You are visiting during summer and the city will probably be crowded. A licensed guide will collect your entrance tickets at Topkapi, etc, from a separate short line which saves valuable time.

 

Much depends upon the day of your visit and how you want to spend your time. We were there on a Sunday, traffic relatively light made driving through some outlying parts of the city with lale possible. The Grand Bazaar was closed (had been there before). If you want to spend half the day at the Grand Bazaar shopping then a guide may not make as much sense.

 

One caveat with all guides: they will have connections to carpet dealers and will at least explore the idea of diverting you to one from which they will receive a commission on anything you buy, this is natural business in Istanbul, and of course there are fabulous carpets there which can be obtained through bargaining for a good price, but if like many you don't want to spend your valuable time haggling in a carpet shop make this clear to any guide up front and you should have no problem.

[Foxhill]

We were in Istanbul in September, 2005. There were 12 of us in our group. We used Lale Kosagan (www.tourguidesinturkey.com) and she absolutely made our stay as wonderful as it was. She was prompt, very knowledgeable and had an outstanding driver. We had a comfortable van to get around in. She was able to get us in to sights in a very efficient manner which allowed us to see much more than if we had to wait in long lines. She imparted much knowledge of her country and its culture. We used her in both Istanbul and Ephesus and everyone in our group could not have been happier. She was flexible and when circumstances warranted it was able to go to "Plan B" at a moments notice. We were in port in Istanbul from 1:00 p.m. on a Saturday until 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. Traffic was gridlock almost everywhere and I think we would have missed so much if we did not have someone with such intimate knowledge of the city. We like to travel independently also, but in such a crowded city and with so much to see, I would opt for a guide.

[travelingmcmahans]

Well that's two votes for Kosagan, and from independent travelers like ourselves. I have an email in to them. Thanks for the tip.

 

As an aside, has anyone read The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova? I was already interested in Istanbul but am even more fascinated since reading this book.

[Liv4cruzin]

If you haven't done so, do a search on this forum for IST guides. There have been some very favorable recommendations in the past for 3-4 other reputable guides. They book up fast; so you can't plan too far ahead.

 

I don't envy you guys. IST is my absolute favorite city in the world. My first visit was a one day port of call (a Sun.); & my full day ship's tour managed to squeeze in all the major sits (except the Grand Bazaar). It only made me hungry for more. We recently did 6 (pre-cruise) days there; & crammed is so much. It made me realize that we'd only begun to "scratch the surface".

[dbh62ark]

We stayed in Istanbul for 3 days prior to one of our Med cruises, and we really enjoyed seeing it independently. We found that, as noted above, many of the main sites are so close together, and we used the electric trams in addition to walking. The carpet sellers are relentless, but it is all in good fun. If we had just visited for a day or two, I would have considered using a guide too. The main reason I responded to this thread is that I wondered where your ship is docking. Our ship docked close to the Dolmabache Palace, so we were close to some of the sites and to public transportation (we boarded the ship after staying at the Sari Konak in Sultanahmet), and I wonder if you would need to stay overnight in a hotel to maximize time. However, if you do decide to stay overnight in a hotel, I highly recommend the Sultanahmet area and the Sari Konak in particular.

 

Have a great trip,

Donna

[Hlitner]

We have been to Istanbul on 3 trips and prefer doing it without any tour. Assuming that you are a bit adventuress and have some "travel smarts" its actually pretty easy to do on your own. This is particularly true if you like to walk a few miles a day. For example, you can start at Topkapi, and than walk to Aya Sofia and than the Blue Mosque. Next you can stroll though the streets until you get to the covered bazaar. You will find plenty of restaurants/cafes where you can take a break, and if you still have energy you could even walk over to the Spice Market. This route will also take you through some good shopping areas (in addition to the covered bazaar) and probably fill most of your day.

