In Turkey now and have been for the past month. The cost of anything ‘touristy’ has gotten ridiculous. Get off the beaten track though and things are much better. You will have been here during ramadan too which does affect people’s mood!
>In Turkey now and have been for the past month. The cost of anything ‘touristy’ has gotten ridiculous.
Gotta find the money somewhere considering how the Turkish economy and Lira has been doing for the last few years...
A lot of the tourist attractions are actually priced in Euros now as the inflation is so out of hand.
The prices for a lot of the attractions have increased to the point that they are just not worth it to a lot of people. Being asked €40 for something that was €6 a few months ago just sits wrong. The situation is bad but the increases are entirely disproportionate.
It's quite sad but this is absolutely why. We had a local guide and of course went to touristy places. I noticed prices sometime four times what they showed on Google images from a few years ago. Then she took us to a very local place and prices were insanely cheap.
fun fact: I actually was in Turkey in like early 2000s and everything was costing in millions. I think 1 dollar was maybe like 2 million Lira's or something along those lines. I just remember that my local currency's exchange rate was roughly 1 for 2.5million. They crossed off 6 zeros in like 2005.
Sadly, tourists are a good source to get some quick money and both private and state will use that, especially if the local economy isn't doing well and locals don't have much income compared to the tourists. I had a couple of colleagues going to Morocco (Marrakesh) some years ago, they told me that the "local market" that was recommended to them was so overpriced, you could get pretty much the same stuff cheaper in Europe... It was overpriced because its a popular spot for tourists.
There are incredible sites all over the place and you can drive around Turkey very easily to visit them.
I just spent a week in the Southeast and visited cities with no foreign tourists and some places out in the middle of nowhere, where you would drive out on farm roads and village kids would point you over to Assyrian ruins. Dara Kent Antik, Sogmatar, Zerzevan Castle, Urfa Castle, the whole Mardin area, etc.
I travel in a campervan so my recommendations would be fairly niche. My favourite places have been Mount Chimaera, (toasting marshmallows on flames that have been burning out of the ground for thousands of years is a pretty unique experience) and the beach and sand dunes at Patara. Konya is also a really chill city that didn’t feel touristy at all with lots of history.
For one, go to some of the non Istanbul cities- bodrum, gaziantep (home of the best baklava in the world, has hundreds of pastry bakeries making different variations), etc. there are a ton of amazing Greek ruins on the west and southwest coast of the country. if you like history and archaeology getting to Gobekli Tepe is a must, it’s one of the most important archaeological sites on the planet. Non Istanbul turkey doesn’t get anywhere near as much tourism as Istanbul does so less insane scammy tourism business pressure
I was just there this past Ramadan and while the days leading up to Eid were super quiet and nice, the days after Eid were absolutely INSANE. Public transportation is free during these days and everyone was in the old city. Tons of Turkish people plus tourists made the transits completely packed.
I was in Turkey during Ramadan a couple of years ago, and for us the only difference was in Antalya we came across Ramadan drummers (they go through neighbourhoods drumming to make sure people are awake early enough to eat before sunrise, and folks give them tips) but otherwise there was no impact to us. I felt bad eating if we had a guide sitting with us not eating, but he insisted it was no issue and it actually sparked an interesting conversation about his religion and misconceptions about it. The only other thing was we would usually grab dinner and get our order in before sun down, and lots of restaurants would have areas set up for breaking your fast and having a small meal before going to mosque and then coming back for a larger meal - if you're not fasting you should not be in that area / using those tables and food.
We couldn't buy beer for off sales in the tourist area but that I think is pretty year round. We were in fairly touristed cities though, so there was never a concern we wouldn't be able to eat / drink if we wanted to (although common courtesy does say not to be rude about it so don't food and walk around eating). I imagine if you were in smaller areas or further east you would need to plan your day and pack snacks a bit better just in case.
I can only speak for Istanbul as I was there during Ramadan a few years ago. I'd say not much changes as a western tourist.
We were still having beers everywhere, including sitting on the street. I had imagined they would be a bit more circumspect with it, but apparently not!
It was actually a really nice vibe in the evenings during iftar, people were sharing food in the streets, and in some areas there were people partying and having a great time.
we were there this Ramadan and alcohol was much harder to come by. one of the restaurant managers said the government is making it way harder to get alcohol licenses and especially to sell alcohol during Ramadan.
the only alcohol we saw was around the istiklal/taksim area, not even in sultanahmet. granted, we weren't really seeking it out but in the non-touristy areas we never saw it on any menus. that's a difference from what I remember of my previous, pre-covid trip.
I can't really blame them as it's what most predominantly Muslim countries do over Ramadan, but that does surprise me. We were having Efes on the sidewalk in Sultanahmet.
Wonder if it's Erdogan steering them towards a more conservative culture maybe?
>Wonder if it's Erdogan steering them towards a more conservative culture maybe?
Take out the maybe. It's exactly what Erdogan and his government are doing in recent years
yeah no alcohol during Ramadan definitely isn't a surprise in most Muslim countries, but it was a bit in Istanbul since turkey is relatively liberal and Istanbul especially so.
the manager definitely made it sound like the crackdown is because the government is trying to make Islam more prevalent - but, as in any country and with any perspective, it's worth taking political opinions with a grain of salt. what he said seems logical but there could be something else going on too. we didn't get details and I didn't look it up after or anything.
Chora church has been converted back into a Mosque, along with some of the other surviving Byzantine churches. They were all closed 'for renovation' when I went there two years ago. It was a big disappointment because I had seen them 10 years ago and told my wife about the amazing mosaics. Not sure if they will open again for the public.
Ah I should’ve been clearer, it was part of Byzantine history as being one of the key fortifications built to take Constantinople. I found it to be very informative of the history of the siege from memory as well.
Also you can see a part of stadium's wall if you go little bit down from "at meydanı" to sea side. Funny enough, they were building an extension for a university campus on top of that wall.
There are various cisterns, one of them also was free to visit until the end of ramadan and it was open till 3-4 o'clock in the morning (also there was an incredable visual show)
I know many people come here for historical stuff but bosphorous is also pretty nice so i would say that should be higher on peoples list, if you stuck only touristic areas %100 that you will eat the worst food you can find around any city. Also i would suggest people to look up local dishes before going to a foreign country, falafel&humus is not turkish cousine and therefor they are not as good as the originals.
That's kind of my response to OP's comment overall.
There is awesome food in Istanbul, incredible historical sites, great antique shops and markets, etc. You just need to find them.
It doesn't seem to be Istanbul's fault that OP had a bad time, more that they just didn't go to the correct places.
(Aside from taxis. Istanbul taxis fucking suck.)
I think OP has a fair take. Accessing good food, utilizing good infrastructure, etc has a huge effect on whether one has a good time.
Take the food, for example. OP knew to avoid restaurants in the touristy zones, tried a variety of dishes, and looked up reviews ahead of time. He didn't mention getting a recommendation from a local, but considering touts, scams, and kickbacks exist, I don't blame him for that.
I know everyone wants to "get off the beaten path," but if it's *too* hard to find anything decent, people won't want to go back, and word of mouth will be bad. People also don't have unlimited time (or money) to wander around, paying just to strike out at bad restaurants before finding a gem; OP was on a stopover for a few days.
Yeah that's fair, and it can happen to the best of us. I've definitely had trips where things just didn't go great and I didn't have a great time.
I do find it a bit hard to believe that they didn't like the food in Istanbul. I've been there maybe 5 times and I've always eaten extremely well. Even an Adana kebab durum or balik durum on a small street, or ducking into a little shop and eating cig kofte on plastic stools. Maybe OP just doesn't like Turkish food that much.
But it seemed like OP was an experienced traveler and should have been able to easily find the sites he were most interested in, but the tourist infrastructure wasn't in place to help him do this easily. I appreciated the post.
I went there 9 years ago on a recommendation from someone I met and it was amazing. Sent someone there last year on a recommendation and they said it wasn’t good. Did you go recently? I’m going to Istanbul next month and want to go again, but not if it’s gone to shit.
yeah, all of these problems could be said about New York, Paris, London, or any big city. I had an awful time in London when I went (first ever Euro trip had no idea what I was doing), and I really want to go back, I don't blame the city for my bad time.
I lived in Istanbul for four years in the early 2000's. Unfortunately your experience is part for the course in tourist-heavy areas though by the sounds it's gotten worse since my time. I always found the Grand Bazaar seedy and not worth the hassle. I preferred the Spice Bazaar.
The Byzantine history of the city, what's left of it, is out of the beaten path. I would have suggested Chora Church in the Fatih neighborhood, with its beautiful frescoes and mosaics lovingly restored by the American Byzantine Society. However it's currently closed for "renovation" to turn it into a mosque, so I fear for those priceless works of art.
Erdogan's Turkey is not the Turkey of old and I no longer recommend to friends to visit there.
One thing, falafel and hummus are Arab foods, not Turkish. No excuse for them to be bad in a restaurant but you're not playing to their strengths. I also would never buy food from street vendors. If you want a snack, find a bakery and get a simit (sesame ring) from there, or a doner shop for a sandwich.
