First trip to Istanbul: tips for independent travelers

2024 Author: Harold Hamphrey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:06

It is not so difficult to organize a trip to Istanbul for yourself - you just need to make a rough plan of your trip. This amazing city, in the center of which the border of Europe and Asia runs, makes a strong impression on people. Unfortunately, as part of a vacation, you can go here only for a limited time. How can you make the most of your time? Consider in general terms.

General information

It is easy to organize a trip to Istanbul on your own. According to experienced travelers, the first thing a person needs is determination and self-confidence. Having determined for himself that he really wants to go here, a person thereby already overcomes half the way to departure. If the desire is strong enough, organizing a vacation will be easy. By taking on the business on your own, you will save good money, while every day you will visit exactly those places and attractions thatare of interest to you.

According to experienced tourists, organizing a trip to Istanbul is quite easy, people do not encounter any serious obstacles and problems on the way to achieving this goal. To make the trip a source of pleasant experiences, you need to think over the accommodation and options for the way there and back, find out the prices in order to roughly calculate your budget for each day. You should make a list of attractions in advance and plan your visit so that the daily itinerary is not only attractive, but also rational. It will not be superfluous to think in advance what to bring to friends as souvenirs. This will avoid the chaotic purchase of beautiful trinkets indiscriminately.

Long, short

When planning a trip to Istanbul, first of all, you need to evaluate how long a vacation a person can afford. Today there are special programs that allow you to briefly get acquainted with the capital of the country in just a day or a couple of days, although they mainly relate to shopping tours. Organizing a vacation for yourself on your own, you can also go for such a short time, but experienced tourists consider this a waste of time and money. In just one or two days, you can get acquainted with only a couple of the most curious points of the city, but you will not be able to get a holistic impression, and there will be no time left to buy souvenirs and other goods. Everything that you can get acquainted with in such a short time will simply mix up in your head, and you will not get any clear impression of the city.

As experienced tourists note, when planning a trip to Turkey, to Istanbul, it is worth taking a closer look at airfare prices. If a person plans to spend three days in the country, the price for the flight will be the same as when making plans for a three-week vacation. Therefore, it will not be possible to reduce flight costs only by reducing the length of stay, and this item of expenditure, among others, is considered the most significant in the travel budget. On the other hand, having gone for a long time, you can please yourself with a thoughtful acquaintance with attractive points. Surely enough time to take a trip on the ferry, taste amazingly delicious local dishes in restaurants.

No rush

From various sources you can learn about the impressions of people who planned their own vacation. Many note that their trip lasted a week or a week and a half, and this time was enough to get a good impression, while the tourists did not have time to miss home. The best memories are those who responsibly chose the season, who were lucky with the weather. In order to get better acquainted with the places, people, having calculated the time in advance, used public transport. If there is no need to constantly rush, because only a few days are allocated for the stay, this option is considered to be the best way to get acquainted with the daily life of the city.

As experienced travelers note, it is better to go to Turkey in the warm season. If you want to give yourself a trip to the Bosphorus and Istanbul, the weather will be one of the main factorsforming the impression of the trip. In the warm season, the city is beautiful and pleases the eye with flowering bushes and green trees. However, as experienced tourists note, it is also comfortable in Turkey in the cold season, since there are no frosts and snowdrifts.

When planning a trip, be sure to include maximum time for walking. This is especially true for the period of acquaintance with the historical parts of the city. It is inconvenient to use transport here, and the sights here are located literally at every step. If acquaintance with them tires, you can relax in the cozy cafes that are located in each building. Walking through the historical districts, you can feel the spirit of the city and get acquainted with the unique atmosphere - the one that has made guests from all over the world fall in love with it for centuries.

About the road

For many, traveling to Istanbul on their own seems too difficult, because you need to organize all your movements both in your home country and in a foreign country. Buying tickets is not as difficult as it might seem, and the way to the hotel is not such an insurmountable obstacle as to deny yourself an adventure. There are a lot of virtual outlets created to compare ticket prices. They work with different airlines and provide information not only on the requested day, but also on the nearest dates. You can pick up tickets for a direct flight or find with a transfer (this usually costs less). As experienced travelers note, it is easiest to use the directionsoperated by Turkish Airlines. It will cost relatively inexpensively, you will not have to experience the discomfort of transplants.

For a person planning a trip to Istanbul on their own, it may seem like a problem to get from the airport to the chosen hotel. Everything is not so difficult. You can order a transfer in advance, then a taxi driver will be waiting for you upon arrival. The alternative is public transport. If the traveler is traveling with large suitcases or dislikes using public transport, a transfer will be a convenient and preferable option. The cost of the trip will be relatively reasonable.

Where to live?

Many people are eager to visit the Turkish capital after reading Brodsky's book. The journey to Istanbul, described in terms characteristic of this poet, creates a feeling of something amazing, out of time, unusual, alluring. Of course, it will not be easy for a modern person who has a completely different mindset and habits to see Brodsky's Istanbul, but there are certain ways for this. For example, you should choose to live in those areas of the city that were popular at the time when the Russian poet was brought to the Turkish capital.

