"3 Days in Istanbul" published by Askmen on 9 June 2009
Read the article online here or below:
| Population |
12-16 million
|
| Languages spoken |
Turkish
|
| Currency |
1.00 Turkish Lira (TL) = 0.64 USD
|
| Average temperature |
Summer: 72F; winter: 43F
|
| High season |
May to September
|
Istanbul is a city unlike any other in the world. Straddling two continents and both the east and the west, the city is a blend of two cultures, two histories and two identities. Three days isn’t long to explore this exotic cultural epicenter, but we’ve come up with a guide that will leave you freshly scrubbed (Turkish bath anyone?), maybe a little hung over (what with all the Raki being poured) and even bearing a gift for your girlfriend from the Grand Bazaar. Yes, gentlemen, we’ve got you covered.
day 1: prisoner at the four seasons
After landing at Atatürk Airport, catch a cab to Sultanahmet (about 25 TL) to admire a view of the Bosphorus Strait as you wind your way along the seafront. If you’re after a hostel that’s cheap and cheerful, stay at the Mavi Guest House. If five-star luxury hotels are more your game, check in to the Four Seasons Istanbul, a former prison-turned-designer hotel. Despite the throngs of tourists in the high season, Sultanahmet is your best base for a three-day itinerary. First, wander through the imposing Blue Mosque, so named for the thousands of blue tiles that adorn its walls.
Stroll through the ancient Hippodrome where games and sport, particularly horse racing, used to take place during the Ottoman Empire. Take a tour of the awe-inspiring Hagia Sophia (the Church of the Divine Wisdom) and marvel at its 30 million tiny gold mosaic tiles. Next, head underground at the Basilica Cistern, where a scene in the James Bond movie From Russia with Love was filmed. Then spend a few hours touring the Grand Bazaar and get lost in a maze of carpet, jewelry and silk shops to find the perfect pashmina for your girlfriend or backgammon set for dad.
There’s not much of a bar scene in Sultanahmet, so at night cross the Golden Horn to Taksim -- the heart of Istanbul and its nightlife center -- and head directly to Nevizade Sokak, a narrow side street off the Fish Bazaar lined with bars and meyhanes, traditional fish restaurants where live Turkish music and dancing will keep you entertained till the wee hours. Order a bottle of raki, the licorice-flavored liquor that you mix with water, at Neyle Meyle, and watch the evening unfurl.
day 2: drinking, dancing and sports
After a classic Turkish breakfast of cheese, olives, tomatoes, and fresh bread, walk down the hill from Sultanahmet to Eminönü. Here, you’ll find the Spice Bazaar, also called the Egyptian Bazaar, a much smaller version of the Grand Bazaar that predominantly sells, not surprisingly, spices. It also specializes in lokum, or Turkish delight, which you can sample for free. Invest in a jar of so-called “Turkish Viagra” which has as its slogan: “5 Times in the Night!” After a lunch at a café by the bazaar, take a ferry ride up the Bosphorus Strait and admire the city’s skyline and mansions along the waterfront. A voyage from Eminönü to Anadolu Kavagı takes about 4.5 hours (with plenty of time for a fresh fish and rakı lunch) near the Black Sea.
After freshening up after a day on the water, head out for a five-star dinner at 360, so named because of its stunning panoramic views of Istanbul. Make sure you’re dressed to kill -- the restaurant attracts the city’s premier partygoers. After dinner, stroll down Istiklal Caddesi -- the pedestrian-only street lined with restaurants, shops, bars, and clubs -- to Babylon, the city’s hippest live concert venue that hosts live reggae, hip hop, electronic, and dance music.
There’s only one sport that matters in this city: futbol (soccer), and if you want to catch a game, Saturday night is the best time to do so. If you don’t want to cough up the lira for a ticket to a live game, park yourself at one of the many bars with a TV on Nevizade Sokak street and cheer on your new favorite team with liters of Efes, the No. 1 Turkish beer.
Only one more day: We’ll help you make the best of it. Read on.....
day 3: the original spa treatment
After an action-packed two days, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then go for the ultimate Istanbul experience: a Turkish bath. These are the original spas, and don’t expect coddling or come-ons; this is strictly about steam and scrubbing, and it’s about as manly a spa as you could imagine. Get yourself squeaky clean at the Cemberlitas Hamam. Once you’re all rested up, take a walk through the neighborhood of Karakoy to Tophane to a tree-lined nargile (water pipe) garden and smoke apple-infused tobacco while sipping tea.
When the sun sets, spend your last evening in Istanbul at either Balans, a nightclub and microbrewery that rotates its offerings of dark, pilsner and wheat beer, or Reina, the city’s No. 1 club to see and be seen.
Who says you can’t see the best of Istanbul in three days?
tips for the trip
- Average price of a beer: 5 TL
- Watch out for: Don’t get suckered into paying a so-called “baggage fee” on your cab ride from the airport to the city. Just go by the meter, which should say gündüz (day) during the day and gece (night) between midnight and 5 a.m. when rates are 50% higher.
- What not to miss: You shouldn’t miss partying on Nevizade Sokak in Taksim, the epicenter of the city’s nightlife scene.
- What not to wear: Though Istanbul is a European city, the dress code can be conservative. Don’t broadcast your foreignness by donning tank tops or shorts above your knee.
- Before you leave: Check out MyMerhaba.com to see what events will be going on in Istanbul during your trip.