My family of 9 people will be traveling to Istanbul (stopover before Greece) for 4 nights in late May. How far ahead - hours, days, or months - do we need to purchase tickets online for the sites we will visit? These include: Hagia Sophia (and Hagia Irene??), Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower, Bosphorus Strait Cruise, Whirling Dervishes show at Hodjapasha Culture Center, and possibly Dolmabahce Palace. Will also go to Blue Mosque and Grand and Spice Bazaars, but no tickets for those we know. Planning to buy tickets from Get Your Guide online. Not planning to get a museum pass as have not found one that meets enough of the sites to make it worthwhile...is this advisable? Our hotel is in Sultanahmet. Also, how much cash is recommended? We will bring Turkish Lira with us as well as US Dollars to exchange if necessary.
Thank you in advance!!
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3341 posts
Also, how much cash is recommended? We will bring Turkish Lira with us as well as US Dollars to exchange if necessary.
The easiest, safest and most economical way to deal with cash is to use no fee credit cards and ATM’s. If you have not done so, please take the time to read the Money topic on this site’s Travel Tips section.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
2963 posts
With that many people and such a short visit I would probably buy tickets ahead, but I'm risk averse and if there is something I want to see I plan for it. Though you have tickets in advance, you cannot skip security screenings at any site (Hagia Sophia, Topkapi) and you could have a wait of 30 minutes or more if you are there on a busy day. Make sure you note the closure dates for some sites (e.g. Topkapi palace is closed Tuesdays, Grand Bazaar closed Sundays) and plan your itinerary accordingly. If you're there over a weekend then advance tickets for the big sites would definitely be a good idea.
In Istanbul, you can probably squeak by without a lot of cash. You'll get very unfavorable exchange taking US dollars to exchange. ATMs are a better choice to get cash as needed, search this forum for advice on that. Also note that the largest bill available in an ATM is 200tl, approximately $5US at current exchange rate.