istanbul

[keng38]

I have the pleasure of visiting istanbul next week on business and have a small window of opportunity to have a look round.
Does anyone have any recommendations of things to try and squeeze in?
Is there a market? Old town etc?

[busybee]

Blue Mosque, Haigia Sophia, Bascillian Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, enjoy!!!

[Kevin Sowten]

If you have a whole day free then the Rahmi M Koç Museum (dedicated to the history of Transport, Industry and Communications) http://www.rmk-museum.org.tr/english/index.html is an absolute must. We went there last year and will be returning at Easter to see the rest of it !!  Everything fom cameras and microscopes to trains, a submarine, a Dakota and a Starfighter. A fabulous fabulous place !!!!

[Linda]

The 'old town' is Sultanahmet and this is where a lot of the sighteeing attractions are. I'm not sure how long you will have to spend but in Sultanahmet I would recommend the Blue Mosque, it is free to enter but you cant visit during call to prayer times and you only need to spend 20/30 minutes inside to see it all. The cistern basillica is amazing and only takes 20/30 minutes. The Aya Sophia takes more time to go around 60-90 minutes and the entrance fee is 25tl (free with a Muze kart). Topkapi is amazing but take the best part of a day to see in total. From Sultanahment follow the tram lines and you can walk to the Grand Bazaar (Kapali Carsi) with is 4000+ shops and the Egyptian Spice bazaar is very close. From there you can easliy walk to and cross the Galata Bridge and go to the Galata Tower for some fantastic views across the city! The tram system is great but you can cover a lot of ground on foot and of course you see a lot more. The taxis area also cheap and the meter doesnt run when the vehicle isn't moving, which is important as Istanbul traffic is a nightmare!! Another option would be to hire a guide for half a day and they will take you to all the main attractions and you can cue jump which speeds things up. Istanbul is a wonderful city and I hope you enjoy your time there ......

[Rimms]

Take the 'hop on, hop off' city bus tour which is pretty good.

[Marggie]

Linda, thanks for sharing - a very informative post.  Kevin, Rahmi M Koç Museum sounds a great place to leave the other half whilst I hit the shops!!