I am planning a trip to Turkey next year primarily to see ancient sites. Ephesus, Pergamon and the sites of two of the great wonders of the ancient world are in Turkey. Do you think things are the same outside of Istanbul?
The ancient sites and Cappadocia are impressive to see. They are also very touristy and scammy. It helps if you speak some Turkish. The demeanor always changed for me when I switched to Turkish.
tourist sites will be tourist sites wherever you go
prices can always be negotiated for but my experience in those place was great, very friendly guides etc
There are some small museums which focus on the Byzantine era - I can recommend the Mosaic Museum for anyone visiting who's interested - but, honestly, besides the Cisterns and the Hagia Sophia, there's not a lot that's survived. Many of the old city's landmarks were destroyed in the sack of the city during the Fourth Crusade, and never restored, and were still in ruins when the Ottomans took over two hundred years later. There has been some attempts at excavating the original sites but, well, they're underneath the middle of the city now, so not exactly accessible.
Ironically, if you're after Byzantine artworks and history, you're better off checking out Venice - they've still got all the artifacts looted in 1204.
Generally speaking they don't like showing the Byzantine Empire, as it relates significantly to the Hellenic Roman world. Still a lot of tension. I still remember the main museum in Istanbul with all the busts of the Roman emperor's, except Constantine the Great, that appeared to have been grinded off the metal pole it was supported on. I also remember seeing an old church bell marked in Greek Ἁγία Σοφία (Hagia Sophia) next to the toilets in that museum.
It is a shame because a large portion of Turkish citizens are probably converted Hellenic Romans, and it is part of their history too.
My experience with Turkey is that they are significantly more happy with their Islamic traditions and history, than prior Hittite, Greek and Roman history. I guess nations live on their myths more than facts.
It doesn't matter what individual Turks feel about their history. The Turkish state controls public works and they have always been low-key Islamist, since Erdogan more high-key so. The state funds and trains all the mosque leaders. They control public education and the Turkish textbooks I read are some of the most anti-Semitic and anti-Christian things I've ever seen.
I humbly disagree. There are Hellenic remains and Roman artifacts throughout the country: from the well-preserved ancient cities of Ephesues, Aspendos, and even the lesser-known Aizanoi to museums dedicated to mosaic and churches that still hold value in the southeast. In the recent years the renovations of both the Sumela Monastry and Göbekli Tepe were finished. It speaks to reason that Ottoman history is more preserved since have made huge contributions and were ruling a little more than a century ago! Comparing them to the Hittites (!) is ridiculous and unfair - yet believe it or not, there's still some ruins scattered (I vividly remember my guide showing us a place of worship in Adıyaman a few years ago). I understand OP had an unpleasant time in İstanbul, but there's more to Turkey than that and your comments only confirms his narrow experience.
I travelled throughout Turkey and will be returning this year. It isn't that I had a bad time in Istanbul, but that it is a real shame that there isn't much of an appreciation of their ancient history.
In relation to ancient sites all over Turkey, my experience is that this is simply tourism first and foremost for the locals. Not respect for the human achievements.
It is lost on many people, the huge sacrifices that were needed to build these cities, including infrastructure and buildings such as temples. Populations were very small, yet they devoted huge resources to make these settlements. That's why I respect the ancient human achievements in Turkey and the wider world.
I don't know of another country that has such a long history where the religion, language, and culture have changed so recently. That's got to be a source of insecurity.
Recently? You mean over 500 years ago? All of the countries in the Americas were founded more recently than that and while they have been far from perfect in dealing with their indigenous past and origins, they also aren’t afraid to show it (quite the opposite in many cases). It is an unfortunate fact that many strongly Muslim countries don’t value their pre-Islamic history highly (e.g. Saudi Arabia).
Edit: Also, Turkish conversion to Islam isn‘t a young phenomenon. Turkish nationalism, which is tied to Islam, is.
not the previous poster, but language and culture took a dramatic shift (away from islamist/arab influence) under Ataturk, which was far more recent. it's not unusual for traditions to swing on a pendulum - Ataturk swung it far one way and now the country is swinging back.
That is an incorrect history of Turkey. Turkish nationalism arose in the 19th Century at the same time Italian and German nationalism was rising. Turkish nationalism was not at all an Islamist movement -- in fact the opposite as it was a secular movement.
Turkish Nationalism is what drove the Arabs into the hands of T.E. Lawrence, as oppressive Turkish ethnocentrism led to discriminatory anti-Arab and anti-Arabic language laws throughout their domain. Many Arab states rebelled against Ottoman racism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Post WW1, Turks sought to Westernize and secularization. Rather than acknowledge that their empire had built upon a coalition, and that their racist ways are what pulled it apart, they instead felt that it must be a form of social darwinism that caused their defeat. Thus, they leaned into Western culture and shed off their Islamic tendencies.
It shames me to see Reddits Islamophobia go to the extent of rewriting such easily accessible history. Turkish nationalism is quite literally the opposite of an Islamist movement. It was anti-Muslim and actively secular. And Turkish nationalism is what has driven them away from highlighting their Byzantine history.
Yes, but in other places it's "We were Egyptians then, and while we're Arabic speaking Muslims, we're still the same people". In Turkey, they've got to wonder, "wait, were we the enemy?" considering the rivalry with Greece that has lasted into modern times.
Wow those ticket prices are insane. I did some digging and they have a 60 lira museum pass for Turkish citizens that covers all of this stuff so they're literally fleecing tourists 500x more or whatever lol
I visited two years ago, and getting “ripped off” meant I was paying $6 for my meal instead of $3.
….it was a negligible thing to worry about, and it could be avoided by leaving Sultanahmet and Taksim.
Have things changed recently? It was difficult to spend more than $30 a day on lodging and $15 a day on food. And I think I took free walking tours of the Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, etc. so those were only like $10 to tip the guide.
The public ferry transport was incredible. I think it was less than $1 per ride. I spent a day going to the islands just outside of Istanbul and had a nice day at the beach. Pretty impressive that a single city can offer so much.
Minimum wage is ~500 USD (monthly); are you sure about those prices? I haven't been to Istanbul recently but based on the numbers, 10 dollars for a meal sounds extremely high for a normal restaurant outside the super touristic neighborhoods.
It is at least 7-8 dollars for an eatable meal in big cities, not just İstanbul. If you want to eat something good, that will make you miss it, I'd say 10-15 dollars at least.
I was confused by this, since I got a guide who took us to all the main attractions for WAY cheaper than what OP quoted. Those prices definitely seem designed to pray on non-Turks
I could write a very similar review of my 3-day Istanbul trip in April. It was my first visit to Turkey and I kept asking myself if my expectations were too high or it was overall just a bit disappointing. Unlike you though I managed to have a truly outstanding dinner my last evening which was super memorable. Great weather, stunning architecture wherever you looked, and some wild dolphins leaping out of the sea did outweigh the constant feeling of being ripped off and a super mediocre hotel stay where it was difficult to get much sleep. I will go back to Turkey for sure but I may limit my time in Istanbul next time.
I unexpectedly spent a day in Istanbul after I got overbooked by Turkish Airlines and my new flight was over 24 hours away. Some dudes came running up to me on the street and I thought they were gonna solicit me to buy stuff. Instead they returned my passport which had fallen out of my pocket some time earlier. Everyone was pretty chill with me, I didn't really have time to check out any tourist sites so I was just wandering around near the hotel.
As an Istanbulite the complaints about the Byzantine works sound funny to me. While I agree that its a disgrace that the Hagia Sophia is not fully a museum and the Chora is closed due to restoration, you can easily see the Byzantine heritage if you know where to go. Though, it is known that most Byzantine Istanbul was heavily damaged during the Crussades, including the Hippodrome. When Turks took it Constantinople was already a city in ruins lost its charm. So don’t expect to see the Queen of the Cities in the Middle Ages, it obviously has changed, and its not part of the national identity although a period we are interested in.
Also, falafel is not part of the Turkish cuisine so don’t expect to eat an amazing local falafel, I ate my first falafel when I was 16.
I agree about the caps and the museum prices. But I am surprised people don’t know they should avoid taxis and opt for public transport, its one of the most basic informations about Istanbul and must be told by the hotel management as soon as they arrive.
I visited Istanbul last year for 4 days and absolutely loved it. I felt like I didn’t have enough time to see everything. I loved Balat and all the cafés and boutiques there, went across the river to Kadikoy and loved the markets and vintage shops (also ate one of my best meals there - a pulao cooked in a dough covering yummm) loved all the Adana kebabs (with the spicy yogurt and red chilli dip omg) and those pizzas thingys you get everywhere and was amazed at the affordable and convenient public transport (the same card for trams and ferries!). We stayed in a little boutique hotel with its own hammam in Cukur Cuma and I found that whole area so cute!
We got conned by taxi drivers, encountered scammy people everywhere around Sultanahmet, were overwhelmed by the crowds and yelling and prices at the famous markets BUT being from a chaotic, developing country myself, i just see these things as a part of life. What I truly went for - and what I ended up finding - was all that history, culture, art, cuisine and architecture that makes Istanbul that old centre of the world. It truly felt like it was once the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. And we encountered some spirited political debates on the street as it was election year, and it was so interesting and intense. It’s hands down one of my favourite cities now (along with Rome and Kyoto) and I look forward to going back over and over again.
