2006-11-19T15:38:00.000-08:00

Web Sites which has the French Language Option:
http://www.mymerhaba.com

2006-11-18T09:45:00.000-08:00

You can find whole of the popular places as I mentioned above from this Google Earth .kmz file.

If you can't download file, use right click and save the connecion commands.

2006-11-18T05:56:00.000-08:00

Above all, you should know that İstanbul is not like the other European Cities. Be aware that it has more than 13 Million people during the winter period... You can consider it as a country rather than a city. So don't try to see everywhere at one time! I've planned a really small trip programme for 5 days. The other thing is the period that you come.

This year the Feast of the Sacrifice is starting 31st of December, and continuing for 4 days! It's possible that you can't find an open museum or palace even :( I'll ask this issue to the authorities. However most of the shops and shopping malls are opened starting from the morning of January 2nd ;)

Although that Turkey is extreemly cheap country comparing with other countries at EU, it's possible get tricked at touristic places. So if the seller or a restaurant owner insist on to buy or eat something from them, first check the prices. If you find it extremly high, try to deal on price! Don't hesitate, it's so common in touristic places ;)

Especially during the night, don't hang around lonely! And take care your bags etc..

The police number is 155 in Turkey, 112 is only for the Emergency Healthcare service.

Get a map carry it where ever you go!

Traffic is one of the main problem in Istanbul. So try to use rail systems instead of busses!

Your hostel should be in this red circle as I guess... If it is, that's really fine it's so central!

Changin your money to Turkish Liras is cheaper in the city! Don't do it at hostel or at airport!

Using Credit Cards is extremly common! also you can divide many things that you buy to 6, 10, 12 months!

In new years eve, prefer the clubs that I wrote above, don't celebrate it in Taksim Square! However Nişantaşı Street Party is a little bit better than Taksim Square... But if I were you, I prefer the clubs.. They'll about 25 euro probably... Don't forget to make a preparty before get in.

That's all now..

2006-11-18T00:44:00.000-08:00

WELCOME TO İSTANBUL!!!!

Ok guys, Eminönü will be your main point for transportation! I think it's not so far from your hostel

By the way, you may also eat fish and bread in there...

You can take numerous busses trams and ferries from there…

1st Day, New Year's Eve-First Day of the Feast of the Sacrifice

Enter to the Mısır Çarşısı (Egyptian Bazaar).

Exit from the Eminönü gate.

Have a look to the Yeni Cami (New Mosque) in the Eminönü Square.

Take a modern tram from there and go to there to Kabataş Station.
Get off the tram and take the bus to the Mecidiyeköy.
Ask to somebody inside the bus how can you go to the Cevahir Shopping Center. It’s the world 2nd, Europe’s largest one!

Then enter to the subway under Cevahir, go to the Levent. In Levent station, follow the “Kanyon” labels. It’s the best designed building of the Istanbul, maybe whole of the Turkey, of course just in my opinion =)

If the rain has stopped simply leave from the Kanyon and walk to the Metrocity Shopping Center nearby it (just ask which one is). Then have a dinner in there!

Ishot Lahmacun or HD İskender is my suggestions! They’re the best and cheapest presenter of the Turkish Cuisine in there.

I think it's time to nightlife and celebrate the new year! Just take a metro again without leave the building. Go to the Taksim!

In Taksim there are some pretty cool nightclubs. Depending on your money and preference, you can find one in the links above!
Babylon
Yeni Melek
Indigo
check this out to learn whole of the entry fees, concerts etc...!

After the night, take a taksi from Taksim Square to go your hostel

Notes:
1. I hope you haven’t got wet so much ;) Especially in Taksim and İstiklâl Caddesi (Avenue) you should hang around as a group! And take care yourself. If the time is too late, don’t hang around at the back streets…
2. There is a French Consulate -or may be just a French Cultural Center at the entrance of the İstiklâl Street. Just be aware in case of you may need it ;)
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2nd Day –half rainy day-

If it’s rainy, first go to Grand Bazaar,

I hope the palaces and museums will be open during your holiday... However, if they're closed in 1st of January, ask to the authorities if they will be open at 2nd and 3rd of Jan. After the rain has stopped you may go to the Topkapı Palace,

Then, Hagia Sophia,

And at last, Sultanahmet Cami (Blue Mosque). Sultanahmet is a mosque, not a museum, so it will be open exactly!

