USEFUL INFORMATION & RECOMMENDATIONS

Istanbul, as the capital of two successive empires - the Byzantine and the Ottoman - for two millenia, has impressive places to visit .
Today, Istanbul is still considered as the "heart of the country" ,even though the capital city of Turkey is Ankara.The population of Istanbul is 14 million, which is 20% of the entire country.

Istanbul hosts many cultural activities, as well as entertainment and sports events during the year.

There are also very good restaurants in Istanbul, where you can enjoy Turkish and international cuisine.

Even though it is a city full of historical sites that are, as yet, undiscovered by both the casual tourist and
the life-long Istanbulite, we think that you would need at least five days to discover the city.

If you are in Istanbul for a limited of time ( one or two days ) , we would recommend you to focus on the highlights and skip some of the sights.

Istanbul's top sights are clustered around Sultanahmet area and it is recommended to visit them in the following order, if you are going to spend only one or two days in Istanbul :

Topkapi Palace (seen above at dusk) was the first Ottoman palace to be built (1466-1478) in the newly conquered capital of the Ottoman Empire.Unlike the European palaces, Topkapi is not a single monumental structure but a more organic complex made up of various kiosks, gardens and areas spread over the historical peninsula.
Open everyday except Tuesdays, between 9 am and 6 pm (4 pm in winter...)
To visit the Harem and the Treasury, you need to buy separate tickets. You are not allowed to visit the Harem on your own. There are guided tours in English every 30 minutes. To avoid long lines, go to the Harem first,
before it gets crowded.
If you get hungry, you can have your lunch in Konyali Restaurant, which is in the palace,with beautiful views overlooking the sea of Marmara. If you are not hungry yet, you can visit Hagia Sophia and then have your lunch in one of the restaurants on Divanyolu street, near Sultanahmet Square.
You can count 2 - 3 hours to visit the palace.

Hagia Sophia, the ancient Byzantine church, meaning the Divine Wisdom, was built between 532-537 AD, later converted to a mosque with the addition of minarets in mid-15th century.This must-to-see museum, in which you see both Christian and Islamic art, is one of the most impressive sights in Istanbul.
Open everyday except Monday, between 9 am and 4 pm.
Make sure to visit the upper galery where you can see the most beautiful mosaics from the Byzantine era.
One hour will be enough to visit Hagia Sophia.

Blue Mosque, built in 17th century, across from Haghia Sophia, is famous for the beautiful blue tile work ornamenting its walls. Its surrounding six slim minarets distinguish it from other mosques which normally have two or four minarets. It's a working mosque, so it's closed to visitors for a half hour after each call to prayer.
It could be interesting to visit the mosque after dark, at night. Visitors are not allowed to enter the mosque with shorts and skirts. You can count 1/2 hour to visit Blue Mosque.

Byzantine Hippodrome was the centre of the Constantinople's social life. Huge amounts were bet on chariot races, and the whole city was divided between fans of the Blue and Green chariot racing teams. Frequently rivalry between Blues and Greens became mingled with political or religious factions, and riots which sometimes amounted to civil wars broke out in the city between them.
Only the middle part of the Hippodrome ( spina ) and some walls survived today .

To raise the image of his new capital, Constantine and his successors brought works of art from all over the empire to adorn it. Among these was the Tripod of Plataea, cast to celebrate the victory of the Greeks over the Persians during the Persian Wars in the 5th century BC.
Constantine ordered the Tripod to be moved from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, and set in middle of the Hippodrome. Most of it was destroyed or stolen when the city was sacked during the Fourth Crusade. All that remains today is part of the base, known as the "Serpentine Column" .
Some other monuments decorating Byzantine Hippodrome are :
•3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius
( brought to Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius in 390 AD),
•The stone core of another obelisk, built by the Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus in 10th century.(It was originally covered with bronze plaques. But these were stolen during the Fourth Crusade, in1204)
•An octagonal domed fountain donated to the Ottoman Empire by the German Emperor Wilhelm II in 1898 sits at the entrance to the Hippodrome area.
You can visit the sights at the Byzantine Hippodrome in 1/2 hour.

Yerebatan Cistern (Cistern Basilica) is a Byzantine cistern from the 6th century. It features fine brick vaulting supported by 336 various type of columns. There are also two Medusa friezes brought from the Temple of Apollo in Didyma (Today's Didim) Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm .
It can be visited in 1/2 hour .

Covered Bazaar (Grand Bazaar) built in the 15th century as a complex of 3,000 shops selling raw materials to be used in clothes manufacturing, still fulfills a viable commercial function today. Grand Bazaar' s fine shops and exotic atmosphere, mingling the ancient and new, make it a "must-see" in Istanbul. It's divided into many sections such as leather, rugs, souvenirs, copper, antiques, textile etc. There are 18 gates and 60 streets inside.
Open everyday except sunday, between 9 am and 6:30 pm
You can visit the bazaar in one hour. If you plan to shop, you will definitely need more time.