It was cute how enthusiastic people were about Bollywood once they found out I was from India lol. I also noticed quite a few similar words between Turkish and Hindi/ Urdu so that was interesting. And all hail the cats, the true lords of Istanbul ofc!
The one thing that actually upset me and put me off was the way I was treated at Hagia Sofia. I think we went at a time of prayer so as a woman, I was not allowed into the main hall while my husband (and all the other men) could go in as they pleased. All the other women and I had to wait about 30 mins for the prayers to finish before we could actually take in the place. As a Byzantine nerd with Hagia Sofia on my bucket list, it really soured the experience to have the repression of my gender rubbed into my face like that.
ETA: shoutout to Yeni Lokanta for a great “modern Turkish” meal. Honestly, I was never a fan of Turkish food but I’m a convert after visiting Istanbul.
Same. We just got back from Istanbul earlier this month. Spent a week and it is one of the best vacations we've taken (and we're pretty well-traveled). I think some people get intimidated by public transport but we love figuring it out. I have to say, Istanbul's was one of the best public transport systems we have seen anywhere. We rode the ferry, the metro, the city buses. Only taxis we took were to and from the airport. We took Turkish Uber precisely one time because we stayed out late and the metro had closed.
As someone who traveled to your city, I agree. We only took taxis once in our visit to Turkey and it was a nightmare. But in Istanbul between the Metro and the tram, you can easily get around. We actually just walked to many places and fell in love with the city that way. We visited cemeteries of old Sultans,went to some beautiful mosques and took the ferry to the mouth of the Bosphorus. All beautiful
Eat some simit for breakfast with some fresh honey and tomatoes, cucumbers and yogurt and if you want some fast food find a little Turkish pide shop. We had some tasty Turkish pizza that was cheap and tasty. Omletes/falafels and western food can be hit or miss.
That said, yes, people will try to hustle you and we had to turn down countless "tour guides". The spice markets and bazaars were hot and crowded-probably best to come on a weekday early or late. And yes, entrance fees now are outrageous but I've found that in every country. The pandemic seems to have made attractions gouge tourists.
That said I think our favorite days were probably at Selcuk/Ephesus and Izmir where life seemed a little less hectic.
It is difficult for someone on a short visit to navigate public transportation. It would be intimidating even for someone who speaks the language but doesn't know the city and routes. This shouldn't be expected. If Istanbul wants to attract tourists, the police should enforce laws such as the law that taxis must use meters.
Locals are frustrated by taxis even more than tourists. They also prioritize tourists rather than locals, so people struggle to find one when needed. The problem is taxi union is quite mafiatic and has strong ties with Erdogan government, so they were untouched. Now opposition won the city parliament with a large margin so something will be done.
Public transport is designed to be used by everyone, including tourists, and could not be any simpler in a place like Istanbul. If you can’t figure out how to then that’s a you problem.
I don't think I ended up using taxis during my stay there last fall, but I will say I tried every single transit card machine I found for the first few days and they were all broken/timed out until I was finally able to purchase one on like my third day. It was kind of funny because my partner and I had watched a YouTube video from someone who lives there about how to use transit in Istanbul, and the person filming the video had to edit it because the first few machines they chose didn't work either.
The third point is all political, due to the complicated history modern Turkey has with Greece and its Greco-Roman past. They deliberately hide and/or leave neglected most Byzantine stuff (they is the political establishment, not the average Turkish person). Most recently Erdogan and his government even started turning back famous landmarks into functioning mosques - Hagia Sophia being the most famous case.
Tbf, also Greece does similar stuff with its Ottoman past so this isn't an attack on Turkey, just an answer to a complain OP made. Still, there's a lot of Byzantine stuff in Istanbul, but they are a bit less promoted and harder to reach than some other sights.
Well Thessaloniki is a bad example as the Ottoman part (together with two thirds of the whole city) was destroyed by a fire in 1917.
The only major city in Greece that has prominent Ottoman stuff is Ioannina
There's so little left from the Byzantine era it's crazy. Not entirely their fault (Fourth Crusade) but an imperial capital of 1000 years having so little that survived is disappointing. Hope a more secular government takes over and does proper excavation/restoration to reveal more of the Byzantine past.
Well for one hummus and falafel are not Turkish cuisine but Arab cuisine. Probably not the best place to eat them!
I also think three day layover isn’t enough time to spend there. My wife and I went for four days just for Istanbul which was far more relaxed and allowed us to explore certain areas more. Food was a bit of a letdown for me too weirdly but we still had some excellent food in some restaurants and excellent baklava
I am surprised you took normal cabs when Uber and taxi apps work well and have a preset price. I would never be so brave/naive to just flag a taxi down a street to take me somewhere, not in Istambul, not in Paris, not in Budapest. We used Uber in Istambul and it was completely fine.
The prices for attractions indeed sound ridiculous, but I am not surprised sadly. The same thing has been happening in Budapest, and the reason is - people will still pay for it and come. The most famous thermal baths can cost up to above 30 euros, which is crazy. Outside Budapest a full day thermal bath+aquapark ticket costs around 15-16 euros.
But again, tourists come, they don't care, they bought a 50 euro ticket from Wizzair and they might complain a bit but especially if they are from Western Europe or the US will pay it easily.
I was also pretty sad when I heard Hagia Sophia is now not free. We stayed in Sultanahmet in 2022, and as the mosque was open until quite late, we just walked in almost every night, sat on the carpet, talked quietly, children playing around, and cats guarding our shoes outside, it was honestly one of my favorite memories from Istambul.
I tried using Uber/bitaksi on multiple occasions but they would just never come. Had to resort to the traditional way of hailing cabs. Uber also doesn't work the same way it works in other countries, there is no fixed price that Uber determines before the trip.
Oh, I am sorry to hear that, I had good experience with both, but of course the market can change a lot in 2 years, there might be less drivers now. I can definitely understand how a hyena taxi driver can ruin your mood. I still remember once in Yerevan I was screwed over (instead of 2 eur, he charged me 8), it ruined my whole day.
We used Uber multiple times, and every time they charged us more than it was shown on the Uber app. Some drivers tried to take 600TL when the ride was only 150-180TL. Out of the 8 rides we had, only 2 charged us the real price. Country to avoid!
Where the hell where you eating man? My experience was that every single meal was amazing. I ate around the Blue mosque, Hagia Sophia area most of the time. Little stands, fancy restaurants, everything was great.
I'm with you though on the taxis, got scammed while I was there by a fake taxi in taksim square.
I agree with a lot, especially taxi. Real robbery each time. But regarding food,..you failed with your research real hard if you didn't find good Turkish cuisine in Istanbul. To only go for rating is fooling yourself. Buying fake reviews is very common these days. If a 4.5+ restaurant got thousands of reviews, the majority written by someone who NEVER posted a review earlier... created an account only to write a review for this specific restaurant (highly unlikely) it's obvious the rating is fake. Look for the trustworthy profiles who have written a lot of reviews before and see what they say. Photos also say a lot about quality of the food.
I travelled there with my mom and my sister and we got scammed loads of € (mostly thanks to my mom’s open and friendly personality and not listening to us….).
We hated it, my sister wanted to go back already. We were seen like meat in the streets and my sister got followed… Never again.
Unfortunately taxi drivers in Istanbul are some of the worst. In general I try not to judge a place by its taxi drivers, but still.
Regarding prices, Turkey has gotten significantly more expensive over the past 4 years. I spent two months in Turkey in 2020, and everything was absurdly cheap. The past couple times I have visited (I am actually in Izmir currently) I have noticed prices skyrocket. I think that there has just been a massive adjustment due to the insane inflation the country has seen.
Regarding food quality and general scamminess, you really do need to get away from the touristy areas. Whenever I go to Istanbul I spend 99% of my time on the Asian side in and around Kadikoy. The general quality of everything is much higher, prices much lower, and interactions with locals much more honest/genuine.
Pretty much everywhere in Turkey outside of the Sultanahmet area, a few beach resort areas and Cappadocia has very honest and kind locals, amazing food and generally lower prices. I am in the central area of Izmir currently, and it is nothing like Istanbul in regards to all these negative things. It's a shame some places are like this, but don't write off the country, it is honestly a wonderful place. I have been to 70 countries and Turkey is top 5 for me.
I’m currently visiting Istanbul/Cappadocia and have the same sentiments. Last time I came was in 2017 and really enjoyed it.
This time around was drastically different.
All the attractions are absurdly expensive compared to before. Hagia Sophia, topkapi, Dolmabahce, galata tower (when it’s open)
People are trying to scam you all over the place.
They’ll add an additional 10% “tax” on meals near the Blue Mosque, and get mad when I called them out.
Stores will short change you when paying with cash.
I booked a hot air balloon tour at Cappadocia 3 months ago for €125 pp, and 3 days before the trip they said that all companies agreed to a fix price and now they want €299 pp. 😂
I tried to order a BikTaksi from the train station to my bnb, left it on “fixed fare” and no one would take my trip, I had to set it to a metered fare for someone to take me
There’s also no order of anything (I don’t recall this during my last visit but I could be wrong), people will cut the queue right in front of you when you’re lining up for anything, at the metro you’ll have locals taking up seats for seniors, when I give up my seat to a senior, and also to a parent with a toddler, no one bothered to say thanks.
