ISTANBUL
Survival Guide
Arrival & transport
Istanbul has two main airports, Ataturk and Sabiha Gokcen. Most hotels lay on a transit service for incoming guests.
The city centre is surprisingly compact, with a transport hub at Eminonu, where you’ll find a tramway, a main stop on the metro network, regular boats to the Asian side and the main train station of Sirkeci. Tickets and tokens for public transport are cheap and can be obtained from a booth on the platform or quay.
Hotels
The most prestigious hotel is the Four Seasons (Tevkifhane Sok 1; +90 212 638 8200; £190+). Other classy options include the Yesil Ev (Kabalsakal Cad 5; +90 212 517 6785; £130), also in the tourist quarter of Sultanahmet, and the trendy Bebek (Cevdetpasa Cad 34; +90 212 358 2000; £125) on the waterfront.
Tourist hotels abound in Sultanahmet, some providing substantial breakfasts on rooftop terraces. One such is the Terrace Guesthouse (Kutlugun Sok 39; +90 212 638 9733; £35).
Eating & drinking
Dining and drinking in Istanbul is an affordable joy. The first place many head to try traditional fare is Beyoglu, across the Galata Bridge from Eminonu, or the many terrace eateries in Nevizade Sok. Contemporary fare is on offer at Changa (Siraselviler Cad 87/1, Taksim; +90 212 249 1348) and, also with a view, at Mikla at the Pera Hotel (Mesrutiyet Cad, Tepebasi; +90 212 293 5656). For fish, you could do worse than the Balikci Sabahatin (Seyit Hasan Kuyu Sok; +90 212 458 1824) in Sultanahmet.
Istanbul does not stint on alcohol despite Turkey being a predominantly Muslim country. Beyoglu is the traditional hub of bar culture, particularly on and just off Istaklil Cad.
Daytime entertainment
Sultanahmet offers the bulk of Istanbul’s most famous sights, namely the Hagia Sophia (+90 212 522 1750), chief mosque of the Ottoman Empire; the imperial enclave of the Topkapi Palace (Bab-i Humayun Cad, Gulhane; +90 212 512 0480); and the Blue Mosque (At Meydani Sok 17; +90 212 458 0776). Nearby is the shopping hub of the Grand Bazaar, a maze of street traders, most notably selling jewellery and fabrics.
After dark
Nightlife is sophisticated and often glitzy, a venue such as Crystal (Muallim Naci Cad 65) in Ortakoy being typical of the genre.
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