You can go to a Turkish bath ( Hammam ) in the evening . There are two old and well-known Turkish baths in Sultanahmet : Cemberlitas Hamami and Cagaloglu Hamami. Since they are open until midnight, we do not recommend you to spend your time in the hammam, during the day.

Other Highlights of Istanbul are as follow :

Bosphorus Strait is unique to Istanbul and one should not miss it !
It is the 32 km (20 miles) long strait between Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, separating Europe and Asia.
The best way to enjoy Boshorus Strait is by boat...
We recommend you to take the public boat, leaving from Eminonu, everyday at 10:30 am . You are better off going on this cruise during the week, if you can...On weekends boats get quite crowded...
In summer time, get to the ferry dock in advance( 20 min), to have a nice seat outside...
( There are two more boats leaving at 12:00 and 1:30 pm during summer season only)
The trip takes approximately one and a half hour, from Eminonu to the last stop, Anadolu Kavagi,
which is a small village near the Black Sea end of Bosphorus.
The first boat ( 10:30 am boat ) leaves from there at 2:00 pm. ( The others at 3 pm and 5 pm...)
There are fish restaurants where you can have your lunch. After lunch, you can have a walk to the ruins of a Genoise castle, from where you can see the Black Sea.
However, in our opinion, you can get off at Yenikoy, the first stop on the European side, after you pass the second Bosphorus bridge.
Why to do so? Because, Bosphorus gets wider after the 2nd bridge...It is less beautiful...
But the most important reason is that you will save a lot of time...It is pointless to make the same trip vice versa
( north to south) unless you have many days to spend in Istanbul.
You can take a taxi southward stopping at different places along the way. For example, if you are interested in paintings and calligraphy, do not miss Sabanci Museum, in Emirgan.
You can stop by in RumeliHisar to have your lunch. RumeliHisar Iskele Fish Restaurant
would be a good option. It is an old small ferry dock, restored as a restaurant...You can have a table on the wooden pier and enjoy the Bosphorus breeze in hot summer days, while you have your sea food.
After you have your lunch, you can visit the Ottoman Castle built in preparation for the siege of Istanbul,by Mehmet the Conqueror, in 1452. ( closed on wednesday )
Then, walk to Bebek, which is another small town near Bosphorus. You can also consider having your lunch in Bebek, where there are many fish restaurants.
Ortakoy is also a cosy neighborhood worth visiting, near the first bridge.

Istiklal Street is one of the most popular streets of Istanbul, reserved for pedestrians.
It is the heart of Beyoglu, being once the newer, more European part of Istanbul .
Today, it is lined with boutiques, movie theatres, consulates, restaurants, book&music stores.

Suleymaniye Camii ( Mosque of Soliman ) is an outstanding piece of architecture, built in the 16th century by the famous Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, for Sultan Soliman the Magnificient. It is the largest mosque of Istanbul with four minarets.

Dolmabahce Palace was built on Bosphorus shore in European style and when it was finished in 1856, the Ottoman imperial family moved out of medieval Topkapi Palace to live in Dolmabahce Palace.
It housed Sultans and their families before the Republic, and it was then used by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk during his visits to Istanbul. Atatürk died here on the 10th of November, 1938. The palace now serves as a museum.

Chora Church is an ancient Byzantine church, originally built in the 4th century, later converted into a mosque in the 15th century AD. Today, it is a must-to-see museum with the most beautiful mosaics in Istanbul. (closed on wednesday)

Whirling Dervishes (as known to the West ) are the members of the Mevlevi order (named for their founder Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, a mystic philosopher and poet)
The ritual of Sema represents a spiritual journey; the seeker's turning toward God and truth, a maturing through love, the transformation of self as a way of union with God, and the return to life as the servant of all creation.
The Semazen (the dervish performing the ritual of whirling-Sema- with a hat representing a tombstone and a wide white skirt symbolizing the death shroud), upon removing his black cloath, is spiritually born to Truth.
The dervishes (Dervish literally means "doorway" and is thought to be an entrance from this material world to the spiritual, heavenly world ) stand with their arms crossed, ready to begin their turn. In their erect posture, they represent the number one, testifying to God's unity. As their arms unfold, the right hand opens to the skies in prayer, ready to receive God's beneficience. The left hand,upon which his gaze rests, is turned towards the earth in the gesture of bestowal. The Mevlevi have always been welcoming non-Muslims to the Sema in the belief that all people are equal in the sight of God. Rumi's most famous writing is his invitation to the Sema:

Whoever you may be, come
Even though you may be
An infidel, a pagan, or a fire-worshipper, come
Our brotherhood is not one of despair
Though you have broken
Your vows of repentance a hundred times, come

You can watch the ritual of the whirling dervishes in Istanbul at the Galata Mevlevihanesi, at the Nurettin Cerrahi Tekkesi or at Sirkeci Train Station. For more informtaion , you can contact the front desk .

