Istanbul places

Where to go when your in Istanbul?

You know where to eat and where not to eat, it's time to tackle the tourism itself. In the "compulsory" in town there, as guides and in order: Hagia Sophia (Aya Sophia or Hagia Sophia), Topkapi palace and harem, the Underground Cistern (= Basilica Cistern), the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii =), the Grand Bazaar and a cruise on the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The problem is that these places are just THAT tourist places, there to tourists every day of every month of the year and that from 10:30, it's hell on earth . Practical advice.

1) Making Choices: 

• Aya Sophia is a dazzling gem, do not miss it, opening doors 9 am, imposing queue from 8.30am, due date for the visit in good conditions. 
• Sultanahmet Camii mosque is a very pretty, but it is full of disrespectful tourists who pose as morons who are at Disney World and it's far from the prettiest in the city, despite its enchanting name Blue Mosque. Miss a turn and instead will see Suleymanyie Camii and Yemi Camii. 
• The Basilica Cistern is a beautiful place but very small, narrow and marked, it will be nice that early in the morning if you are at the beginning of the queue or in the evening, 45 minutes before closing, if n 'there is no queue. It is better to miss places to see in bad circumstances, it will give you the opportunity to return to Istanbul. 
• Topkapi Palace is particularly large, there are gardens with beautiful views of the Bosphorus and so it is possible to appreciate even a few tourists in the legs. If you go, visit the Harem worth a visit, she is to be paid in addition to the price of the ticket (it's quite expensive). Go early and visit the Harem first, then the rest of the palace at your own pace. He is constantly under construction, you're bound to miss a game, but that's to be seen again (at least) in your life to understand how much this city is the center of civilization, it's pretty staggering. Allow two or three hours (counting the visit of the Harem). 
• The Grand Bazaar is ALWAYS crowded, but not limited to tourists and its labyrinthine alleys minis are designed for that. Take one day you want to stroll, get lost (that is impossible otherwise), do not look for anything in particular. If you find something you like, let yourself approach by vendors, do not be afraid they are adorable if you do not treat them like idiots. I'll talk about in my post "shopping", do not miss this place. 
• Cruise: to be avoided. Yes, it's nice to be on the water, for that, for the price of a tram ticket at Eminömü (right next to the Galata bridge so Yeni Camii before) there is a pier where you can board Kadikoy for about 40 minutes (round trip), you will see the city from a distance, set foot on the Asian Continent if you like (2 boats per hour for the return, pay attention to their direction ...) and took sea ​​air. The "tourist" cruises that make you see the Horn or that take you down the Bosphorus are you just lose half a day. If you spend 10 days in Istanbul, it will make you perhaps please the middle, if not, really, do not, even though it's tempting, and not very expensive. If you hold ABSOLUTELY see the Bosphorus, please, do not disembark at the last stop town, but down just before, there are many restaurants, but it's all a bit more authentic smaller and less crowded.

Cleaning the Masjid's carpet

2) Plan your tour early in the morning, every morning: 

• If you stay 3 days on site (for example) the first day, I highly recommend the trip to the Grand Bazaar from the tram stop Cisterna, stopping to drink pomegranate juice and the BEST COFFEE IN THE WORLD. You will be in the mood, you'll take full eyes and you will immediately disoriented. This is in addition a very good starting point for another ride that I present in the next post.
• The next day, plan to Haghia Sophia. 8:30 at the latest before Hagia Sophia, there is a stand on the other side of the place where you will find excellent coffee, juice and bread to take away to eat in the queue before entering. When you enter, go inside and look for the direct access ramp to the left in the first hallway. You will have the first floor to yourself for a few minutes. When you've finished your visit, do not dwell in Sultanahmet, you may fade the charm of this place. The contrast with the modern Beyoğlu will do you good.

the ramp to the first floor of Hagia Sophia

• The next morning, I recommend the basil Cistern (the visit is quick, about 30 minutes, the square between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, very easy to find) followed Topkapi Palace, start with the Harem, the mass of tourists should arrive after your visit to the harem and the rest of the palace is vast, Sultanahmet leave as soon after the visits. This is the perfect day to eat at the fish market and play backgammon in the afternoon resting your feet and feel like having a little better understood this city. 
  

All these visits are to early morning (9am finally, it seems reasonable to me), then you must leave Sultanahmet soon as possible. Sultanahmet is THE tourist area, so very easy to reach by tram. The tram takes one side or the other of the Galata bridge, it is very easy to understand, there are machines to buy tickets at each stop, with coins or bills. All the "tourist attractions" are between 4 tram stops short, hands down.

The other major tourist area is on the other side of the bridge, with the Galata Tower, the adjacent shopping streets and Istiklal Cad that goes to the iconic Istanbul Taksim Square where begins the modern city ... where you do not put your feet if you are there a few days. I'm talking about shopping in another post and some restaus in the neighborhood in my yum ticket, but for the tourism side, the old tram crossing Istiklal Cad Tünel to Taksim is worth seeing, it seems to plunge into 1910 ... despite the consumerist frenzy of the street rather detestable elsewhere.

A ladle I gave you my typical Istanbul program: sightseeing early in the morning, a popular restaurant at noon. In the next post, tips for the afternoon without tourists (or almost). In order not to overwhelm you with photos here, I suggest you go for a ride here and here where I recorded my last trips of Istanbul. Normally there are captions to help understand what is or how and why.

Here you go with Istanbul, It's a very beautiful city. I wish i could have the chance to visit it soon.