Getting to and from the airport

October 26th, 2010


Istanbul has two international airports: Atatürk International Airport, located 20 km west from town and located on the Anatolian or Asian side of town across the famous Bospherus straight.

From Atatürk International Airport Taxis cost around 15-20 euro (fixed price) and take about 45 minutes, depending on the traffic. Alternatively you can get to town in about one hour for 4 TL (around 2 euro) by combining the metro (follow the signs Hafif Metro/ light Rail  at the airport) and bus (nr. 96). There is also an express bus service called Havas that departs every 30 minutes and costs  TL  10 to Taksim, Etiler en Kozya.

At Sabiha Gökçen, the airport of most low-cost carriers, buses link with ferries to/from Bostancı, 14 km (9 miles) from the airport, at a cost of 7 YTL (around 3,5 euro).From here you can connect  to the public bus/tram and metro network. See local transport Another option is to take an expensive taxi ride. This is however most likely to cancel your financial advantage of your cheap flight. (The taxi ride will take between an hour and an hour and a half and will lower your budget by approximately 35 euro. )

Posted in Getting around, Transport | 42 Comments »

Istanbul’s Highlights: Our Top-5

October 26th, 2010
Istanbul Hagia Sophia (by Marijn de Wijs Photography)

Hagia Sophia



1. Visit the Old Town and enter the magic Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and shop for great value objects at the Grand Bazar -  the large covered market where sellers are in business since 1460 – after some serious bargaining.

2. Take a traditional Turkish Bath to revive your energy, as there is so much more to see than the old town. We recommend the Suleymaniye Hamami.(http://www.suleymaniyehamami.com.tr/index.html

3. Enjoy a coffee or a beer in Pera Palace ( Link to: http://www.perapalace.com/en-EN/homepage/61.aspx) . Dating back to 1892, the Pera Palace was the hotel of choice for Orient-Express passengers such as Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway and Alfred Hitchcock. Alternatively take a five-star break at the old Çırağan Palace that has been converted to a top-end Kempinsky hotel ( link to: http://www.kempinski.com/en/istanbul/Pages/Welcome.aspx)

4. Go clubbing in one of the open-air lounges/disco’s at the Bospherus shore and meet the uber trendy locals. For example in La Reina (link tohttp://www.reina.com.tr/eng/index.html), leave your jeans and T-shirt in the apartment and dress-up nicely.

5. The day after, you can make a relaxing start cruising the Bospherus in one of the many boats offered while sipping from a freshly squeezed orange juice.

Posted in Activities, Attractions, Clubbing, History, Hotel, Old Town, Shopping, something cultural | 163 Comments »

Local transport

October 25th, 2010

Old trams of Istanbul


Taxi (Taksi)
Before you get in, make sure the taxi-driver will put on his meter! All have one that work, but some drivers will try to make you believe their’s doesn’t … Be persistent or stop one of the many other taxi-drivers around. Be aware that the rates offered during daytime are slightly cheaper than those in the evening and that the prices increase by 50% from midnight to 6 am; but by that time you probably care less…When entering, check if the driver is using the correct rate: one red light on the meter for day rate or two for evening. If you cross one of the Bospherus bridges the toll will be added to your bill. Having said this… as with any taxidriver in this world, if you really want to make sure you’re taken by the fastest route to your destination it’s still always best to make a fixed price, one that you’ve checked with a local. In general taxi’s are a cheap way to get around, but during rush hours Istanbul’s roads are highly congested and the subway (funicular) or tram are  a better bet.

Tram
Trams in Istanbul are cheap, air conditioned and oblivious of the city traffic! The tram opreates daily from 6 am till midnight and runs from the airport through the old city, across the Galata Bridge and along the Bosphorus to Dolmabahçe Palace.

Funicular, Tünel  and metro
Istanbul’s underground system dates back to 1874, when the French built the subway “Tünel”, a  funicular subway. The 573-m (1,880-ft) Tünel still runs up the steep slope from  the Galata Bridge to Beyoğlu. Istanbul’s metro network is a fast way to commute and is simple to negotiate. In addition to the Tünel  two modern Metro lines run under the city. The northern line connects Taksim to Maslak.  There is also a funicular system connecting Taksim to Kabataş where you can get on ferries and cross to the Anatolian side, as well as transfer to trams bound for old city. The southern line comes in handy for visitors, connecting Aksaray (with its connections to the tram line) to Atatürk Airport via the main coach station (Otogar). There is also a funicular system connecting Taksim to Kabataş where you can get on ferries and cross to the Anatolian (Asian) side, or tranfer to trams heading for the old city.