Archeological Museum is in the first court of Topkapi Palace. It is an award-winning museum, holding outstanding collections of artifacts and works of art that belong to ancient Greek, Roman and other Anatolian civilizations dating back to the 6th century BC. The Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great and ancient pieces found in the Sidon excavation are among its most interesting pieces.
Also you shouldn't miss the "Istanbul Throughout the Centuries" section...
Open daily between 9:30-5:00 p.m. except Mondays.

Turkish & Islamic Arts Museum houses a fine collection of art and ethnography in the lovely setting of Ibrahim Pasa Palace in the old Hippodrome area.
Open daily between 9:30-5:00 p.m. except Mondays.

The Great Palace Mosaics Museum consists of the remains of the Great Palace of the Byzantine Empire built by Constantine the Great (324-337). It is very close to Sari Konak..
Open daily between 9:00-5:30 p.m. except Tuesdays

Istanbul Modern is the first private museum devoted to modern and contemporary art in Turkey.
Located beside the Bosphorus, the museum brings together the Istanbul cityscape with the production of arts ranging from painting,sculpture and photography to video and new media.
Museum hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 - 18:00.
Closed Mondays, on January 1st and on the first day of religious holidays.
To get more information about the current exhibitions and events, you can visit http://www.istanbulmodern.org

The Pera Museum, which opened its doors in early June 2005, is the first step of a comprehensive cultural endeavor that the Suna and Inan Kiraç Foundation has launched at this distinguished venue in the city for the purpose of providing cultural service on a variety of levels.
Visiting hours are Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 - 19:00, Sunday 12:00 - 18:00.
Closed Mondays, on January 1st and on the first day of religious holidays.
To get more information about the current exhibitions and events, you can visit http://www.peramuzesi.org.tr

Military Museum would be interesting to visit. The Mehter band ( the Jannissary Band ) holds concerts there between 15.00 and 16.00 on the days when the museum is open to visitors.
Closed Mondays and Tuesdays

Beylerbeyi Palace was built as a royal palace in the mid-19th century on the Asian side of the Bosphorus and served as the summer residence of the sultans. Many important guests, such as French Empress Eugenie, Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph, Persian Shah Nasireddin were received in this palace.
Open everyday between 9:00 am - 5:00 p.m. except Mondays & Thursdays

Galata Tower is a 55 meter long tower providing a panoramic view of the old town. It was built by the Genoese as part of the wall surrounding their district of Galata directly opposite Byzantium (Constantinopolis) and used for the surveillance of the Harbor in the Golden Horn. After the conquest of Constantinople by Mehmet II it served to detect fires in the city. There is a narrow balcony all around the tower and we would suggest to go upstairs to enjoy the view. Especially in the evening, around sunset....

Spice Bazaar, built in the 17th century, is the second largest covered bazaar in Istanbul. Spice Bazaar, also called Egyptian Market, continues to fulfill its original function. It is filled by many shops selling spices, dried fruits, nuts and seeds, cheese and honey...
The Bazaar is closed on sundays. You can stroll in the market, as well as in its surroundings... Rustem Pasha Mosque, built by the famous architect Sinan, is worth visiting with its beautiful tiles, as well as Yeni Camii
(the New Mosque)...

The Princes Islands, originally he Princess Islands, acquires its name from the days when Byzantines exiled young wayward princesses, along with other disgraced royalty to these islands.
It was only after 1846, when the first steam ferries began shuttling back and forth,that wealthy Istanbulites found greener pastures yonder and established glorious villas on four of the islands.
The Islands (as the Turks call them) actually began attracting the self-exiled -those who longed to get away from the city !
No vehicles are allowed on the Islands. We suggest to go to Buyukada, the fourthand biggest one. After you get to Buyukada, you can have your lunch in one of the cosy fish restaurants, lined on the left of the ferry dock..
After lunch, you can either walk, rent a bike or make the tour of the island by a horse-drawn carriage...
Don't miss Aya Yorgi, the highest point of the island where there is an old Greek monastary and a small cosy restaurant with a superb view...
Avoid visiting the Islands on weekends, in summer: They get very crowded !

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND SPORT EVENTS

Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts organizes international film, theatre and music festivals every year, hosting an impressive line-up of international names...
For more information about the festivals and their schedules, check out their web site's English version.

