My wife and I are visiting Istanbul for 4 days and 4 nights, and we want to stay close to many of the main attractions. What area/neighborhood should we stay in and why? Do you know of any cheap but conveniently-located hotels?
Posted by
OP
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
52 posts
If we stay anywhere in Sultanahmet, will we be in walking distance to the main attractions? Or are there certain sections with better locations than others? How big and walk-able is Sultanahmet? Thanks so much for the information!
Posted by
Martinez, CA, USA
1506 posts
We have stayed at Sur Hotel Sultanahmet which has a view of the Sea of Marmaris and is walking distance to the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace. A delicious breakfast is included in their rate. We stayed there for 7 nights in 2011 and enjoyed our stay. Not sure what you consider cheap but you can check reviews of the hotel at booking.com.
Posted by
Ann Arbor, Mi
3696 posts
I stayed in the Old City Viva Hotel and it was reasonable as well as centrally located. It is on the tram line but I preferred walking. It is about halfway between the Blue Mosque and the Spice Market...also a nice breakfast as well as rooms that were fine... nothing extravagant, but I liked the location. It was recommended by someone here.... we were there 5 nites.
Posted by
Martinez, CA, USA
1506 posts
Hotel Sultanahmet is within walking distance of most sights. You can check these hotels on google map to see how far it would be to walk where you want to go. They are both near tram lines so if you get tired you can take the tram close to the hotel.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
You should get Rick Steves Istanbul. It has answers to your questions (as others have said, Sultanahmet area is best for a first visit of 4 days; you can walk to most attractions from there) and will recommend hotels. It also has lots of other useful information for your trip. If Rick's hotels are too pricey, look at EuroCheapo's listings: http://www.eurocheapo.com/istanbul/
Posted by
Chicago, USA
81 posts
Staying in Sultanahmet is a must, It is easily walkable to all the sites!!!
Posted by
Madison, WI, US
85 posts
In my opinion the Sultanahmet would be the only place I would consider. I have stayed in the "old" Sultanahmet area and the "new" Taksim area. When I stayed at the Taksim area I always found myself over in the old section anyway. With only 4 days definitely stay in the Sultanahmet area. The area is small enough that any hotel in the area would be close enough to all attractions. There are numerous quaint locally owned hotels in the area. I rented a 3 bedroom apartment from VRBO with no problem and a good rate.