turkey :: istanbul :: general

[holly go lightly]

i'm heading there in a few days... i've been reading time out! any advice or special secret places ?

[wiggin ender]

there are tons of really cool bars in taksim as far as shopping head to nisantas, they're walking distance away from each other

[Guest]

hey..

hopefully its not too late!!

but here some tips :

its my favorite place >> definetely visit House cafe (coolest cafe and great food) in Beyoglu Tunel - Asmalýmescit Sümbül Sok.

Tünel Geçidi Ãþhaný No: 9/1-2 Tel: 0212 245 95 15

if you want to have view House Cafe Ortaköy - Salhane Caddesi no. 1 Ortaköy (0212) 227 2639 Open every day until 01:00

Mangerie have great food and view- cosy place -Cevdetpasa Caddesi 69, Bebek. (0212 263 5199, Bebek. Open daily 08:00-midnight.

 

also hang in Changir - cool cafes ( Smyrna, Leyla, if you like to eat fish theres Doga Balik) and antique places in narrow roads in Cukurcuma

i enjoy veggie food in ZENCEFÃL - Kurabiye Sokak No:8/10, Taksim, 0/212/243.82.33

for best sushi-Mori (in Akatlar - MAYADROM)

for shopping - beyoglu for street wear ( its cheap) - go to Atlas Pasaji

for chic shopping go around Nisantasi

best shopping mall - Akmerkez

interesting - see Fransiz Sokagi (french street)- eat at Cezayir Restaurant

for good food + view - 360 restaurant

www.360istanbul.com

for cool music - go to Babylon, Ãahbender Sokak 3, Asmalýmescit, Beyoðlu (0212 292 7368). Open 9:30pm-2am Tue-Sat, 10:00-3am, Fri-Sat. Admission $10-15

for club , Crystal, Muallim Naci Caddesi 65, Ortaköy (0212 261 1988)

you can trace daily - http://www.mymerhaba.com/en/main/index.asp

have a great time!!!!!

bething

[holly go lightly]

wow, i just got back. what a cool place!

there's just too much there... i couldn't even get my sense of direction until it was almost time to leave.

but yeah, iskital cadessi, that huge walking strip, is the place to go. the people there are so beautiful too!

it's also the home of mavi jeans http://www.mavi.com

[marketallica]

Hi,

Google Earth has clear view on istanbul

link

http://www.marketallica.wordpress.com"]My Blog</a>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaz/"]My Flickr</a>

[marketallica]

yes mavi is so cool

http://www.marketallica.wordpress.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alaz/

[Tisswat]

What are the prices like in Istanbul? Cheap to stay/eat/go out?

reporter: "what do you think about western civilization?"

gandhi: "i think it would be a good idea."

[RobbertJan]

i just got back from a school trip there, stayed a week!

stuff is really cheap and you can get everything for like half the price or less if you pay euro

most people there tend to think that euro's are worth 5x as much as lira's but it's only like 1 euro is 1.6 lira, so be sure to take lot's of euro's(Y)

''I'm a street-walking cheetah with a heart full of napalm/i'm a runaway son of the nuclear A-bomb/I am the world's forgotten boy/The one who searches and destroys''...James Jewel Osterberg

[greentea]

how istanbul now a days?

[red]

Istanbul was Constantinople

Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople

Been a long time gone, Constantinople

Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in Constantinople

Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople

So if you've a date in Constantinople

She'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam

Why they changed it I can't say

People just liked it better that way

So take me back to Constantinople

No, you can't go back to Constantinople

Been a long time gone, Constantinople

Why did Constantinople get the works

That's nobody's business but the Turks

Istanbul (Istanbul)

Istanbul (Istanbul)

Even old New York was once New Amsterdam

Why they changed it I can't say

People just liked it better that way

Istanbul was Constantinople

Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople

Been a long time gone, Constantinople

Why did Constantinople get the works

That's nobody's business but the Turks

So take me back to Constantinople

No, you can't go back to Constantinople

Been a long time gone, Constantinople

Why did Constantinople get the works

That's nobody's business but the Turks

Istanbul

[greentea]

damn,didnt know they have a song about istanbul,lol

[siemprefresco]

and a video to go with that song. they mite be giants is the name of the band

[Tisswat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lB0vX62wx4

Great stuff.