 

Hank

[Kenwoody]

We stayed at http://www.apricothotel.com, hakan is the manager/owner. I found him in the Frommers book on Turkey. It is a nice clean hotel near the sites, we choose a small room for 49.00 Euro for 2. Hakan arranged pick up from the ship. Mehmet was waiting on us at the terminal, when we disembarked. The cost for 8 people was 25 Euros, we packed in the van with all of our luggage. We went to the hotel where they carried our luggage to the rooms, then went on a walking tour with hakan. He is a licesned tour guide, and was very knowledgeable and helpful with choices. I would recommend Mehmet or hakan. We walked around some at night,on our own. We were there during Ramadan, so the streets were full of people, like a street fair. There was food, booths, dancing and singing, it was a nice evening. We had dinner right around the corner from the hotel at Sofas, great little place and reasonable.

You will enjoy Istanbul, we would of liked to been there longer.

I have to agree on the carpet statements above.

[travelingmcmahans]

Thanks all, for the carpet warnings.

Kenwoody that sounds liek a fabulous trip!

 

I heard back from Kosagan - this is the itinerary she proposed. I welcome your input on this - to me it sounds like packing too much in unless these palces are all close together. I woudl rather really enjoy what I do see than rush around from one place to the next. But how to decide which is more important on a trip to somewhere like *Istanbul*??!!

 

 

On June 16th, Saturday;

Galaxy arrives to Istanbul at 1pm, you are out at

1.30pm.

This means you will have time to see;

Basilica Cistern (Byzantine, 1400 years),

St. Sophia (Byzantine, 1400 years),

Hippodrome (Roman, 1700 years),

Grand Bazaar (Ottoman, 400 years),

Spice Market (Ottoman, 400 years).

 

On June 17th, Sunday:

Your ship leaves Istanbul at 2pm.

This means they will ask you to be back on board at

1pm.

So, you have time to see;

Blue mosque (Ottoman, 400 years),

Topkapi Palace (Ottoman, 450 years) & the treasury

sections.

Can you start early ?? Great... then before visiting

the mosque & the palace, why don’t we just do a

driving Bosphorus tour and the Asian side of Istanbul.

This will give you a good idea about true Istanbul &

where locals live... away from touristy staff.

[martyap]

We just returned from five days in Istanbul prior to our 14 day Brilliance cruise. We stayed at the Sari Konak and it was great. Rooms are small but clean and comfortable. Make sure you get the "deluxe" room. We were in the front and it was a bit noisy with street sounds and garbage collection. We were there during Ramadan and Seker Bayrami so it was a very busy time in Istanbul. The best thing about the Sari Konak are the wonderful people who work there....Elife and the others make you feel like family and cannot do enough to enhance your stay. The Blue Mosque, Aya Sofia, Cistern, Hippodrome and lots of restaurants are 5-10 minute walks.

 

We also used Lale for two days. We were a group of 8 from cruise critic so the cost was reasonable. Her fee for a "walking" tour was $120 per day for the group and if she used a van it was an additional $160. Admissions and lunch were extra. We were happy we added days in Istanbul as it turned out to be our favorite port. We also did lots on our own...do take the tram, use public buses, ferries and walk....we walked over the Galata Bridge several times all the way up Istiklal Cadessi to Taksim Square. We also used the tunel (funicular) a few times. We enjoyed our time with Lale but we also enjoyed our travels and independent experiences and we felt perfectly safe.

Like any city carry only what you need and keep your cash/cards in a money belt. We also found that scarves, pashminas and leather were better buys here than in Italy. The spice market was great but the Grand Bazaar was overwhelming....Istanbul has great history, food and people and should not be missed.

[Liv4cruzin]

.....I heard back from Kosagan - this is the itinerary she proposed. I welcome your input on this - to me it sounds like packing too much in unless these palces are all close together. I woudl rather really enjoy what I do see than rush around from one place to the next. But how to decide which is more important on a trip to somewhere like *Istanbul*??!!......

