The W Hotel in Besiktas Istanbul is very near the Besiktas ferry terminal. Rick's guide to Istanbul says of the W Hostel in Besiktas: "it's close to the Bosphorus and within easy reach of Taksim Square" ...so my question is how easy? Is it a short walk away? (looks like a mile on the map) or a short cab ride away? It looks to me like the best way to get to the Old Town is to take the Besiktas-Uskudar-Eminonu ferries. Either that or walk to Kabatas and take the funicular to Taksim or the tram to the Old Town. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
- Thanks - Steve D.
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7049 posts
The hotel is not far to the ferry terminal - you can walk there easily (from what I remember though, it's pretty hilly in that area and the immediate surroundings are very modern/new development. If you take the ferry, you'll end up making a stop on the Asian side first (Uskudar), so that's perhaps not the most straightforward way to get to the Old City. If you take the tram from Kabatas, you can take it straight to Sultanahmet (Old City) with no transfers.
Posted by
OP
San Jose, CA, USA
2 posts
Thanks Agnes. Can you tell me how far a walk it is from say, the Besiktas ferry terminal to the Kabatas tram terminal?...time or distance, it doesn't matter. - Thanks again - Steve D.
Posted by
Ballwin
833 posts
Based on Google Maps' estimate, your hostel and Be?ikta? are about a twenty minute walk to Kabata?. If you want to stay a little closer in, near Galata, I'd recommend the Bada Bing Hostel. I stayed there 11/2011 and enjoyed my stay. It's basic, was 10€/night per person in a 6 bed room. Don't expect a lot, but you are in a great location in my opinion. You are only a five minute walk to the Tophane and Karaköy tram stops, but it's also nice just to walk across the bridge to get to the old city. Just about a ten minute walk to the Galata Tower (and a great café for breakfast close by). A 25 minute walk to Taksim (some is quite steep though, may want to walk to Kabata? and take the funicular). If you enjoy walking, I'd choose a location closer in so you have better walkable access to the other side of the Bosphorous than Be?ikta?. And the trams are close to the hostel for when you need them.
Posted by
Washington DC Region, USA
7049 posts
Steve, Have you looked at the hotel website? http://www.wistanbul.com.tr/
http://www.wistanbul.com.tr/en/map Under transportation options, it tells you how to get there via tram... "Get off at the Kabatas stop, the last on the line. The hotel is a 15 minute walk or 5 minute taxi ride from Kabatas." It also tells you how to get around by waterway...(I'm not going to paste the entire thread here..just have a look)