We'll be cruising and will have one day in Istanbul. We'll be in port from 9AM - 6PM. Any suggestions for what we should plan to see and do?
Posted by
Hudson Valley
2267 posts
Wow. There’s, like, 5 days of “must see” in Istanbul.
I’d prioritize Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia.
Posted by
Atlanta
5710 posts
Agree with Scudder about the priorities. If you have time, you might try to work in the spice market and the bazzar. Regardless, we suggest you take a tour through the cruise line. They are more expensive than doing it on your own, but they know the lay of the land and can avoid a lot of wasted time. In addition, if you are on a tour through the ship, the ship will wait for you if you are delayed returning. And that is a good feeling since traffic can be terrible at times. We took a tour through the cruise line with a local company (forgot the name) and were very pleased.
Posted by
Austin
985 posts
Lynette, I have used Ekol tours in the past for Istanbul and Kusadasi- shore excursions- much less than the ship's and private- excellent. They are reasonably priced ( cash only and tip the guide and the driver separately ( and generously in my case, they were so good). They stood in line for the tickets, took us to good Turkish meals, and shooed away the vendors while giving great info. Valentina seems to be the main contact.