Buying tickets (Jetons)
Jetons (tokens) can be bought from Jetonmatic machines  that you’ll find  at  snack/newspaper kiosks in or near busy Istanbul Metro stations, bus stops and ferry docks. You’ll need one token each time you use the tram or metro, irrespective of how far you go.
(Marijn, handig als je een plaatje van een Jetonmatic Machine erbij zoekt)
Bus, metro, tram, funicular: TL 1.50
Ferryboat: TL 1.50

Children of six and younger can travel for free.

Click here to download a map of the network of tram, metro and funiculars (http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/AssetsTurkey/Istanbul/Transport/IstanbulRayliSistem.pdf)

Posted in Getting around, Practicalities, Transport | 124 Comments »

Istanbul at a glance

October 24th, 2010
Istanbul Bosporus (by Marijn de Wijs Photography)

Bosporus

The cosmopolitan Turkish capital is a city built on two continents, seperated by the mighty Bospherus. The population counts about 12 million people, of which almost 65% live on the  Asian side, whereas most points of interest for visitors lie on the European side. The European side can roughly be divided into the Old Cidy (Sulthamamet) and the modern downtown city, divided by a channel called ‘ the Golden Horn.’ For further orientation, see the districts post  on this blog

Climate
Istanbul’s summers are sunny and dry, with temparatures reaching up to 40º C (104º F), but 31–3º C (88–91º F) is normal at midday in August, and drop to around 23º C (74º F) at night. Winters are cool and sometimes even covered with snow. Temperatures in January average  8º C (46º F) at midday and 2º C (36º F) overnight.

Currency
At the time of writing one Turkish Lira is roughly worth  0,5 euro or 0,7 USD  , for actual rates check here.http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi?Amount=1&From=TRY&To=EUR&image.x=40&image.y=8&image=Submit.  Visa and mastercards are widely accepted.

Time
Istanbul is two hours ahead of GMT.

Posted in Facts, Old Town, something cultural | 126 Comments »

Istanbuls districts

October 23rd, 2010


Istanbul contains no less than 27 districts. Here we list the four main districts of interest to visitors:

Sultanahmet (Old City)
Sultanahmet, the historical old town, is the main focal point for most first-time visitors to Istanbul. It covers the main sights such as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazar (Kapalı Çarşı), all in walking distance of eachother. There are numerous places for food and drinks but do not expect the ‘hot and happening’ urban vibes that you’ll find in the modern city – Taksim or Beyoğlu in particular.

Taksim
Taksim Square (Taksim Meydanı) is a grand landmark for both tourists and locals. It’s considered the heart of modern Istanbul. It houses Istanbul’s  main transportation hub as well as numerous hotels, trendy restaurants and nightlife venues in and around the area.

Beyoğlu
Beyoğlu is considered the international art and cultural centre of Istanbul. It is home to the  most famous pedestrian street of the city: Istiklal Caddesi (Indepence Street) good for a 3 kilometer stroll ending at Taksim Square. Look out for the authentic 19th century Turkish architectoral buildiings. Halfway down you’ll find Galatasaray Square full of boutiques, modern art galleres, libraries, restaurants, patisseries, nightlife, theatres and  cinema’s.

The Princes’ Islands (Kizir Adalar)
The Princes’ Islands are bunch of car-free pineforested islands dotted in the Marmara sea, that can be reached by a one-hour ferry from Sultanahmet, making them an ideal getaway from the citybuzz, especially during a hot summer day (try to avoid weekends though, Sunday in particular, if you look for a quiet getaway…). Out of the nine islands only four can be visited: Kınalıada, Burgazada, Heybeliada and Büyükada, the last one being the biggest and most popular. Think wooden Victorian cottages, horse carriages and hiking and biking trails.

Posted in Getting around, History, Old Town, Practicalities | 2 Comments »