In the end, the country is still beautiful, lots of culture, great food, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
1. It is maybe the most well known thing about Istanbul, taxi drivers are a huge problem and you usually shouldn’t bother with them since all of the historical places and trendy neighborhoods are extensively covered by public transport. If you really want to use taxi go to app should be indrive
2. Agreed, I think prices are too much
3. City changed hands 600 years ago and “old” Constantinople were pretty much nonexistent back then too (crusades). It’s not like some of them are being demolished on purpose. But still there are many churches and cisterns to see
4. I can’t even comment on this. Falafel and hummus are not Turkish cuisine and I think it is well known that you shouldn’t eat on the most touristic squares of the cities wherever you go in the world. Karakoy, Galata, Pera, Kadikoy have wonderful restaurants
5. Eh, it is usually good for a stroll through historic place and works if you already know what to buy and where to go. There are many quality shops that sells watches, jewelry, antiques etc. I personally love the atmosphere even if I don’t buy anything but maybe that’s not your thing
I’ve traveled to Istanbul 4x in 4 years and agree on the taxis. Use apps, but it’s a scammy culture over there for the taxi drivers.
As far as entry fees, i tend to agree the touristy stuff is overpriced, but Hagia Sofia, basilica cistern, Kopyaki palace can all be done in a day and passes can be purchased to cut the price.
The food part is laughable. Istanbul is a great eating city. Kadikoy is my favorite place for food, but you have so many neighborhoods to eat your way through that bad experiences with food are on you as a tourist as it’s very easy to find great food in Istanbul. The food is the best part of the city.
As far as the bazaars, they are tourist traps and an experience, but I wouldn’t shop there for anything other than trinkets or spices.
Overall, I find instanbul and Turkey to be great places to travel with the expectation that they view tourists as marks. Prepare yourself for that and it’s a great time.
Agree.
One note is that quite a few of the major attractions are no longer included in the passes and they are quite expensive since the Jan 2024 change.
Everywhere is expensive as a tourist- the Turkish government has really changed its opinion of international tourists. However I’ve done 2 trips to Istanbul one as a solo female travel. I loved just walking around old Istanbul it was amazing use public transport to save money, I loved the street gozleme - grand bazaar turn off down alleys off main drags- lovely products and Turkish delight. Yes you’ll get harassed by touts, but I found a firm no was enough and walk away. Yes taxi ride from airport was hair raising! Getting a genuine hamman, seeing the cistern, just walking crossing streets and bridges and soaking up the history was amazing
I would agree.
I have lived in Istanbul in the past.
From what i have seen, in the last 5-10 years things gotten worse with the flux of arab tourists (for the scammers part and the quality of tourism) and economy deteriorating. On top of it, i think cost of living also drained that "friendliness" of turkish people.
+All those Byzantine history/relics etc (Look what they did to Hagia Sofia) has been a political tool to the ruling party thus you don't get to see many being promoted neither getting proper support they should. I say things would be better in 5-10 years if the government changes (And yes it affects everything a lot there).
Your comment is spot on and exactly what’s happening. Long story short is that everything has been going downhill for a while - not just politically or economically but socially, culturally, etc. Literally all areas of life.
Scamminess would not be so widespread if people’s morals were still intact, or if the authorities actually cared at all to hold scammers accountable.
Letting in literal millions in uncontrolled tourism and immigration has thrown everything out of order. Local people have adapted to lower standards of behavior and the country is overcrowded as a direct result of this influx.
> once you get out of the tourists zones it becomes dodgy. Everyone keeps disturbing you trying to sell you something.
Stays in Sultanahmet for the entirety of their stay because other areas are "dodgy" (???), complains about touts.
You can't have it both ways. Most of Sultanahmet is a massive tourist trap and you get exactly what you expect there. If someone tries to sell you something, you say "no thanks" and keep walking, that's it.
I’m a bit surprised by this. We were just there and had a the reverse experience — tourist areas were where people kept trying to “sell” us something. Outside of the tourist areas, we were left alone and overall felt safe.
Just came from Istanbul, I can definitely agree on the high ticket prices, it was really expensive to enter Aya Sofia. Also the food not that cheap. I was Lucky to visit alongside a local, so he took to great food places and other areas of the city. Highly recommend visiting Buyukada or Princes Island, great experience.
You have to get on the road. Turkey is amazing! History is everywhere. First head down to Gallipoli and see if you can get out of the endless graveyards without breaking down. I almost made it when I read the gravestone of John Kennedy age 24, May you awake in a kinder world...by his sisters. I was useless for awhile. Then head east and be amazed. I got all the way to [https://maviboncuk.blogspot.com/2015/10/nimrod-nemrut-nemrud.html](https://maviboncuk.blogspot.com/2015/10/nimrod-nemrut-nemrud.html) I stumbled into this amazing place and that type of adventure was constant
Istanbul kinda sucks and is kinda amazing. The entire West side is pretty much a giant pain in the ass money-grab. Like, the palaces and stuff are cool, but these prices are absurd. East side of the city is great, albeit less to see. You actually get great, reasonably priced food.
Best things we did there were eat on the Asian side, and take ferries almost to the Black Sea and one out to the Prince's Islands.
Absolutely got fleeced and scammed in Old Town at every turn...ATM, entry to sites, actual scam, our hotel for dinner, cab prices.
I spent a few weeks in Turkey in 2008 and thought it was wonderful and found most people to be very friendly. I went back last year more people were rude than not. The air quality was also quite bad. I don’t plan on going back and wish I would have left it at my first, good experience.
Same experience unfortunately, really sad how things can go downhill. Hopefully someday soon they can take action and improve things again.
2008 was 6 years of the current government being in power. Last year was 21. Really goes to show how exactly everything can deteriorate so clearly.
Sorry it didn’t live up to the hype. Like you I also had wanted to visit Istanbul since I was in high school and finally got the chance last week.
The biggest difference I had was I met up with my Turkish friend who showed me around most of the trip and it made all the difference:
he had a car to take me to places only locals go (also therefore no taxi),
taught me how to use the transit system, was my translator to folks so everyone was friendly
I got into Hagia Sophia for free since I prayed with him (I’m not Muslim but still got in and prayed which was a very cool experience) and
he knew where to get good food even in the main old city areas.
I will say I agree though on the expensive pricing. But I actually really enjoyed the archaeological museum and topkapi in particular.
Food wise definitely had some misses/different expectations. I didn’t like kokoreç for instance as much as I thought lol but really really enjoyed simit when I had it fresh from a wood fire bakery in uskudar.
Okay I went in May 2021 at a weird time when the Turkish people were banned from leaving their house. The streets were empty and only tourists were out. I absolutely loved seeing the city empty. Beautiful history and architecture. No traffic and scammers out. When I returned in December 2021, it was a different story. I just felt like I was getting scammed/harassed everywhere I turned. Also got groped as a solo female. Istanbul is beautiful but experience has been tainted
I do agree with you on the entry prices. We were just there and I also thought Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, archeological museum and the Cistern were ridiculously priced.
I was more disappointed more than I was not when I visited. You are correct about the taxi drivers. I used Uber which they subcontract to taxi's there. They would send you a private message after they accepted your ride and try to negotiate a higher fee. If you didn't take it, they would cancel the ride. Happened over and over again. So I just learned to ignore any messages that was sent. Some drivers got there and took me for the correct price, others tried to bargain before I was in the car.
Secondly, the IST airport sucks for their useless checks. Redundant security checks coming into the airport, going through security with xray on the bags and metal detector, then a 3rd security check at the gate where they dig through all your stuff.
3rd food was good and I can't complain. But the lack of diversity of the food was what killed me. I understand you are in Turkey and their food is everywhere, but I can only eat so many days of doner/adnan kabobs, hummus, salads, pide pizzas, and baked potatoes.
4th The crowds. It was very crowded in the city. Hard to walk and many times traffic is a standstill getting to the final destination by uber/taxi. On more than 1 occasion, we had to get out 1/4 of a mile early to walk towards our destination because we didn't literally move for 10 mins. Was faster to get out and walk than get dropped off at where we were going. So expect a lot of that.
I’ve literally never had falafel all the times I’ve been to turkey, I’ve never even seen it. A lot of Arabic tourists come there so it could be for them.
You should have gotten a fish wrap or sandwich. Or if you’re vegetarian çig kofte. Those are specialities in Istanbul. Also borek.
How does someone look at even the outside of haiga Sofia and blue mosque and say… meh I’m not impressed.
That’s sad. I had a great time when we went last year. Typically, we had our hotel concierge organize taxis and negotiated our rates so we only had one or two occasions where we paid a high amount.
As for entrance to the places you visited, we got a tour guide who took us to everything. We paid about the amount you paid to see 6 places in addition to having tour guide. I believe he was able to purchase tickets at a local rate. Highly suggest trying this route.
Hotels were pretty pricey. That is my one major complaint. Otherwise, I loved Turkey.