In general, according to experienced tourists, after choosing a flight and buying tickets, you should start resolving the issue of accommodation. The traveler must immediately determine which area of the city is preferable for him, as well as his budget. There are many special services created for the selection of hotels. Here it is enough to set the price limits and yourrequirements, and then select the appropriate option from the proposed list.

The nuances of choosing housing

Wishing to repeat Brodsky's journey to Istanbul, you need to choose accommodation in the historical part of the city. Such a location will not disappoint: sights are everywhere, at any moment there is something to see, something to please your eyes, where to get interesting historical information. It is most convenient to stay in Sultanahmet. This is the name of the area, in which there are many historically important and interesting points, which can easily be reached on foot. Since the area is traditionally in great demand among travelers, a lot of hotels of various levels have been opened here. Along with luxurious five-star hotels, small hotels of a lower rank (three stars) operate here. On average, for one night in the warm season, you need to pay from 250 liras or more, that is, you should expect about 3.5 thousand rubles per night.

Some people who organize trips to Istanbul for themselves know from their own experience that they enjoy and enjoy long walks through residential areas of cities in unfamiliar countries. The Airbnb service is at the service of such travelers. This project is designed so that everyone can offer their apartments, rooms for rent, and travelers arriving in a new place would rent them without additional costs and special work. Through this service you can find accommodation to your liking. Luxurious apartments withmagnificent views, apartments with windows on the Bosphorus, small cozy rooms in conveniently located parts of the city. On average, closer to the center, you can rent a house for less than 2 thousand rubles per night.

Why is it convenient?

As you can see from the reviews covering the topic of independent vacation planning, traveling to Istanbul, provided that you book your accommodation through Airbnb, will indeed become affordable for everyone. This is especially advantageous if a group of people (friends or family) is traveling. You can rent a comfortable house at your disposal, which has a stove for cooking, a refrigerator, several beds. Similar facilities (without the kitchen, of course) in a hotel will cost much more.

Through this service, you can rent a relatively small housing, but it will please you with its cleanliness and tidiness. Already on the site you can see how much it takes to get from the selected location to public transport stops. Another point is the convenience of acquiring everyday food. Renting an ordinary apartment, most likely, you can find a grocery store nearby, which means you can eat simple food. This will slightly reduce the cost compared to the constant visits to restaurants.

About planning

As you can see from the reviews, it is not very difficult to organize a trip to Istanbul on your own, although experienced tourists advise you to take a very responsible approach to drawing up a plan. They begin to compose it, having decided on the habitat, so that it is convenient to navigate along the routesfrom day to day. First, make a list of places that you would especially like to visit. It is necessary to include in it the most interesting sights for a particular traveler, the most attractive museums. You can already distribute the route by day on the spot, but you can think over this moment in advance. Information in navigators, as well as personal sites of museums, can come to the rescue, but not every place has such a resource, and public sources sometimes contain inaccurate data.

As you can see from the reviews, it is very difficult for some to plan a trip to Istanbul on their own, because some of the most interesting sights are at a great distance from each other. This is due to the specific layout of the city. The Bosphorus divides it into two parts, one of which is typically European, the other is classical Asian. For every day, you should choose interesting places in one half of the village, otherwise there simply won’t be enough time to get where you want.

Technical points

Perhaps you will not find such reviews about traveling to Istanbul, from which it would be clear how much money you will need to take with you. It all depends on the desires and capabilities of a particular tourist. The needs and desires of people are very different. In general, it is considered that for a modest trip for a week it is enough to have 600 dollars (about 40,000 rubles) with you. If a person likes shopping, prefers not the cheapest brands, visits high-class restaurants, you need to have at least one thousand dollars (67,000 rubles) with you. Excepteating and buying goods in stores, you need to start from the desire to buy souvenirs for friends and relatives left at home.

If you want to save on food, you can buy ready-made food in stores - there are a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits in Turkey, so such food is not only affordable, but also tasty and he althy. In addition, food in a cafe is considered cheaper than restaurant food. In order not to spend too much money on souvenirs, it is better to make a list of presents in advance and follow it clearly.

The second important technical point is related to the documentation of the trip. When planning your first trip to Istanbul on your own, you need to familiarize yourself with the list of official papers that every tourist needs. However, there is nothing special about it. You must have your passport with you. You need to have a ticket home with you, as well as confirmation of the fact of booking accommodation. You will need insurance. A person must confirm his own solvency. To do this, provide an account statement. It should be from 500 dollars (33,500 rubles) and more. The alternative is cash. For most, it is enough to present a passport, but other documents may be requested at the stage of international control.

Do I need insurance?

Some tourists, when planning a trip to Istanbul for 5 days or even shorter, think that he alth insurance is a waste of money. Of course, probably nothing bad will happen to a person, but a situation may arise when it is necessary to urgently applyfor medical help. Services in this case will be very expensive. Having insurance will save you an impressive amount of money, whatever the reason for visiting doctors. Insurance is pretty cheap these days. You can purchase a policy at the office of a specialized company or on the website of such a company. Registration takes only a couple of minutes and does not require any special documents or manipulations.

