See what the experts are saying about Istanbul. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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The best cultural experiences
Blue Mosque: This landmark mosque assumes a stance of authority over Sultanahmet Park. Just under the dome, hundreds of stained-glass windows sparkle like jewels until you are convinced that you're in the presence of a celestial being. The bl... Continue reading »
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The best views
Istanbul is a city of rooftops, attracting refugees from the sticky Mediterranean summers up above the eaves for a breath of fresh sea air. Are the views the bonus, or are the breezes? You decide. For the cost of a cocktail or a meal, you'... Continue reading »
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The best souvenirs
Carpets and kilims: No matter how lame your bargaining skills, it's still cheaper than Bloomingdale's -- and boy, do they look good unrolled under (or on) your coffee table. Turkey's tribal carpets and kilims represent a cultural tradition th... Continue reading »
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Best free things to do
Toasting the lights of the Old City at dusk: It's a magical sight to watch the lights of the Old City come to life. From a rooftop bar (okay, not necessarily free) in Beyoglu, you can watch the monuments light up one by one. If you're on the... Continue reading »
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The best websites
The World Wide Web makes it simple to do additional research before you leave home. These sites provide a range of information, from destination overviews to up-to-date listings on everything from restaurants, hotels, and local events, as wel... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
While planning your trip and consulting this guide, you should know a few things about the nature of travel and tourism in Istanbul and Turkey in general. It is no surprise to any of us that hotels, restaurants, and museums raise their pri... Continue reading »
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Visitor information
Everyone's first stop for comprehensive information on Turkey as well as visa requirements should be the Turkish Embassy website specific to your country (www.turkey.org or www.tourismturkey.org in the U.S., www.turkishembassy.com in Canada,... Continue reading »
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When to go
After a decade of some ups and mostly downs, Turkey's tourism industry is galloping at a nice clip, thank you very much. Almost 10 international hotel chains opened properties in Istanbul in 2007 alone, and the Hilton group is planning 25 add... Continue reading »
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Calendar of events
Islam follows the lunar calendar, which is shorter than the Gregorian calendar by 11 days. The result is that Muslim religious holidays fall on different dates each year. The dates for religious holidays listed here are accurate for 2008 and... Continue reading »
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Getting there
By Plane From the United States & Canada -- Turkish Airlines (tel. 800/874-8875; www.turkishairlines.com), American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com), and Delta Airlines (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com) offer the only direct nonst... Continue reading »
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Health & insurance
Insurance Travel Insurance -- The cost of travel insurance varies widely, depending on the cost and length of your trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you're taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. Y... Continue reading »
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Money
Currency On January 1, 2005, the Turkish Central Bank lopped six zeros off a currency that saw phenomenal inflation in the previous decade or so, making the handling of Turkish money even easier. But those were the old days. With a nationa... Continue reading »
Istanbul Travel Experiences
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Last couple of days ın Istanbul!
Its our last day ın Istanbul today after havıng an amazıng past 4 or 5 days. We're fındıng people around here have started to recog... Continue reading »
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Gettıng Lost (Fıguratıvely) ın Istanbul
I love every single facet of Istanbul - from the grandiose mosques to the gregarious people. I have to thank my former colleague, E... Continue reading »
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Sultans of Swing
By GraysonWe arrived in Istanbul on the 9th of November. The next day, we started out by going to the Blue Mosque. We were going to go fi... Continue reading »
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Welcome to the 'Bul
Our day began with an overcrowded bus ride form Turkmens up to the main bus station in Olympos. We had the pleasure of having three very... Continue reading »
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Istanbul Pt.2: Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace
Bright and early the next morning, we rolled out of bed and continued on part 2 of the Istanbul tour. We brought along an extra pair of s... Continue reading »
Popular Istanbul Hotels
- Alzer Hotel
- Med Cezir Hotel
- Erguvan Hotel Istanbul
- Alzer Hotel - DBL REC - ALREADY LIVE
- Garden House Istanbul
- Faros Hotel Istanbul
- The Bosphorus-Swissotel Istanbul
- Tash Konak
- Hilton Istanbul
- THE MARMARA PERA
