We are seasoned RS travelers and have learned the essence of not being too optimistic on travel times for side trips. We finish our Rick Steves Turkish Villages tour after breakfast on a Thursday and thought about a ferry to Kos for an overnight stay and then return to Istanbul on Friday. We depart from Istanbul on Saturday. Our less complicated option is extra time in Istanbul besides two plus days at the beginning and whatever RS does our first day on tour. Any thoughts or strong opinions will be received with delight!
Posted by
Cary, NC
687 posts
Kos is nice enough, but not that interesting. I wouldn't have thought it was worth the hassle for one night. Plus there's so much to do in Istanbul. You could take the ferry to the Princes' Islands if you haven't done that.
Posted by
Camarillo, California
3122 posts
It would have been helpful to know where your tour finishes. Going to Kos for one night is unfortunately a waste of your time. Either stay where you are for another day or go back to Istanbul and use the extra time to explore that amazing city.
Posted by
Dunwoody, Georgia
338 posts
Here's strong opinion: If you have not been to Istanbul before, I recommend that you spend your extra time there. It takes at least 4 days to see all of the major sites in that city. The itinerary for your tour mentions that it covers a walking tour of Sultanahmet and a tour of the Blue mosque. The Topkopi palace, Aya Sophia, and Archaeology Museum are the other absolute must sees in that same area. It will take a day and a half just to see those. I also recommend the Basilica Cistern, Kariye Museum, Islamic Art Museum, Suleiman Mosque and Tombs, Galata Bridge and adjacent markets, Galata Tower, Istiklal Street and Taksim Square, Grand Bazaar, Rustem Pasa Cami, and Spice Bazaar. You could use extra time seeing some of those sites or you could add other things such as a Dervish show, a tour of an old Ottoman house (e.g. Dede Efendi House), a Bosphorus cruise, a visit to the city walls, etc. Basically, there is a lot to see and do in Istanbul. All that being said, anything you decide to do will be fun. Good luck.
Posted by
OP
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
207 posts
Thank you all... you have confirmed what I was thinking.
With our two days on arrival and two plus days before departure... we should get a good taste of fascinating Istanbul.
Posted by
Boscombe, Dorset, UK
964 posts
George, I just came home from the Rick Steves 7 days in Istanbul tour, and later this year I'm going on the Villages tour. I would ask your guide on the Villages tour for some suggestions about Istanbul, because it's likely they have done both. Or, check out the itinary for the 7 days in Istanbul tour.
I wondered if 7 days in one city would be too much; now I want to return and spend more time there.
Posted by
Honolulu/Seattle, HI/WA, USA
2788 posts
We took RS 14 day Turkey Tour last summer. We arrived in Istanbul 2 days before the tour started. Spent 2 days there with the tour. Returned there after the tour was over for another 5 days and still did not see everything on our list.
I am sure glad we returned there after the tour was over and I would go back any time. We used RS Istanbul Guide Book and Lonely Planet Turkey Guide Book and had plenty of information.