Biletix is a very popular ticket sales and distribution agency, selling tickets to a broad variety of entertainment alternatives ranging from professional sports, arts and concerts to shows and festivals, through its online ticketing system. You can get information about the hottest events, and buy your tickets on-line, from their web site
which is also available in English.

How to pick up your tickets ?
After you complete the fast and easy registration process and buy your tickets through Biletix's secure on-line ticketing system, you have 3 options to pick your tickets up:

Before the day of the performance:
1-Courier Delivery:During their transaction, customers may select a date and time period (between 8 AM and 6 PM) at which they will be available at the address of their choice. Please make sure that the credit card used to make the purchase as well as a valid ID is present. For security reasons, couriers will only deliver to the credit card holder. Courier delivery orders must be placed at least 2 days prior to the day of the performance !!!

2-Biletix Retail Outlets: Customers may visit one of Biletix retail locations to have their tickets printed. Tickets will only be delivered to the credit card holder that made the transaction. The credit card and a valid ID or the confirmation number must also be present. The nearest Biletix Retail Outlet to Hotel Sari Konak is
Beyoglu Istiklal Kitabevi which is on Istiklal Street No.79-81 Beyoglu
(Open everyday between 10:00 am - 10:00 pm)
There is no ticket delivery from Biletix retail outlets on the day of the performance !!!

On the day of the performance:
3-Will Call: Will call delivery is available at the venue box office where your event takes place, 2 hours prior to the performance. Customers who choose this option must provide valid ID and their Biletix confirmation number to receive tickets. Customers are advised to pick up their tickets at least 20 minutes prior to the performance. Please be advised that ticket pick-ups are only made at the venue box office on the day of the performance !!!

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS

There are thousands of restaurants in Istanbul, where you can enjoy Turkish and international cuisine.
But if you are in Turkey, exploring Turkish culture and the beauties of the country, why to eat Italian or Chinese?
In this section, you can find some restaurants serving delicious Turkish food:

Hamdi Restaurant is a good kebap restaurant, near the Spice Market.Hamdi has beautiful terrace views of the Galata Tower and Golden Horn. Reservation is required, if you would like to have a nice table on the roof terrace. We suggest you to try the Mixed Kebap to taste a bit of everything, along with Raki, the anise -flavoured national drink of Turks sometimes referred to as "lion's milk". Develi Restaurant is also a good adress to eat kebaps.

If you feel like eating sea food, then you are at the right place ! There is Balikci Sabahattin Restaurant, very close to Hotel Sari Konak. Another good fish restaurant, again within walking distance, is Giritli Restaurant. They offer a fixed menu with a great deal of mezes, along with the fish of the day and raki .

Traditional meyhanes (taverns) like those located along Nevizade Sokak in Beyoglu offer a chance to enjoy a variety of Turkish meze, fish, and Raki (the local anise-flavored firewater), often to the accompaniment of live music. Neyle Meyle and Cumhuriyet Meyhanesi are consistently good, although restaurants on Nevizade Street are more or less of the same standard. You can use your instinct here and sit wherever you can find an empty table.

Hunkar Restaurant is one of our favorites. They serve traditional Turkish dishes with vegetables. This restaurant is located in Nisantasi, a popular modern neighborhood , near Taksim area.
On Istiklal Street, among many restaurants, you can try Haci Salih Lokantasi
(Lokanta means restaurant in Turkish) They only serve lunch and it's a same kind of restaurant as Hunkar.

Along Bosphorus, there are many restaurants which are usually expensive. But having your diner on a table near the sea with wonderful views is really worth the money ...

Bogazici Feriye Restaurant is a good alternative with delicious Turkish appetizers and grilled meat/fish.
We suggest you to go there before sunset to enjoy the atmosphere.

Bogazici Borsa Restaurant is also one of the good Turkish restaurants. Even though it is not along Bosphorus, it is a good choice for fine dining.

Mikla Restaurant, owned and run by Turkish-Finnish chef Mehmet Gurs, combines one of the city's most sweeping views with a menu of Mediterranean dishes brushed with Turkish and Scandinavian influence.

If you are vegetarian/vegan, you should try Saf Restaurant offering a deliciously healthy plant-based cuisine.They use organic products and specially prepare them to retain their wholesomeness. Using a variety of techniques, most dishes are cooked below 48°C to preserve their healthy, energy-giving enzymes.

These restaurants are just few selections among many other good restautrants. We would be very happy to assist you about where to eat. For more information, you can always feel free to ask.

Some other travel related sites that would help you plan your vacation and learn more about Turkey and Turkish culture are : Turkey Travel Planner by Tom Brosnahan (author of best selling Lonely Planet Turkey and Frommer's Turkey travel guides) , the official web site of Turkish Embassy in Washington D.C and
All About Turkey which has very detailed information..

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34122 Sultanahmet - Istanbul - Turkey
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