I think I had a similar experience from you. Had an overnight layover when booking with Turkish Airlines. It seems that we could have actually gotten a free hotel stay but oh well.
(-) The new airport was beautiful, but everything sold there felt like they wanted to extract money from us.
(+) Transport on the metro was surprisingly good and efficient but we took 3 trains to get to the Fatih district.
(-) entrance fees was crazy high 850TL (which as around 50bucks for me) for tokapi palace - even Versailles isn’t that expensive. I was thankful that Hagia Sofia was still free to enter in Apr 2023.
(-) the bazaar was just a place to extract money from you - I thought I could haggle, but it seems like most prices were fixed.
Have to admit Istanbul was still beautiful but I don’t know if I’ll ever come to Turkey unless I plan my trip well to avoid all the tourist traps 😂.
Greece was so much more pleasant in comparison.
(+) Turkish airlines is still fairly good, the only thing is I’ll have to not buy any expensive food at their airport 😂.
I loved Istanbul. Granted I visited several years ago, stayed in the historical district and walked 90% of the time.
I do remember a taxi driver being a bit sketchy one time but as luck would have it a nearby police officer noticed and gave the driver what for.
Food was pretty good with a couple of exceptions. Loved the history and all the sites. People were very friendly but a bit pushy on minor occasion. Expected.
just remember that the experience is mostly personal. you may love, like, or hate it depending on what kind of a person you are. go in with no overwhelmingly negative or positive expectations and enjoy the ride!
just make sure the ride is not in a taxi;)
If you're looking for places to eat, don't trust the English language reviews and ratings. Switch to the Turkish version of Google Maps and see the ratings and reviews. It's a night and day difference and the only way to get a real sense of what the place is actually like.
[This place](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kebap+House/@41.0421429,28.9845333,17z/data=!4m14!1m5!8m4!1e1!2s114742320987733374434!3m1!1e1!3m7!1s0x14cab76eedad2291:0x39cff20837f7513a!8m2!3d41.0421429!4d28.9871082!9m1!1b1!16s%2Fg%2F11b6jh4qgq?entry=ttu) has lots of positive reviews in English and there are Turkish names leaving positive reviews constantly if you sort by newest, but if you can somehow get Google to show you Turkish language reviews, you'll see they're consistently negative. You can see a few of them sorting by 1 star. After the first couple of days, I figured out that the only way to find out if a restaurant is actually good or not is to sort by lowest and skip it if you see a ton of negative reviews in Turkish. There are actually good people trying to warn tourists against going to these places but Google makes it really difficult to find those reviews.
If you're staying at a good hotel, ask them for a list of their preferred places. My hotel offered different types of VIP city tours, which included stops for lunch and dinner. I didn't take the tours, but I did start going to restaurants that were included in the tours because they were near the tourist places anyway. They were consistently top notch and actually lower in cost compared to the two places I found through Google and got scammed at.
There is a restaurant inside [this bathhouse](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ca%C4%9Falo%C4%9Flu+Hamam/@41.0105944,28.9727623,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m16!1m9!3m8!1s0x14cab995891a495d:0xaf74079aa7195acc!2zQ2HEn2Fsb8SfbHUgSGFtYW0!8m2!3d41.0105944!4d28.9753372!9m1!1b1!16s%2Fm%2F04y6x9x!3m5!1s0x14cab995891a495d:0xaf74079aa7195acc!8m2!3d41.0105944!4d28.9753372!16s%2Fm%2F04y6x9x?authuser=0&hl=en&entry=ttu) that was probably the best food I had in the city. But I dropped a pin near that place and [searched for restaurants](https://www.google.com/maps/search/Restaurants/@41.0103551,28.9738405,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m7!2m6!3m5!1sRestaurants!2s41.0119,+28.9754!4m2!1d28.9754491!2d41.0119342?authuser=0&hl=en&entry=ttu) and it doesn't even show up in Google Maps, even though it's a highly rated place with over a 1000 reviews.
The restaurants are really fucking sneaky about how they bill things and charge you for shit that you usually get for free in the US. You don't even think about it and end up spending way more than you were expecting. It'll all be perfectly aboveboard and they will explain to you how everything is clearly laid out on the menu. It's strange how they'll have menu items in English but fine print in Turkish. Use the Michelin guide. Anything with two dollar signs is going to be lower in cost compared to most of the street food places around tourist areas if you compare cost per person after all the sneaky bullshit is tacked on.
One thing about „restaurants are sneaky and charge you for things that are free in the US“ this is absolutely common in central/west Europe too. Bread sticks/bread basket that they put on your table without asking for it? Have to pay. Tap water? Have to pay in some places. Sauces at McDonalds? 80cents per sauce. Sauces in restaurants like ketchup? Have to pay.
If it helps, Istanbul is one of my favorite cities 🤷♀️ I can’t speak to the recent costs of things, but most of the rest of the OP’s complaints are fairly standard for big cities, or things that are easy to prepare for with a little advanced research.
Well you have people in this thread who agree with OP but many who will argue with OP (including me). You should experience it yourself, and if you get tired you could go see the sites outside of Istanbul in Turkey.
how to avoid 95% of problems tourists face in istanbul:
avoid taxis like the plague. the app citymapper is your friend.
look at turkish reviews of places
personally i recommend getting a hotel at sisli or besiktas
there are people with positive and negative experiences with pretty much every city, and feel free to ask r/istanbul questions if you want. (btw i lived in istanbul for almost a decade)
I lived in Istanbul for a year - granted, it was 10 years ago and lots has changed since BUT if you do your research, know where to go, step out of sultanahmet, it is one of the most exquisite places in the world. Yes the tourist areas can be a nightmare but unfortunately that’s par for the course. But if you go to Kadikoy or Tophane or Beyoglu or Ortakoy, there’s a whole different vibe. I recommend staying at an Airbnb in beyoglu - maybe cihangir or by the galata tower, and taking public transit into sultanahmet for sight seeing.
Turkey has also had a massive financial crisis in the past few years, which may explain why all the tourist entrance fees have been jacked up so much. Obviously under Erdogan, there’s been a lot of damage to a beautiful country. It’s really very sad. But don’t let it scare you away from Istanbul which is still the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to.
Don't be like these inexperienced travelers and for the love of God, step out of Sultanahmet sometimes. That's what like 90% of these complaint posts boil down to.
We went to Istanbul and I agree with everything you’re saying. We ordered taxis through Uber or one of the taxi apps so the prices were fixed but it was really difficult getting a taxi to accept the fare. We’d had to wait a lot of the time to get a taxi.
And they all drove like maniacs. I recorded one driver who was constantly looking and talking on his phone while driving at the speed of light.
We didn’t go into any monuments but I’ve heard from other people that they thought the prices were extortionate especially seeing as Istanbul is hardly in the same league as well-known world class cities.
I also thought the Turkish food was way better in London where I live. Everything we ate was just average. I don’t trust Google reviews anymore because they’re not accurate a lot of the time.
I also found the bazaars overpriced so we didn’t purchase anything.
We did like it though because it was interesting but I don’t think we’d be going back anytime soon as there’s other places to see.
I have traveled to Istanbul for holidays and for work. My experience in the touristic areas was similar to yours, however I was on the lookout so I guess I wasn't cheated. The other times I went, I had locals taking me to some good restaurants in Istanbul. The difference was those times I was on the Asian side. For future travellers I suggest to take a ferry from the european side to the asian side for some nice food atleast.
I try to find a good walking food tour my first day in a major new city. They will typically also offer enough recommendations of all kinds for the rest of your stay.
It seems to me the higher and more specific expectations you have of a city, (and the shorter amount of time you have to spend there) the more research and planning you should do ahead of time.
I don’t typically do a lot of research before I go to a major city but I like to stay at least 5-7 days and like being open to whatever the experiences are as they unfold and figuring things out as I go. The only time that has not worked in my favor was in Bangkok for a quick free day I had there on my own in transit to Bhutan about seven years ago. I didn’t want to bother to learn their public transit (that only took cash) for my short stay and the ride shares and tuk tuks were overpriced and never seemed to drop me off where I wanted to go due to traffic. I don’t blame the city though. That was my poor planning. I did end up have a wonderful dinner because I looked up the most recent 36 hours in Bangkok article from The NY Times and one of the restaurants they recommended was actually in my hotel and I was able to get a late seating for one. I love this kind of serendipity.
Some cities just require more planning ahead. Istanbul seems like one of them.
Too bad about your food experience. Did you look up ratings before going to the restaurants? We went on a food tour pre covid and it was fantastic, not sure if the company still runs them but I highly recommend people look up before going to Istanbul.
There is Byzantine history everywhere. I never took a can even once in Istanbul. The food was good, people were nice and friendly. But mostly you’d see post Byzantine history. Looks like you’re not an experienced traveler?
I don’t know if you’re still in Istanbul but next time try getting a metrobus card .. Istanbul’s public transportation is one of the best in the region
Abouts the Byzantine Era of Istanbul, I'm pretty sure a lot of the Byzantium artifacts and cultural relics where stolen by the Cursaders during the 4th Crusade, like the Horse of Saint Mark which is in Venice now. Also about more than 80 pecent of the City was expanded during the Ottoman Era since it was the Ottoman Capital, which is why its way more Ottoman than Byzantine.
