Istanbul trip

[bulla]

Looking to go to istanbul for about three days when over in October, will be flying up. Want advice best part to stay for main attractions and hotel suggestions. Ideally including airport transfers please.

[lissa]

There are shuttles from both airports in Istanbul. I would stay in Sultanahmet if you are a first time visitor as easy to then walk to the sites you are likely to want to visit, Blue Mosque, Aya Sophia, Topkapi palace, Grand Bazaar, Yerebatan cistern. Been told very recently by some people who went that the ceramic museum is amazing. Not sure but think on the Hippodrome area close to the Blue Mosque? Maybe someone else can say if this is correct. Lots of hotels in this area of Istanbul, sure some thing on here if you search. Getting around is easy, either by foot, by metro or by taxi. Enjoy, it really is an amazing city!

[Daffodil]

I also enjoyed riding the Kabatas Taksim furnicular up to Taksim Square and from there going to Istiklal Caddesi (street) for all the shops, restaurants and historical buidings and markets.  There were also some good fish restaurants on the Galata Bridge which was lovely at night.
If you are going to fly into Sabihe Gokcen airport you can catch a bus to the water bus over the Bospherous at Eminonu and then pick up a taxi to the Sultanhamet area where most tourists stay in the hotels. If you are carrying suitcases a taxi is easier than the metro up to the hotel. If you are flying into Ataturk Airport there is a metro which takes you to the Sultanhamet area. There is a hotel Tashkonak which did pick us up from the airport but this is just one among hundreds of hotels available. 
I was in Istanbul recently and it is so interesting. Turkish Airlines are very good and our travel arrangements with them went very well.

[bulla]

Thanks for replies much appreciated

[AOK]

We have been to Istanbul twice. 1st time we stayed in the Sultan Ahmet area,which was great for seeing the major sites+Grand Bazaar.The 2nd time we stayed near the Galata Tower ,which was great for shopping and restaurants and bars in Istiklal Caddesi .Its a great city  

[Jacqui Harvey]

We stayed at a fabulous Hotel in Istanbul. The Sirkeci Mansion They have a chain with all price ranges.  The one we stayed in had a swimming pool in the basement and a restaurant and bar on the roof with sunloungers.  View were wonderful, our balcony looked out to the park near the Topkapi Palace and we watched the storks in the top of the trees and the parrots further down.   We could see the water and the cruise ships too.   The Hotel gives  a free pick up at the Airport if you book more than three nights, plus free meals in one of their two restaurants for one night... they have a Fish Restaurant on the ground floor.  They also have afternoon tea every day in the afternoon with free tea and cakes.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g293974-d654651-Reviews-Sirkeci_Mansion-Istanbul.html

[johntaylor49]

If your first visit stay in Sultanahmet, if you can get a flight to Ataturk Airport and not Sabiha Gokcen Airport as it
is a very long way to the European side of the Bosphorous and old Istanbul whereas from Ataturk you can I belive get the Havas bus and a taxi and it is not far, you could even get the Metro . There are a plethora of good reasonably priced Hotels but the close you are to the Blue Mosque, Ayia Sophia etc. the less walking. There have ben a lot of good suggestions already but don't miss the Grand Bazar or Rustem Pasha Mosque which is by the Spice Market. Metro/Tram the best way to get around. A good day out is the Cisterns, then Rustem Pasha Mosque, catch the Tram over Galata bridge, get  the Tunel (funicular Tram 2nd underground in the World built by London Metropolitan Railway) from there the old 1910 Tram to Takhsim, then back and walk down the Hill, go up the Galata
Tower, walk back over the Golden Horn on the Galata lower bridge stopping for a Fish Sandwich if peckish. Hotels, well we stayed at the Asmali and it was amazing for the price! Best thing was it is a few minutes walk from the Blue Mosque and everywhere in Sultanahmet and there were loads of small reasonable Restaurants nearby when you get back tired! http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g293974-d648233-Reviews-Asmali_Hotel-Istanbul.html Also you can walk easily to Kumkapl to the huge outdoor Fish Restaurants. Sigh, wish I was going with you!   JT

[JohnF]

If your first visit stay in Sultanahmet, if you can get a flight to Ataturk Airport and not Sabiha Gokcen Airport

Yeah, thats a definite if you're just going for a few days.  If the bridges get congested it can literally take hours to get to SG whereas (as JT said) from Ataturk you can jump on the Metro, change at Zeytinburnu over to the tram and that'll take you directly to Sultanahmet. 

If all you have is hand luggage its a far easier (and cheaper) way to get to Sultanahmet than taking the Havataş bus then a taxi - its also far less stressful if you're not a frequent visitor to Istanbul.

Get an Istanbulkart at the airport Metro station, cost 10tl and comes with 4tl credit already applied - top it up with 10 or 20tl straight away and you'll save even more on your journey into town and can then use it for buses, trams and belediye ferries while you're there.  Just look for the machines as you enter the Metro station.

JF

[Jasonorris]

I was part of a group of 19 who visited in May. I can recommend the Golden City Hotel near Galata Tower,  by the water,  great views of the Mosques on the other side and a 5 minute walk to the tram line.