Bosphorus Cruise or Istiklal Caddesi

[neil5054]

Our HAL cruise gets into Istanbul Sunday eve at 4pm. I was going to go to the pedestrian avenue for strolling and dinner but someone suggested the ships dinner cruise on the Bosphorus instead. Anyone taken a Bosphorus cruise and have suggestions? Since we are docking at 4pm we wouldn't have time to do a complete ferry boat up river as some have discussed doing on their own

[martyap]

I don't know the time of year for your trip. We enjoyed spending time on Istiklal Cadessi crossing the Galata Bridge to Sultanahmet. Again it depends on the time of year. Plenty to eat, see, shop, etc.Try your question on the Istanbul forum page on http://www.tripadsvisor.com Marty

[neil5054]

I don't know the time of year for your trip. We enjoyed spending time on Istiklal Cadessi crossing the Galata Bridge to Sultanahmet. Again it depends on the time of year. Plenty to eat, see, shop, etc.Try your question on the Istanbul forum page on www.tripadsvisor.com Marty

we are going in about 3 weeks. I am trying to fill the evening when the shops docs, so easiest is the pedestrian street. But the cruise is also very appealing so am trying to see if anyone has any info. Really looking for someone that did the ferry ride, I understand that there is a short round trip one 1.5 hours and the much longer. I think we only have the evening to do a short boat ride.

[mxe]

You probably don't have the details on the specific sites you would get to see on HAL's dinner cruise. The idea of a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus sounds lovely though. Topkapi Palace, Maiden's Tower, Dolmabahce Palace, etc. are all lit up and look beautiful at night.

 

But if you were thinking of doing a Bosphorus cruise on your own (not using HAL's excursion), this link might be helpful. I don't think any of the commercial ferries include dinner though. http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/go/Istanbul/Sights/Bosphorus/BosphorusCruise.html

 

Between a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus, or a night out at Istiklal Caddesi.. you probably can't go wrong either way. If you're ambitious and want night time entertaintment (bars, clubs, etc), you could even go to Istiklal Caddesi after your dinner cruise, since you'd probably be back by 9 or 10 pm the latest. (Some stores would be closed by then though)

[martyap]

We took the public ferry up the Bosphorus during the day. It was OK. We spent five days in Istanbul so we were at our leisure to do many things. I would opt for walking on Istiklal. Plenty of good restaurants like Haci Babi. You can climb the Galata Tower for great views of the Golden Horn. The restaurant/club there is so so. You can walk over the Galata Bridge towards Sultanahmet and see the Blue Mosque lit up at night. Also, taxis are not expensive if you want to save some time. Again, post your question on the Istanbul forum page on Trip Advisor.......many experts can offer advice on exactly how to maximize your time; restaurant suggestions; etc. There are many excellent restaurants in Istanbul depending on what type of food you prefer........fish restaurants, traditional Ottoman cooking or kebab restaurants (like steak houses.) We had lunch at Haci Abdullah which was Ottoman cuisine and right off Istiklal. There are also many Turkish "fast food"; restaurants, Mota ice cream, pastry shops, the Flower Passage.....lots to see.................It stays light pretty late but again have someone on Trip Advisor suggest a more exact way to spend the evening. You are already on a ship so I would opt for a better feel of this beautiful city........Marty

[neil5054]

We took the public ferry up the Bosphorus during the day. It was OK. We spent five days in Istanbul so we were at our leisure to do many things. I would opt for walking on Istiklal. Plenty of good restaurants like Haci Babi. You can climb the Galata Tower for great views of the Golden Horn. The restaurant/club there is so so. You can walk over the Galata Bridge towards Sultanahmet and see the Blue Mosque lit up at night. Also, taxis are not expensive if you want to save some time. Again, post your question on the Istanbul forum page on Trip Advisor.......many experts can offer advice on exactly how to maximize your time; restaurant suggestions; etc. There are many excellent restaurants in Istanbul depending on what type of food you prefer........fish restaurants, traditional Ottoman cooking or kebab restaurants (like steak houses.) We had lunch at Haci Abdullah which was Ottoman cuisine and right off Istiklal. There are also many Turkish "fast food"; restaurants, Mota ice cream, pastry shops, the Flower Passage.....lots to see.................It stays light pretty late but again have someone on Trip Advisor suggest a more exact way to spend the evening. You are already on a ship so I would opt for a better feel of this beautiful city........Marty

thanks. what would be the easiest way to get from the port/ship dock to Istikal Cadessi? I know I can take a taxi up there. I can't tell if you can walk from the ship to the tram and take it up to Galata and then walk up the street.

[CoralReef]

I agree with martyap, the Tripadvisor Istanbul forum is very helpful with in-depth city questions. The experts there know the city a lot better than most cruisers.

 

Some good advice that I read there is *not* to take a Bosphorus night cruise, because you won't see much at night. The experts advised doing it in the day, or skipping it. Made sense to me.

[neil5054]

I agree with martyap, the Tripadvisor Istanbul forum is very helpful with in-depth city questions. The experts there know the city a lot better than most cruisers.

 

Some good advice that I read there is *not* to take a Bosphorus night cruise, because you won't see much at night. The experts advised doing it in the day, or skipping it. Made sense to me.

Sure, our ship gets in at 4pm so I could take the 1 1/2 hour ferry/cruise and probably be back while it's still dark.