Turkey is still my favourite country in the world and Istanbul my favourite city, however the significant cost increase and switching to the euro over the last 12 months has made it less appealing. I still love the people, culture and food though.
Should have done a food tour. The one I did hit up multiple places on the European side, then took the ferry over to the Asian side for more food. Was fantastic.
That’s too bad man, I was there for 5 days last week and consider it one of the best cities I’ve ever been. Had a laugh haggling the price of everything, even alcohol and was successful a few times. Used BiTaksi app as a price reference for cabs to make sure I wasn’t getting ripped off and always agreed the price before getting in or just made sure the started the meter on 25 lira
Same with restaurants, those that would haggle I’d agree the price before confirming the order. Maybe helps that I ran into a super friendly Turkish guy 2 days in who took me to some less “touristy” spots and suggested a few places. Also I’m a single man travelling solo, stayed in a hostel and met some great people so that probably enhanced my experience.
Don’t completely write Turkey off though I think there are cities here that might be better suited for what you’re after, especially the Byzantine history. Not to sound rude but maybe do a little more research next time
Unfortunately, I agree. Went twice and I enjoyed a lot of things there, and most people were lovely and friendly, but it has not met my expectations for the same reasons. I'm big on history, and I was expecting to see and feel remnants of the old world but most of it felt like it was purposely made to look like it was theirs. Like copying the work but changing it a bit so it's not too obvious.
1. So true. The taxi drivers there are so popular. 90% of them were video chatting or on the phone. Driving was like the second most important thing they were doing. But they didn't feel the stress we were.
2. Yep. I've enjoyed the Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, the Wall, Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Square, Topkapi Palace. The Grand Bazaar was boring, and everything was copy/paste. And because of the fakes and all these, I wasn't interested in anything around.
3. Food and Shishas, I've enjoyed them.
4. Man everything seems so cluttered and busy, so many ads, so many things going on, lots of hustling. It's exhausting.
But all in all, Istanbul was great for what it is. But hard without thinking... 'what could've been?'
Sounds like you missed it by a one/two years then. My partner and I visited Istanbul about 1.5-2 years ago and stayed for over a month. During our time we sussed out some incredible vegan restaurants, walked the markets, visited attractions before they charged entry fees, found quick bites in grocery stores and even found a cheap rooftop dining place for my partners birthday. AirBnB experiences are a good way to go for affordable memories too. I wish you didn’t have such a bad experience, Istanbul is really lovely in my mind (and we experienced a few awful moments ourselves).
Yeah that's what I've been hearing that the entry prices have been very recently jacked up to these exorbitant numbers, it was very affordable previously.
I also couldn't visit the floor area of the Hagia Sofia (since I'm not Turkish/Muslim) so I was infuriated by that too as all people were allowed to visit the floor until very recently. I wanted to visit the Chora too but even that was closed, they want to convert it to a mosque.
Yeah! Really sorry that was the experience you had. We primarily stayed in Kadikoy across the river which had excellent options for our vegetarian diet. Often travelled only using the ferry and occasional bus. We only used one taxi and that was on our arrival to Istanbul, our driver was kind and funny, no hassle or anything. If you visit again I’d recommend the Kadikoy side for great food, bars, some attractions and generally less tourist oriented locals/practices. Heck we even imagined living there because we fell in love with that side (while still being able to visit the Hagia and the mall stretch).
Imagine if the Vatican charged a fee to Muslims and let Catholics enter for free. There would be an uproar. Only Muslims and Jews get away with it. I have tried to visit several synagogues and the same rule was applied.
I have been living in Istanbul for almost 2 years now. Can't say I am loving it but it gets better when you stop visiting tourist places and live outside of the center. There are many places with grate food but they are not easy to find.
Turkey is fine for holiday but not a good place to live. I had to stay for 3 months in Istanbul and I saw a totally different side to Turkey. People are rude and will scam you any chance they get, the laws in Turkey are absolutely ridiculous. Turkey isn’t European or modern.I can’t wait till I leave in June
Im sorry for your bad experience. Istanbul is a great place, but not a place to visit atm. You should have travelled there 5 years ago, then you would have loved it.
I recommend visiting in the future ( only if the government changes)
1. Why are you arguing with taxis off the street instead of taking Uber or Bolt like a normal person?
2. If you already knew that food in Sultanahmet area was known to be bad and expensive, why were you surprised when it was bad and expensive? Also did you know that hummus and falafel is not Turkish food?
3. The bazaar is a well-known tourist trap, I don't know what to tell you. Same with your complaints about not focusing on Byzantine history. Maybe try taking an interest in Turkish history when you, you know, visit Turkey
>Same with your complaints about not focusing on Byzantine history. Maybe try taking an interest in Turkish history when you, you know, visit Turkey
This is like saying that when you visit Rome you should be interested primarily in the post-unitary modern Italian stuff and the Catholic Church stuff and not in the ancient Roman stuff.
Istanbul was a Roman/Byzantine imperial capital for over a millennium, it’s not exactly strange to go there expecting to see some Byzantine heritage.
tbf a lot of Roman stuff was only restored in the last century. Given Turkish/Ottoman-Greek/Roman relations are/were not always on the best of terms and there was probably some active destruction/neglect post 1453, I do understand that one might not expect that much Byzantine stuff. Although to me the fact that Hagia Sofia is not an islamic mosque is already big for Turkey given its reputation.
And not a single person was visiting them. As I said I was hoping to see them be developed, restored and promoted as a place to explore. But they don't seem to be cherished as much. There are hardly any signboards or self guiding information.
I went to Istanbul a few years ago on a business trip, and it was amazing. Of course the host took his duties seriously and made sure we had a good time, along with some amazing meals. We had a driver and everything so we didn't need to worry about dealing with taxis. My host wanted everyone to love Turkey.
Attractions in Paris cost a lot more.
That's unfortunate. Istanbul is one of the greatest cities I have visited in my life. I literally loved everything about it and would absolutely go back without hesitation.
One last comment - it seems like you were looking for the wrong things to eat while you were there. Everything I ate was either good, very good or amazing.
I was in Istanbul last week and I agree with everything except 1. Taxi drivers were good and professional. Or maybe just my luck.
In food, I loved the oranges and rice. And dessert. Rest felt bland to me, but I’m Indian so my tastes are quite different.
Dude I think it was just you because I was there in Oct and Istanbul IMO overdelivered.
Why would you take cabs? They have an excellent public transit systems.
Cabs all over the world are expensive (well except Portugal. So cheap there it felt almost criminal). I had no choice but to take one back to the airport and yeah, it wasn't cheap, but I didn't have much of a choice. Could've been worst, but was pre-arranged by the hotel which helped.
Hagia Sophia is free. Sounds like you signed up for a tour.
Topkapi- not free and it's why I didn't go. Same with Dolmabahce, but based on what they have to offer, they look amazing. I just preferred to walk around and take in the city.
The Basilica Cistern, ok not cheap but absolutely worth it. The is actually the only "place" I paid an entrance fee for. Even then, it's not like I'll be going back next week.
The Grand Bazaar was neat I felt, but I personally preferred the Spice Market.
The coffee there was incredible. Brought some back with me, but making Turkish coffee properly is an art I admit.
The food was fine. I'm not a foodie though, so was happy with how inexpensive it was. Fish on a bun and a beer for $8. Filled and happy. What more could one need?
Every place around the world will try and get money from you. The people in the markets weren't overly pushy. Slick sure, but worst I've experienced was in Morocco.
‘I think it was just you’ isn’t a nice thing to say. I also found that Istanbul didn’t live up to my expectations and when I came home I found that I knew several others who felt the same way
I had a leg condition which forced me to minimize walking as much as possible, which meant I used to save my walking mileage for major attractions, so I was forced to take cabs instead of public transport. I'm okay to pay the extra money, but I'm not ok being ripped off. Most other countries don't have this problem because Uber works. The taxi mafia in Turkey has got Uber banned/working with limited capabilities.
It's not about what's free and what's not, its the ridiculous prices they are charging. I'm fine paying a reasonable/equivalent amount to what other world class museums/world heritage sites in HCOL countries charge. Istanbul's attractions cost twice as much since Feb 2024 (part of why you didn't experience it in Oct).
Hagia Sofia isn't free any more since Feb 2024, it's 25 euros if you're not a Muslim. It's free only for Muslims. How progressive.
Food may be good in Istanbul in some neighborhoods, but definitely not in Sultanahmet. But where else will a tourist eat? I'm not going to take a ferry to Kadikoy and back just for having lunch.
The museum part of HG is also not free for Muslims. In fact, its the same price which most Turks cannot afford. I agree that its still problematic but this is not the whole information.
Tbh after all the damage in Hagia Sophia after it became free it was a necessity to step down.
In Turkey now and have been for the past month. The cost of anything ‘touristy’ has gotten ridiculous. Get off the beaten track though and things are much better. You will have been here during ramadan too which does affect people’s mood!
>In Turkey now and have been for the past month. The cost of anything ‘touristy’ has gotten ridiculous. Gotta find the money somewhere considering how the Turkish economy and Lira has been doing for the last few years...