On average, a simple doctor's appointment at a clinic will cost a foreigner 150 lire. If there is a need for an urgent service, its price will be much higher.

Getting to know the city: where to start?

Mostly, in Istanbul travel tips for tourists, it is told about interesting points that you need to visit upon arrival. There are some of the most famous sights - most of the guests of the state get acquainted with them, and with others - only if there is time for this. Iconic sights give an idea of life during the existence of the Byzantine Empire. The curious traveler will learn a lot about the era of the Ottoman Empire here.

According to many tourists, the first thing you need to visit is Hagia Sophia. This is an amazing building, monumental, incredibly beautiful. Almost all tourists consider it one of the most famous architectural masterpieces in the world. No less impressive is the Topkapi Palace. Acquaintance with this object will allow you to imagine what the country looked like during the Ottoman period. Curious details give a good idea of the culture of the people at that time.time. Another very beautiful ensemble, which includes not only a palace, but also a luxurious park, is known as Dolmabahce.

About attractions

On your first trip to Istanbul, you should definitely visit the Basilica Cistern. This object makes a strong impression with its specific architectural solution. An unusual atmosphere dominates here. It is especially good in this place during the hot season, because inside the ancient building there is coolness and humidity, especially pleasant after the summer heat.

Rumelihisar Fortress is attractive for city guests. It has been preserved in impeccable condition, despite the vicissitudes in the history of the city on the Bosphorus. The observation deck of the fortress is accessible to any modern tourist. From here you can enjoy the beauty of the strait and the magnificent bridge built to connect the two banks, two parts of a unique city on the border of parts of the world.

When planning a trip to Istanbul for 3 days, it is worth including the Grand Bazaar in the list of worthy acquaintances. This is a truly oriental trading platform that makes a strong impression on any European who finds himself in such a place for the first time. A similar experience can be obtained by taking the time to visit the Egyptian Bazaar.

Mosques of the city are curious and beautiful. Experienced tourists recommend that you definitely include a visit to the Blue Mosque and Suleymaniye in your plan. These buildings are distinguished by their sophistication of architecture, rich design, and for the eye of a European tourist they are quite unusual, which enhancesimpression.

Creations of man and nature

When planning a trip to Istanbul in December (however, as in any other month of the year), when drawing up a plan, it is worth considering how likely it is to include a visit to Beylerbeyi, Yildiz. These names, unusual for a Russian person, are very famous Istanbul palaces. True, when planning a trip, you need to make a plan so that visiting these palaces is not carried out on the same day as visiting Dolmabahce. Otherwise, everything will just get mixed up in the head, the impression will be smeared.

Churches built during the era of the Byzantine Empire are exceptionally attractive. Traditionally, guidebooks recommend to get acquainted with the Chora monastery. Many tourists note the beauty of the Church of Our Lady of Pammacarista. No less curious is the building in honor of Christ Pantokrator.

Tips dedicated to organizing travel to Istanbul always recommend setting aside at least half a day for a trip across the strait. There are special boats, pleasure boats serving tourists. You can ride on the world-famous strait and learn more about the history of the city from the educational program broadcast through the speakers. As experienced travelers note, the impression will remain indelible.

What language will we speak?

When looking at tips for traveling to Istanbul for independent tourists, it is worth paying attention to the aspect of the language barrier. Some people think that traveling outside our country is notknowing English, it is absolutely impossible. The situation is much simpler. As experienced tourists note, most of the local population of Istanbul knows English very poorly or does not know it at all. This applies even to those who live and work in the tourist area of the city. An elementary vocabulary will already be sufficient to be able to communicate with the locals. Most museums provide audio guides in various languages, including Russian.

In the historical center of the village menus in cafes and restaurants are duplicated in Russian. When planning a visit to traditional bazaars, you should not be afraid either - you can easily find sellers who speak Russian. If you are interested in the Lalel area and shopping centers, then there is nothing to fear at all, because almost all local workers at least somehow speak Russian or understand our language.

What about the risks?

When planning a trip to Istanbul with children or a trip alone, tourists rightly think about the dangers that await guests from other countries. According to many, the city is generally safe, although there are several areas where it is better not to go in the evening. Experienced travelers are advised to avoid Lalele, Aksaray. Many streets are considered completely safe for walking at any time of the day, even if they are made by a lonely young foreign girl. In any case, it's better to spend time in crowded tourist areas without being too far away from these places.

Financial matter

The currency used in Turkey is the local lira. It is better to carry money from home with youin dollars, which upon arrival in the city can be exchanged for lira. There are exchange offices at the airport. There are local money exchange points in the city. It is easy to pay with lira, the use of the national currency allows you to save money. Many sellers accept dollars, but the rate will not be as favorable as when exchanging at a special point. If after the rest there are lira, they are exchanged at the bank. An alternative is the airport, but this is not very profitable. At the exchange office, all banknotes are marked with a special seal, in Turkey this does not bother anyone, but in our country such banknotes are accepted only with an additional commission or through an ATM.