You should know that you’ll spend many hours at Topkapı Palace, its museum is amazing! There is a modern tram connection between Grand Bazaar and Sultanahmet points I suggest to use it if it's rainy or cold. However After Sultanahmet, you can easiliy walk to othe Ayasofya and Topkapı. Both of them are really close to each other. You don’t need to use tram again. You can have your dinner at the balcony or terrace of one of the hostels nearby the Sultanahmet tram station! There should be a really good view!

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3rd Day

Today, first, you should go to Eminönü again then you can take a bus to Beşiktaş. Just say to the bus driver that you want to go to the Dolmabahçe (Filled Garden) Sarayı (Palace). See the Dolmabahçe Palace.

Then maybe you can walk to Beşiktaş from that street.

You should eat a Kokoreç in there; the "Şampiyon Kokoreç" is the place that I highly reccommend.

After that you can take a bus and go to Ortaköy.

Don’t forget to say again that you need to get off at Ortaköy. You can find some tourist staffs to buy,

and after you hang around for a while, you can also eat a Kumpir in there…

There are also some motors from Ortaköy to Maiden Tower.

You should go there also depending what's the time..

After you've returned to Ortaköy, just take a bus again directly to Taksim from there.

Now you’re in Taksim, let we go and have some beer! Just go to Nevizade, a famous street with bars, you can enter depending on the music you hear from inside ;)

I hope you still have some time, and you can spare your time in the shops on İstiklâl Avenue in your return.

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4th Day

Today, in the morning, go to the Pier Loti teagarden

Pier Loti is stated on a hill at the end of the Haliç (Golden horn)

There should be some busses from Eminönü to Eyüp. And from Eyüp you may use this Teleferik to go to the Pier Loti teagarden has stated at the top of the hill.

Have a tea and simit in the morning may be as a breakfast! ;), by the way simit is this stuff!

Then find the Miniatürk as asking. It's in Eyüp. See it.

Now it’s time to go to the Galata Tower.

Again take a bus and return to Eminönü. It’s not so hard to walk to the Galata Tower from Eminönü Square. Get inside; see the magnificient view and take deep breaths from Istanbul's air :)

Then you can leave from the tower and continue to walk upwards to the İstiklâl Avenue again. Now you’ll see the 2nd part of it! You can consider the İstiklâl Avenue divided 2 as before and after the Galatasaray Lisesi. See the St. Antuan Church.

Go to the Istanbul 360 and have a beer in great view. Please check this out!

Continue to walk, when you see the Galatasaray Lisesi (is a French High School)
turn right and go down till to see the entrance of French Street! I don’t know what you can do there, may be you can drink one more wine =))
Then return to İstiklâl again. Continue to walk to Taksim Square. You will notify that Konak Kebab on the right hand nearby the high school. Get in! Menus are great prices are reasonable.

And also opposite of it there is a restaurant called Mado! You should eat Kesme Dondurma (a kind of ice cream) in there as a desert!
Now you are the happiest guys on the world! Maybe you can take the Nostalgic Tram in front of the High School and go to Taksim Square by it.

There is one more church in the Taksim Square if you want to see. Now it's getting dark. However it's a good time to see somewhere else! Let you go to Nişantaşı. Use the metro from Taksim to Osmanbey! In Osmanbey just ask how can you go to Nişantaşı. You should have a map to make people' work easy while they're helping you. Just say the word that you want to go and give the map to them. Don't expect to hear perfect English from everybody!

See the fashionable stores in there! Kırıntı is the best place to have a salad. On the other hand Nişantaşı is one of the exclusive places in İstanbul. So it may cost expensive a little bit.

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5th day

Do you have a 5th day also =)

Still you have time to get a Turkish Bath,

to take a ferry and make a Bosporus trip!

If you want the cheapest clothes that you ever find you should go to Salı Pazarı (Tuesday Bazaar) but I don’t think that you can achieve to go there :) It’s the most crowded part… However, if you really want to go, I can explain it even!
Still you need certain bus numbers working between these points, don't hesitate to ask your questions as a comment above!

is~dan~bul