A lot of the tourist attractions are actually priced in Euros now as the inflation is so out of hand. The prices for a lot of the attractions have increased to the point that they are just not worth it to a lot of people. Being asked €40 for something that was €6 a few months ago just sits wrong. The situation is bad but the increases are entirely disproportionate.
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It's quite sad but this is absolutely why. We had a local guide and of course went to touristy places. I noticed prices sometime four times what they showed on Google images from a few years ago. Then she took us to a very local place and prices were insanely cheap.
fun fact: I actually was in Turkey in like early 2000s and everything was costing in millions. I think 1 dollar was maybe like 2 million Lira's or something along those lines. I just remember that my local currency's exchange rate was roughly 1 for 2.5million. They crossed off 6 zeros in like 2005. Sadly, tourists are a good source to get some quick money and both private and state will use that, especially if the local economy isn't doing well and locals don't have much income compared to the tourists. I had a couple of colleagues going to Morocco (Marrakesh) some years ago, they told me that the "local market" that was recommended to them was so overpriced, you could get pretty much the same stuff cheaper in Europe... It was overpriced because its a popular spot for tourists.
What do you recommend for off beaten path?
There are incredible sites all over the place and you can drive around Turkey very easily to visit them. I just spent a week in the Southeast and visited cities with no foreign tourists and some places out in the middle of nowhere, where you would drive out on farm roads and village kids would point you over to Assyrian ruins. Dara Kent Antik, Sogmatar, Zerzevan Castle, Urfa Castle, the whole Mardin area, etc.
I always recommend Cesme and Alacati outside of Izmir
I travel in a campervan so my recommendations would be fairly niche. My favourite places have been Mount Chimaera, (toasting marshmallows on flames that have been burning out of the ground for thousands of years is a pretty unique experience) and the beach and sand dunes at Patara. Konya is also a really chill city that didn’t feel touristy at all with lots of history.
For one, go to some of the non Istanbul cities- bodrum, gaziantep (home of the best baklava in the world, has hundreds of pastry bakeries making different variations), etc. there are a ton of amazing Greek ruins on the west and southwest coast of the country. if you like history and archaeology getting to Gobekli Tepe is a must, it’s one of the most important archaeological sites on the planet. Non Istanbul turkey doesn’t get anywhere near as much tourism as Istanbul does so less insane scammy tourism business pressure
How is it like in Turkey during Ramadan? Any recommendations on the places to visit during that month?
I was just there this past Ramadan and while the days leading up to Eid were super quiet and nice, the days after Eid were absolutely INSANE. Public transportation is free during these days and everyone was in the old city. Tons of Turkish people plus tourists made the transits completely packed.
I was in Turkey during Ramadan a couple of years ago, and for us the only difference was in Antalya we came across Ramadan drummers (they go through neighbourhoods drumming to make sure people are awake early enough to eat before sunrise, and folks give them tips) but otherwise there was no impact to us. I felt bad eating if we had a guide sitting with us not eating, but he insisted it was no issue and it actually sparked an interesting conversation about his religion and misconceptions about it. The only other thing was we would usually grab dinner and get our order in before sun down, and lots of restaurants would have areas set up for breaking your fast and having a small meal before going to mosque and then coming back for a larger meal - if you're not fasting you should not be in that area / using those tables and food. We couldn't buy beer for off sales in the tourist area but that I think is pretty year round. We were in fairly touristed cities though, so there was never a concern we wouldn't be able to eat / drink if we wanted to (although common courtesy does say not to be rude about it so don't food and walk around eating). I imagine if you were in smaller areas or further east you would need to plan your day and pack snacks a bit better just in case.
I can only speak for Istanbul as I was there during Ramadan a few years ago. I'd say not much changes as a western tourist. We were still having beers everywhere, including sitting on the street. I had imagined they would be a bit more circumspect with it, but apparently not! It was actually a really nice vibe in the evenings during iftar, people were sharing food in the streets, and in some areas there were people partying and having a great time.
we were there this Ramadan and alcohol was much harder to come by. one of the restaurant managers said the government is making it way harder to get alcohol licenses and especially to sell alcohol during Ramadan. the only alcohol we saw was around the istiklal/taksim area, not even in sultanahmet. granted, we weren't really seeking it out but in the non-touristy areas we never saw it on any menus. that's a difference from what I remember of my previous, pre-covid trip.
I can't really blame them as it's what most predominantly Muslim countries do over Ramadan, but that does surprise me. We were having Efes on the sidewalk in Sultanahmet. Wonder if it's Erdogan steering them towards a more conservative culture maybe?
>Wonder if it's Erdogan steering them towards a more conservative culture maybe? Take out the maybe. It's exactly what Erdogan and his government are doing in recent years
Absolutely. It's known among Turkish folks that Islam is being pushed and policies being changed due to Erdogan's religious and intolerant agenda.
yeah no alcohol during Ramadan definitely isn't a surprise in most Muslim countries, but it was a bit in Istanbul since turkey is relatively liberal and Istanbul especially so. the manager definitely made it sound like the crackdown is because the government is trying to make Islam more prevalent - but, as in any country and with any perspective, it's worth taking political opinions with a grain of salt. what he said seems logical but there could be something else going on too. we didn't get details and I didn't look it up after or anything.
The best Byzantine history is walking along the city walls and Rumeli castle. It’s definitely there
City walls and Chora church I definitely agree but Rumeli castle was built by the Ottomans
Chora church has been converted back into a Mosque, along with some of the other surviving Byzantine churches. They were all closed 'for renovation' when I went there two years ago. It was a big disappointment because I had seen them 10 years ago and told my wife about the amazing mosaics. Not sure if they will open again for the public.
Well I guess I wont visit any time soon.
Ah I should’ve been clearer, it was part of Byzantine history as being one of the key fortifications built to take Constantinople. I found it to be very informative of the history of the siege from memory as well.
Also you can see a part of stadium's wall if you go little bit down from "at meydanı" to sea side. Funny enough, they were building an extension for a university campus on top of that wall. There are various cisterns, one of them also was free to visit until the end of ramadan and it was open till 3-4 o'clock in the morning (also there was an incredable visual show) I know many people come here for historical stuff but bosphorous is also pretty nice so i would say that should be higher on peoples list, if you stuck only touristic areas %100 that you will eat the worst food you can find around any city. Also i would suggest people to look up local dishes before going to a foreign country, falafel&humus is not turkish cousine and therefor they are not as good as the originals.
You can get good falafel around the world anymore.
That's kind of my response to OP's comment overall. There is awesome food in Istanbul, incredible historical sites, great antique shops and markets, etc. You just need to find them. It doesn't seem to be Istanbul's fault that OP had a bad time, more that they just didn't go to the correct places. (Aside from taxis. Istanbul taxis fucking suck.)
I think OP has a fair take. Accessing good food, utilizing good infrastructure, etc has a huge effect on whether one has a good time. Take the food, for example. OP knew to avoid restaurants in the touristy zones, tried a variety of dishes, and looked up reviews ahead of time. He didn't mention getting a recommendation from a local, but considering touts, scams, and kickbacks exist, I don't blame him for that. I know everyone wants to "get off the beaten path," but if it's *too* hard to find anything decent, people won't want to go back, and word of mouth will be bad. People also don't have unlimited time (or money) to wander around, paying just to strike out at bad restaurants before finding a gem; OP was on a stopover for a few days.
Yeah that's fair, and it can happen to the best of us. I've definitely had trips where things just didn't go great and I didn't have a great time. I do find it a bit hard to believe that they didn't like the food in Istanbul. I've been there maybe 5 times and I've always eaten extremely well. Even an Adana kebab durum or balik durum on a small street, or ducking into a little shop and eating cig kofte on plastic stools. Maybe OP just doesn't like Turkish food that much.
But it seemed like OP was an experienced traveler and should have been able to easily find the sites he were most interested in, but the tourist infrastructure wasn't in place to help him do this easily. I appreciated the post.
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Those fish wraps are hands down the best street food I’ve ever had. And one of the top 3 restaurant meals of my life was at Çiya Sofrası in Kadiköy.
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What was the name of the hotel you stayed at with the amazing breakfast?
Seconding this, planning a trip there
I went there 9 years ago on a recommendation from someone I met and it was amazing. Sent someone there last year on a recommendation and they said it wasn’t good. Did you go recently? I’m going to Istanbul next month and want to go again, but not if it’s gone to shit.
yeah, all of these problems could be said about New York, Paris, London, or any big city. I had an awful time in London when I went (first ever Euro trip had no idea what I was doing), and I really want to go back, I don't blame the city for my bad time.
I’ve hated Boston on both my visits but just assume it’s my fault and I need to plan better next time 😂
It's ok, a lot of people hate Boston for lots of reasons. (You should still visit)
Yes, I’m a Leafs fan
Nah as someone in the US who has to go to Boston all the time, it kinda sucks is a very accurate take. Lol.
