Istanbul: readers’ tips, recommendations and travel advice

Readers offer their advice for holidays in Istanbul. Send us your tips for the chance to win a break in Val d’Isere.

Dancing dervishes of the Sufi order Mevlevi liven up the historic Sirkeci train station

Istanbul is one of the most interesting cities to visit and there is so much to see you would ideally need at least a five-day break.

Flying in to Istanbul Atatürk Airport means a 30-minute journey into the city centre. The Mina Hotel (0090 212 458 2800; minahotel.com.tr) is very close to the major sites and will arrange transport from and to the airport.

The big sites, such as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Cistern and the Grand Bazaar, are all within 10 minutes’ walk of the hotel and the hotel’s rooftop terrace provides a wonderful view over the Bosporus and Marmaris Sea.

A short tram journey takes you to the waterfront at Eminonu where a day’s ferry cruise is available up the Bosporus to the entry to the Black Sea and calling at various stops on either side for around £10.
Antony Rouse, Herefordshire

Terrace with a view

Istanbul’s skyline is magical at night, and one of the best places to enjoy it is from a rooftop restaurant like the one at Adamar Hotel (511 1936; adamarhotel.com) in Sultanahmet. Just a stone’s throw from the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia, the intimate terrace has a show-stopping panoramic view.

The Bosporus Bridge twinkles with ever-changing colours, the commercial district sparkles with modern skyscrapers, and the mosques and minarets glow with golden light. High above the rooftops, the sounds of the muezzins’ evening calls to prayer echo in the night air around you.

And, if the weather is less than kind, there is an indoor restaurant with glass walls on the floor below.
Mandy Huggins, address withheld

Think like a local

A trip on the Bosporus is one of the iconic experiences – and recommended even if you aren’t that interested in the Asian side of the city. Many companies offer hugely expensive cruises but they are a complete waste of money. Local boats and ferries are constantly criss-crossing the Bosporus and they offer the chance for visitors to get on the water, experience a slice of local life and all for less than the 10th of the price of a “cruise”.
Steven Green, address withheld

Go north – or south

Stroll among the fishermen on Galata Bridge, taking in the roar of the traffic and the horns of the boats on the Bosporus. Look south to the old city, with its ancient mosques, bazaars and palaces – Aya Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi, the Grand Bazaar…

North of the bridge is the “newer” district of Beyoglu. Here you’ll find grand hotels, trendy bars, designer shops and swish apartment blocks.

At Eminonu, on the south bank, catch a ferry to Uskudar for views of the city skyline and the stunning Ottoman timber villas along the shore (fabulous when floodlit at night).

A great place to stay is the Richmond Hotel (252 5460; richmondhotels.com.tr) in Pera, with a rooftop bar overlooking the Bosporus. The hotel is just a short walk from Çiçek Pasaji, the old flower market with a choice of busy restaurants (meze, fish, raki) in a historic covered courtyard.

Kumkapi, near the main fishing harbour in the old city, has dozens of small seafood restaurants clustered around the square and the narrow cobbled streets.
Jean Gardiner, Warwickshire

Take a bath

Don’t visit the big hammams mentioned in guidebooks, but wander through the back streets and find one that looks friendly. Ask if they will do you a deal at a quieter time. My partner and I did this and we had the whole place more or less to ourselves and were able to enjoy the experience together (most hammams have separate men or women sessions only), in a wonderful 16th-century bathhouse in one of the back streets in the old town.
Trina Warman, Cambridgeshire

Spice it up

Don’t miss the spice market: you will be amazed at the variety of spices available and the wonderful smell will intoxicate you. Everything is very reasonably priced, so stock up.
Laura Cope, West Midlands

Ferry to Asia and Europe

Take one of the municipal ferries on the 90-minute trip from Besiktas quay to Anadolu Kavagi, at the mouth of the Black Sea. The journey takes you criss-crossing between Europe and Asia along the length of the Bosporus, the scenery changing as you progress towards the fishing port. It provides welcome relief from pounding the city streets for an afternoon.
Jane Jones, Lancashire

Go underground

Istanbul – you’ve got to go. The tram is fast and clean though you do need two lira to buy tokens from the roadside machine before you get onto the platform.

The ambience of the city is welcoming, with very friendly people, and everywhere is spotlessly clean. The Blue Mosque is absolutely beautiful; Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, the spice market and Aya Sofia must not be missed; the underground Basilica Cistern is fascinating, too, and not highly advertised. It has a mystical but tranquil feel to it – the ambient lighting enhances the beauty of the columns reflected in the water, where you get glimpses of fish swimming around.

If you take a boat trip along the Bosporus, stop at Anadolu Kavagi and climb the hill for the view.
Linda Lawless, Southampton

Princess for a day

Just off Istanbul’s Asian coast are the Princess Islands. You can get to four of them by ferry from both the Asian and European side of the city, though you might not want to go in high summer when they tend to get very crowded.

The islands are all car-free; you can rent bicycles or take a horse-drawn carriage. We would recommend a day on Buyukada, the largest of the islands; take a picnic and your swimsuit.
Helena and Piers Dobbs, Cheshire

In Christie’s footsteps

Agatha Christie fans should stay at the Pera Palas Hotel (377 4000; perapalace.com) in Beyoglu. The hotel was built in 1892 for Orient-Express passengers and Christie is said to have been inspired to write Murder on the Orient Express here. Greta Garbo stayed for three weeks in 1924; Hemingway loved it too. It’s not the city’s smartest hotel but it definitely has the best stories.
Simon Burnet, Sussex

Taxis and takeaways

Istanbul’s public transport is quite complicated and not very efficient unless you know exactly where you need to get off. Taxis are recommended – they are quite cheap in comparison to the UK. But you need to make sure that you have asked for the price before getting on the taxi, otherwise you may be charged a lot.Try kumpir (stuffed baked potato), Istanbul’s favourite fast food.
Shima Najdaki, address withheld

Trams and Shanks’ pony

My wife and I have visited Istanbul several times and initially it can be a slightly intimidating place. Use the excellent tram system whenever possible, and walk as much as you can. The locals are usually helpful and friendly but take the same precautions you would in any big city and never be persuaded to go with someone to visit a shop or bazaar. Our tip for the best place to visit: Topkapi Palace.
Roger Bowden, Perthshire

What to avoid

Hold back

When going to Topkapi Palace in Istanbul do not go as it opens – the scramble to get in is chaotic and dangerous. But they only seem to have one kiosk open – it’s madness.
W Egginton, Staffordshire

Look then leave

The restaurants in the Sultanahmet area are a rip-off. See the sights, then go elsewhere for drinks or snacks. Try the Turkish coffee – but don’t drain your cup. You’re not supposed to drink the sludge at the bottom.
Lorraine Voss, Dorset

Traffic warning

Don’t even think of hiring a car: the traffic in Istanbul is terrible and the standard of driving worse. We didn’t feel entirely safe in taxis either, but contrary to what we’d been told, our drivers were all charming and didn’t try to cheat us.
L D Gates, Beds

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