 

Her proposed itinerary looks pretty good to me. Your Sat. route is in a nicely contained area of Sultanahmet. The Cistern, Hagia Sophia & the Hippodrome don't require a lot of time. The Grand Bazaar is HUGE; & would take days to do it fully. So, if you're not focusing on shopping, you should be able to breeze through; get a feel for the place & then move on. If you are a "power shopper", you'll definitely want more time there than she has allotted you. The Spice Market is much smaller; & IMO quite interesting.

 

On Sun., you could easily take up your half day w/ a leisurely tour of the Mosque & Topkapi (which is quite spread out). As she says a drive over to the Asian side gives you a different perspective of the contrast between the old city & the ultra modern areas. Being a Sun. w/ less traffic issues, it COULD be done. The port area, Taksim & Sultanahmet are not that far apart. So, trying to spend the night off ship really wouldn't be necesssary. Not that much time would be lost. But if you chose to do so, there are hundreds of quaint boutique type hotels for reasonable prices in Sultanahmet. If there is a chance of getting back there again, don't try to do everything. On my first visit (during the awful heat wave) in '03, my full day ship's tour covered everything you're trying to do except substituting the Chora Church in place of the Grand Bazaar (closed because it was Sun.). It was brutal, especially w/ the heat. I recently spent 6 days there pre-cruise. We were moving non-stop; & I can honestly say we've only begun to scratch the surface. IMO, there would never be enough time to enjoy the magic & mystery of IST.

[EmJakeBubbie]

I've been looking at the Celebrity tours - what do you think:

Mykonos: 4 hrs; $56 "Ancient Delos".

Rhodes: 4 hrs; $55 "Filerimos Local Mezes & Wine Outing".

Santorini: 6 hrs; $325 (ouch!) "Exclusive Santorini Tour" -or- 3 hrs; $68 "Pyrgos village with Mezes & Wine".

Istanbul:

"Shopping in Istanbul & Asia", 5 hrs; $22. (upon arrival)

"Ottoman Dinner & Entertainment", 4 hrs; $75 (evening)

"Jewish Heritage of Istanbul" - 4 hrs $29 (morning of departure)

Ephesus: "Ephesus, Didyma & Miletus w/lunch, 8 hrs; $79 -or- 3 hrs; $48 "Highlights of Ephesus"

 

We are concerned about what we read regarding "up on your feet" excessive amount of time, uneven walking, large amounts of walking, climbing stairs. We can do some, but not all day, everyday.....Thinking the sun may be unbearable in June, as well......

 

Your opinion is appreciated.

[Summertimescallingme]

mcmahans - Can you tell me the rate quoted by Lale for the two day itninerary? I have been quoted a rate I consider very high and am curious about other quotes. Thanks for your help.

[cruisemom42]

I heard back from Kosagan - this is the itinerary she proposed. I welcome your input on this - to me it sounds like packing too much in unless these palces are all close together. I woudl rather really enjoy what I do see than rush around from one place to the next. But how to decide which is more important on a trip to somewhere like *Istanbul*??!!

 

 

On June 16th, Saturday;

Galaxy arrives to Istanbul at 1pm, you are out at

1.30pm.

This means you will have time to see;

Basilica Cistern (Byzantine, 1400 years),

St. Sophia (Byzantine, 1400 years),

Hippodrome (Roman, 1700 years),

Grand Bazaar (Ottoman, 400 years),

Spice Market (Ottoman, 400 years).

 

On June 17th, Sunday:

Your ship leaves Istanbul at 2pm.

This means they will ask you to be back on board at

1pm.

So, you have time to see;

Blue mosque (Ottoman, 400 years),

Topkapi Palace (Ottoman, 450 years) & the treasury

sections.

Can you start early ?? Great... then before visiting

the mosque & the palace, why don’t we just do a

driving Bosphorus tour and the Asian side of Istanbul.

This will give you a good idea about true Istanbul &

where locals live... away from touristy staff.

 

If you truly like to take your time, then this itinerary may be a bit much for you. I also don't like being rushed from place to place and I could've easily spent MUCH more time in certain places in Istanbul than we allotted (particularly Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome -- which I would've liked time to walk around and explore more completely, and the Basilica Cistern. As you can tell, I'm a sucker for the Roman/Byzantine older stuff!)

