ISTANBUL
Stadiums
The national Ataturk Olympic Stadium, which has an 82,000 capacity, is a long way from the city centre, way past the high rises of Ikitelli in the north-west. Built at a cost of £50million between 1999 and 2002, it was the cornerstone of Istanbul’s failed bid to host the 2012 Olympics.
Today, it stages internationals,Champions League games and league matches of Kasimpasa and Istanbul BB. For big games, special buses are laid on to ferry fans to the ground from the centre. Otherwise you must take a taxi. Allow at least an hour whichever you do.
Galatasaray will move to their new ground, in the Maslak financial district, in 2009. Until then, their home is the 24,000-capacity
Ali Sami Yen stadium in Mecidiyekoy. From Taksim Square, take buses 50 or 59a. There is also a metro station at Sisli-Mecidiyekoy reasonably close by.
Fenerbahce’s Sukru Saracoglu stadium was renovated between 1995 and 2006 and holds 50,500 in comfortable surroundings. To get there, simply take one of the regular boats from Eminonu to the harbour at Kadikoy, from where it is a short taxi ride.
Besiktas’ BJK Inonu stadium is an easy hop from Taksim Square or Eminonu.
The most expensive seats at Turkish stadiums are invariably the numerali (numbered) in the kapali (covered) section. The acik is usually the open terrace.
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