Istanbul Guide

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First Time İstanbul For more information, see Survival Guide (p207)

Top Tips for Your Trip ¨ ¨ Plan your itinerary – although İstanbul’s public transport system is excellent, criss-crossing the city will eat into your time. Instead, choose just one or two neighbourhoods to explore in a single day. ¨ ¨ When you have prepared your itinerary, estimate how much museum entries will cost and then compare this figure to the cost of a Museum Pass İstanbul – you may save money (and time) by purchasing one of these. ¨ ¨ Most major museums are closed on Monday; the exceptions are Topkapı Palace (Tuesday), the Kariye Museum (Wednesday) and the Museum of Turkish Jews (Saturday). The İstanbul Archaeological Museums, Museum of Turkish & Islamic Arts and Basilica Cistern are open every day. Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi Palaces are closed on both Monday and Thursday. The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday. ¨ ¨ Even if you’re only here for a few days, it’s a good idea to purchase an İstanbulkart to use on public transport. What to Wear İstanbul’s weather can be variable, so pack an umbrella and sweater (jumper) or jacket. Mosque visits involve certain dress conventions. In other situations, you can dress as you would in Europe, North America or Australasia. Walking Tours If you have a guidebook and don’t have specialist interests, there’s no compelling reason to organise a tour guide. That said, there are a number of companies in the city offering excellent walking tours that give an in-depth introduction to neighbourhoods. These include the history-focused İstanbul Walks (p89), food-focused İstanbul Eats (p89), photography-focused Alternative City Tours (p111) and art-focused Artwalk Istanbul (p146). See the Sports & Activities sections in our Explore chapters for reviews of other recommended companies.

Checklist ¨ ¨ Check if you need a visa; these should be organised electronically before your arrival. ¨ ¨ Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months. when packing, make sure you reserve some of your allowance for holiday purchases. ¨ ¨ Arrange travel insurance. What to Pack ¨ ¨ Sturdy walking shoes or sandals – İstanbul’s footpaths are often cobbled and uneven. ¨ ¨ Females will need a scarf or shawl to cover head and shoulders when visiting mosques; also a bikini to wear in hamams (optional). ¨ ¨ Males should bring at least one pair of long pants to wear in mosques. ¨ ¨ Electrical adaptors (see p 214 ). ¨ ¨ Check your airline’s baggage restrictions;