 

If I had to choose Hagia Sophia or the Blue Mosque, I'd pick Hagia Sophia. Yes, the tiles in the Blue Mosque are stunning, but the history is with Hagia Sophia.

 

Also, I'm a shopper, but I could skip the Grand Bazaar. I didn't think the prices were THAT great (compared with Kusadasi, for example), and the Bazaar wasn't AS colorful as some others I've seen (Cairo, for instance). However, if it's something you're really wanting to see.....

 

Definitely see Topkapi Palace, including the treasury AND the harem quarters (which require a special fee/ticket).

[24butterfly]

Thanks all, for the carpet warnings.

Kenwoody that sounds liek a fabulous trip!

 

I heard back from Kosagan - this is the itinerary she proposed. I welcome your input on this - to me it sounds like packing too much in unless these palces are all close together. I woudl rather really enjoy what I do see than rush around from one place to the next. But how to decide which is more important on a trip to somewhere like *Istanbul*??!!

 

 

On June 16th, Saturday;

Galaxy arrives to Istanbul at 1pm, you are out at

1.30pm.

This means you will have time to see;

Basilica Cistern (Byzantine, 1400 years),

St. Sophia (Byzantine, 1400 years),

Hippodrome (Roman, 1700 years),

Grand Bazaar (Ottoman, 400 years),

Spice Market (Ottoman, 400 years).

 

On June 17th, Sunday:

Your ship leaves Istanbul at 2pm.

This means they will ask you to be back on board at

1pm.

So, you have time to see;

Blue mosque (Ottoman, 400 years),

Topkapi Palace (Ottoman, 450 years) & the treasury

sections.

Can you start early ?? Great... then before visiting

the mosque & the palace, why don’t we just do a

driving Bosphorus tour and the Asian side of Istanbul.

This will give you a good idea about true Istanbul &

where locals live... away from touristy staff.

 

I believe you should have enough time. Some of the sights you just "see"--the Mosques--it won't take you long--...I'd take it....

[deeg]

Can you tell me what price you were quloted for the two day tour

[sailors2]

I've been looking at the Celebrity tours - what do you think:

Mykonos: 4 hrs; $56 "Ancient Delos".

Rhodes: 4 hrs; $55 "Filerimos Local Mezes & Wine Outing".

Santorini: 6 hrs; $325 (ouch!) "Exclusive Santorini Tour" -or- 3 hrs; $68 "Pyrgos village with Mezes & Wine".

Istanbul:

"Shopping in Istanbul & Asia"' date=' 5 hrs; $[b']22[/b]. (upon arrival)

"Ottoman Dinner & Entertainment", 4 hrs; $75 (evening)

"Jewish Heritage of Istanbul" - 4 hrs $29 (morning of departure)

Ephesus: "Ephesus, Didyma & Miletus w/lunch, 8 hrs; $79 -or- 3 hrs; $48 "Highlights of Ephesus"

 

We are concerned about what we read regarding "up on your feet" excessive amount of time, uneven walking, large amounts of walking, climbing stairs. We can do some, but not all day, everyday.....Thinking the sun may be unbearable in June, as well......

 

Your opinion is appreciated.[/quote

 

 

Mykonos can easily be done on your own. The ship will shuttle people to the town area. It is easily walked and explored.

Rhodes-we took a tour and enjoyed seeing the island.......also walked a good bit on our own. It is a lovely old port with much to do and see.

Santorini-Ship will shuttle ashore. Take the funicular up for stunning perspective. Many lovely shops and warm people. It is a lovely place.

Istanbul-We took a tour but broke off on our own and shopped the Grand Bazaar. It is a very cosmopolitan city and a lot of people speak english. We would love to go back.

Ephesus-Stunning to walk the same streets as Cleopatra. Uneven cobblestones and not many places to sit down. The port of Kusadasi is one of our favorites.

Hope this is a bit of help.

Judy