[ProfMonnitoff]

I'm going to Istanbul with a few friends to see Daft Punk in a few days. My dad is probably able to hook us up with free hotel rooms, but if that fails, we would need a cheap place to stay.

So far, looking at old threads, I found sultan hostel (www.sultanhostel.com) which seems to offer good prices. All we really need is a few beds, and a nearby place to eat breakfast.

Are there any other recommendations?

Oh, also, being able to book only 2 or 3 days in advance is unfortunately a must.

[todesengel]

I stayed in Sultan when I was in Istanbul, but that was like 3 years ago. It was clean and people were friendly, though it was a bit cramped and there was no AC (problem when it's 100 out). The price was very reasonable.

Again, that was a few years ago, but they've been around for a while and were great last time I was there.

[coinlockerbaby]

My boyfriend is heading to Istanbul on an impulse trip. Anyone have tips? What neighborhood of the city is best to stay in? Nightlife, cool sightseeing, hammams? Are there beaches near the city? Whats good to eat? Any cool Turkish music/ fashion labels to watch out for while he is there? Anything would help...

[kenthenoob]

no constantinople...

[keska]

club reina

[xcoldricex]

^^^^ might be going in the winter.

[coinlockerbaby]

Club Reina- why?

And,err, that it...? C'mon people....this trip isnt going to plan itself...

[Doublethink]

you really ought to get a lonly planet guide book for the planning. You will be glad you did.

[soundune]

a good place to stay is the hostel area down by the hagia sophia. there's a nice bazaar, called the arasta bazaar and nearby is a great place to sit outside and smoke sheesha while listening to live traditional turkish music and playing backgammon. highly recommend. also, if he's going for long enough take a trip down to Bodrum. it takes about a day by bus but is def. worth it.

[coinlockerbaby]

He has a guidebook (although not Lonely Planet - they have been really dumbed-down in the last few years to appeal to no-brainers..I prefer "Rough Guides" or "Time Out". But the thing with guidebooks is that you cant always gauge the authors taste. They say some little bar is great, but then later you see they gave Hard Rock Cafe five stars, you know what I mean?I wanna know what would appeal to superfuturians in Istanbul, and why. Ive seen articles proclaiming it "Europe's hippest new city" and "The new place to party" - curious to find out more. So keep it coming!

[absolut]

anyone have good spots?

[fespon]

expect fake clothes.

[absolut]

what are the good shopping districts, local designers?

[bething]

hi

you can go to Nisantasi area for chic boutiques Lv, check out Beymen (the department store), as well as nice turkish designer boutiques. (check Yargici)

Also you can shop Topshop, Mango, Miss sixty etc there.

for cool hangout and cheap stuff /vintage go to Taksim/ Beyoglu.

Also two famous shopping malls check Akmerkez, Kanyon (Harvey Nichols is in) and istinye park (its huge with all expensive and cheap brands all together)

hope it helps.

[bething]

for fake clothes you can hit Grand Bazaar (mostly fake bags, recent ones)

also in grand bazaar is very fascinating with local stuff. i highly recommend to see grand bazaar in Istanbul.

Go find Fes Cafe in Grand bazaar and have coffee after shopping and shop just near from Abdulla nice hammam,turkish spa stuff- www.abdulla.com.

[fuego]

hitting up istanbul at the beginning of the next month for about a week or so. 

 

been looking up places to see, things to do but none of the articles I've read really speak to me. 

 

also really curious to get a sample of proper istanbul cuisine. 

 

any recs? thx

[Warakia]

Bumping this, anyone been to Istanbul lately? Would appreciate tips on some fancy restaurants, think more or less on par with 1 michelin star. Been looking at Topaz for the moment, but opinions are a bit mixed.