A question about Istanbul?

Question

Hi everyone! I am going to Istanbul with my boyfriend during new year's eve for about 5 days and would like to know a few things.

(1) are the shops open during new year's eve and new year's day in Istanbul and also weekends?

(2) Where is the best stay to stay (for 2 person)? Preferably near the city and not too expensive.

(3) We would really like to eat some local food and it would be nice if someone gives us some good recommendation. What kind of food and where to eat :)

(4) And lastly what are the must-go places? :)

Answer 1

Very good question! :)

Answer 2

You lucky couple, you!! I don't know the exact answer to question 1; that will take a real Istanbullu, but my instinct is, yes, there will be some shops open on New Year's Eve and Day. The Covered Market and Egyptian Market are quite large, and should have some shops open. But I defer to the locals on that one.
(2) My favorite hotel, if you like old, quirky buildings: the Empress Zoe ( http://www.emzoe.com ). It's very near the heart of Sultanahmet, the old part of the city. But it might be already booked...better phone them to find out. I've also stayed at the Apricot, on the same street...it was OK but not as interesting as the Empress Zoe. And there's always the Pera Palace, which was THE place for the rich and famous, 100 years ago.
(3) The Sarnic restaurant is pricey (figure $100 for dinner for two), but it's excellent, with superb atmosphere. For a lot less, try the tiny kepab restaurant across Akbiyik Caddesi from the Empress Zoe (cheap and delicious) or any of the fish/seafood restaurants along the walkways of the Galata Bridge.
(4) Istanbul grew from the water up to the hills; to really understand it, take a boat cruise up the Bosphorus to the edge of the Black Sea (good restaurants at the north end of the Bosphorus, too!). Also, see Topkapi Sarayi for a look at how the Ottoman sultans and their courts lived; Sultanahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque), Ayasofia (Hagia Sophia); and the Yerebatan Sarayi (an ancient underground cistern); and Dolmabahce Sarayi for a look at court life in the late Ottoman Empire. Shopping: the Covered Market (Kapali Carsisi) and Egyptian Market or Spice Market (Misir Carsisi). All of these except Dolmabahce are a fairly easy walk from hotels in Sultanahmet.
You can take the light metro (hafif metro) from Ataturk Airport to Sultanahment for a lot less money than a taxi costs, but taxis are fairly cheap compared to North America or northern Europe. Have fun!!

Answer 3

1) Usually the only day of the year that virtually all shops are shut is New Year's Day. This year, Korban Bayrami (sacrificial festival - probably the most important religious festival) starts on New Year's Eve so it's possible that there may be two days that are affected. Shops and streets/pavements will be very busy immediately prior to this.

2)The best area to stay in is Sultan Ahmet. There are a vast array of hotels/pensions in this area to suit all budgets, from hostels ($10 pp per night) to the nostalgic Yesil Ev Hotel ($100 pp per night).

3) Food is generally good and need not be expensive. You can eat basic stuff in local restaurants for only a couple of dollars per head. Best recommendation is to take a ferry from Eminonu (near the Spice Bazaar) up the Bosphorus to Anadolu Kavagi and there eat Lufer (fish) - yum!!

4) In and around the Sultan Ahmet area are most of the "must see" places: Topkapi Palace, Aya Sofia, Yerebatan Sarayi (Underground Byzantine cistern), Sultan Ahmet Camii (Blue Mosque), Covered Bazaar, Mozaic Museum etc etc

Istanbul is an amazing city, I envy you. Enjoy it!!

Answer 4

I am a resident. So, I don't know about hotels, but I can answer other questions.

1. Most shops are open nearly every day! The new year's eve is especially crowded around here. But you may face with closed shops on 31th December only this year, because it is the starting day of the four day Ramadan holiday and most shops try to give their workers at least one day holiday.

3. I recommend Kanaat Lokantasi if you visit Uskudar. I don't know the address, but write it down on a piece of paper and show anybody in Uskudar. They will show you the way. Purely local, even historical food. A friend had tried and loved the "real" icecream and rice pudding.

4. Istanbul is full of places to visit. Of course, you will visit the historical places like Hagia Sofia and Sultanahmet. Don't forget to join a boat tour. The scene from a boat is lovely, especially in good weather.

And don't surprised to find lots of streets under construction. Streets, subway constructions, etc are killing us.

Have a nice visit.

Answer 5

Try the Hamdi Restaurant which is on the second floor of the buidlings of the square near the bridge (you'll know it when you see it). Ask them for a typical Turkish meal. You will love it. Also, be sure and have a kebab with melted butter on top. It is to die for!!! You can get them in any local restaurant.

Answer 6

there are many hostels on the european side, in sultanahmet and sirkeci, which are touristic places.there is a hostel in taksim, near the end of istiklal street it's called "chill out" it's a cafe and a hostel.haven't stayed there but i heard it was nice. if you want to stay on the asian side, there are some cheap hotels in kadiköy, at the coast. you can make a google search for the hotels in istanbul, so you can get some info about the prices. tourists usually find istanbul cheap so maybe you can stay in a nice hotel.

when it comes to turkish food, you can try iskender, manti, sis kebap and various kebabs, börek, dürüm, döner... you can also make an image search on google for the above mentioned to see what they are like.

enjoy your visit!

Answer 7

chat out this site.


www.istanbul.com

very thorough and organized.
have fun...