We are planning a trip to Turkey this May for eight days and would like to know which area of Istanbul and which hotels are safe for women. Is it safe to travel from the city centre to the hotels at night by trains/metro?
Dr Gita Venkatakrishnan
Istanbul is a very safe city to visit and travel around, and women need make no specific preparations for a visit there other than dressing in a relatively conservative fashion. That said, this would only be really necessary in more traditional areas of the city, and if you go for a night out in Beyoğlu, for example, you’ll find young Istanbullus wearing the same sort of clothing you’d see worn in cities across western Europe. However, you should cover your arms and legs if you go into mosques. Public transport is safe, but taxis are easy to come by if you feel more comfortable.
The two main areas for hotel accommodation are Sultanahmet and Beyoğlu. Sultanahmet is Istanbul’s tourist central, where Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque are located. I prefer to stay elsewhere in the city and come into this area to explore during the day and evening. Staying on the Beyoğlu side of the Golden Horn and getting there by tram and funicular is a good option. You’ll be in the more modern part of the city, with better eating and drinking options, but still well connected to the big sights. The Santa Ottoman Hotel (santaottomanboutiquehotel.com; doubles from £77) is a good mid-range choice close to Taksim Square. If you decide you’d rather be in Sultanahmet, I recently stayed in Hotel Sultan’s Inn (sultansinn.com; rooms from £65) and found it well located and comfortable.
via Ask Tom – your travel dilemmas answered | Travel | guardian.co.uk.