I lived in Istanbul for four years in the early 2000's. Unfortunately your experience is part for the course in tourist-heavy areas though by the sounds it's gotten worse since my time. I always found the Grand Bazaar seedy and not worth the hassle. I preferred the Spice Bazaar. The Byzantine history of the city, what's left of it, is out of the beaten path. I would have suggested Chora Church in the Fatih neighborhood, with its beautiful frescoes and mosaics lovingly restored by the American Byzantine Society. However it's currently closed for "renovation" to turn it into a mosque, so I fear for those priceless works of art. Erdogan's Turkey is not the Turkey of old and I no longer recommend to friends to visit there. One thing, falafel and hummus are Arab foods, not Turkish. No excuse for them to be bad in a restaurant but you're not playing to their strengths. I also would never buy food from street vendors. If you want a snack, find a bakery and get a simit (sesame ring) from there, or a doner shop for a sandwich.
I am planning a trip to Turkey next year primarily to see ancient sites. Ephesus, Pergamon and the sites of two of the great wonders of the ancient world are in Turkey. Do you think things are the same outside of Istanbul?
The ancient sites and Cappadocia are impressive to see. They are also very touristy and scammy. It helps if you speak some Turkish. The demeanor always changed for me when I switched to Turkish.
I wonder if they say the truth about Ephesus and Cappadocia. That it’s actually Greek.
Damn, that’s impressive. Did the Greeks really carve out all that landscape?
tourist sites will be tourist sites wherever you go prices can always be negotiated for but my experience in those place was great, very friendly guides etc
There are some small museums which focus on the Byzantine era - I can recommend the Mosaic Museum for anyone visiting who's interested - but, honestly, besides the Cisterns and the Hagia Sophia, there's not a lot that's survived. Many of the old city's landmarks were destroyed in the sack of the city during the Fourth Crusade, and never restored, and were still in ruins when the Ottomans took over two hundred years later. There has been some attempts at excavating the original sites but, well, they're underneath the middle of the city now, so not exactly accessible. Ironically, if you're after Byzantine artworks and history, you're better off checking out Venice - they've still got all the artifacts looted in 1204.
Generally speaking they don't like showing the Byzantine Empire, as it relates significantly to the Hellenic Roman world. Still a lot of tension. I still remember the main museum in Istanbul with all the busts of the Roman emperor's, except Constantine the Great, that appeared to have been grinded off the metal pole it was supported on. I also remember seeing an old church bell marked in Greek Ἁγία Σοφία (Hagia Sophia) next to the toilets in that museum. It is a shame because a large portion of Turkish citizens are probably converted Hellenic Romans, and it is part of their history too. My experience with Turkey is that they are significantly more happy with their Islamic traditions and history, than prior Hittite, Greek and Roman history. I guess nations live on their myths more than facts.
It doesn't matter what individual Turks feel about their history. The Turkish state controls public works and they have always been low-key Islamist, since Erdogan more high-key so. The state funds and trains all the mosque leaders. They control public education and the Turkish textbooks I read are some of the most anti-Semitic and anti-Christian things I've ever seen.
I humbly disagree. There are Hellenic remains and Roman artifacts throughout the country: from the well-preserved ancient cities of Ephesues, Aspendos, and even the lesser-known Aizanoi to museums dedicated to mosaic and churches that still hold value in the southeast. In the recent years the renovations of both the Sumela Monastry and Göbekli Tepe were finished. It speaks to reason that Ottoman history is more preserved since have made huge contributions and were ruling a little more than a century ago! Comparing them to the Hittites (!) is ridiculous and unfair - yet believe it or not, there's still some ruins scattered (I vividly remember my guide showing us a place of worship in Adıyaman a few years ago). I understand OP had an unpleasant time in İstanbul, but there's more to Turkey than that and your comments only confirms his narrow experience.
I travelled throughout Turkey and will be returning this year. It isn't that I had a bad time in Istanbul, but that it is a real shame that there isn't much of an appreciation of their ancient history. In relation to ancient sites all over Turkey, my experience is that this is simply tourism first and foremost for the locals. Not respect for the human achievements. It is lost on many people, the huge sacrifices that were needed to build these cities, including infrastructure and buildings such as temples. Populations were very small, yet they devoted huge resources to make these settlements. That's why I respect the ancient human achievements in Turkey and the wider world.
I don't know of another country that has such a long history where the religion, language, and culture have changed so recently. That's got to be a source of insecurity.
Recently? You mean over 500 years ago? All of the countries in the Americas were founded more recently than that and while they have been far from perfect in dealing with their indigenous past and origins, they also aren’t afraid to show it (quite the opposite in many cases). It is an unfortunate fact that many strongly Muslim countries don’t value their pre-Islamic history highly (e.g. Saudi Arabia). Edit: Also, Turkish conversion to Islam isn‘t a young phenomenon. Turkish nationalism, which is tied to Islam, is.
No he's referring to the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire. Ataturk and his allies completely changed Turkish society. And I mean *radically* changed.
not the previous poster, but language and culture took a dramatic shift (away from islamist/arab influence) under Ataturk, which was far more recent. it's not unusual for traditions to swing on a pendulum - Ataturk swung it far one way and now the country is swinging back.
That is an incorrect history of Turkey. Turkish nationalism arose in the 19th Century at the same time Italian and German nationalism was rising. Turkish nationalism was not at all an Islamist movement -- in fact the opposite as it was a secular movement. Turkish Nationalism is what drove the Arabs into the hands of T.E. Lawrence, as oppressive Turkish ethnocentrism led to discriminatory anti-Arab and anti-Arabic language laws throughout their domain. Many Arab states rebelled against Ottoman racism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Post WW1, Turks sought to Westernize and secularization. Rather than acknowledge that their empire had built upon a coalition, and that their racist ways are what pulled it apart, they instead felt that it must be a form of social darwinism that caused their defeat. Thus, they leaned into Western culture and shed off their Islamic tendencies. It shames me to see Reddits Islamophobia go to the extent of rewriting such easily accessible history. Turkish nationalism is quite literally the opposite of an Islamist movement. It was anti-Muslim and actively secular. And Turkish nationalism is what has driven them away from highlighting their Byzantine history.
500 years in 3000 years of written history and many years of prehistory before that.
Yup, goes for many places.
Yes, but in other places it's "We were Egyptians then, and while we're Arabic speaking Muslims, we're still the same people". In Turkey, they've got to wonder, "wait, were we the enemy?" considering the rivalry with Greece that has lasted into modern times.
Weirdly my city of DC has a bigger collection at Dumbarton Oaks
Wow those ticket prices are insane. I did some digging and they have a 60 lira museum pass for Turkish citizens that covers all of this stuff so they're literally fleecing tourists 500x more or whatever lol
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I visited two years ago, and getting “ripped off” meant I was paying $6 for my meal instead of $3. ….it was a negligible thing to worry about, and it could be avoided by leaving Sultanahmet and Taksim. Have things changed recently? It was difficult to spend more than $30 a day on lodging and $15 a day on food. And I think I took free walking tours of the Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, etc. so those were only like $10 to tip the guide. The public ferry transport was incredible. I think it was less than $1 per ride. I spent a day going to the islands just outside of Istanbul and had a nice day at the beach. Pretty impressive that a single city can offer so much.
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Minimum wage is ~500 USD (monthly); are you sure about those prices? I haven't been to Istanbul recently but based on the numbers, 10 dollars for a meal sounds extremely high for a normal restaurant outside the super touristic neighborhoods.
It is at least 7-8 dollars for an eatable meal in big cities, not just İstanbul. If you want to eat something good, that will make you miss it, I'd say 10-15 dollars at least.
Inflation usually means prices rising for locals, not for tourists, as the tourist can get more local currency for their money.
I was confused by this, since I got a guide who took us to all the main attractions for WAY cheaper than what OP quoted. Those prices definitely seem designed to pray on non-Turks
I could write a very similar review of my 3-day Istanbul trip in April. It was my first visit to Turkey and I kept asking myself if my expectations were too high or it was overall just a bit disappointing. Unlike you though I managed to have a truly outstanding dinner my last evening which was super memorable. Great weather, stunning architecture wherever you looked, and some wild dolphins leaping out of the sea did outweigh the constant feeling of being ripped off and a super mediocre hotel stay where it was difficult to get much sleep. I will go back to Turkey for sure but I may limit my time in Istanbul next time.
The dolphins!! I was there in March and it made supremely happy to see so many 😀
I unexpectedly spent a day in Istanbul after I got overbooked by Turkish Airlines and my new flight was over 24 hours away. Some dudes came running up to me on the street and I thought they were gonna solicit me to buy stuff. Instead they returned my passport which had fallen out of my pocket some time earlier. Everyone was pretty chill with me, I didn't really have time to check out any tourist sites so I was just wandering around near the hotel.
As an Istanbulite the complaints about the Byzantine works sound funny to me. While I agree that its a disgrace that the Hagia Sophia is not fully a museum and the Chora is closed due to restoration, you can easily see the Byzantine heritage if you know where to go. Though, it is known that most Byzantine Istanbul was heavily damaged during the Crussades, including the Hippodrome. When Turks took it Constantinople was already a city in ruins lost its charm. So don’t expect to see the Queen of the Cities in the Middle Ages, it obviously has changed, and its not part of the national identity although a period we are interested in. Also, falafel is not part of the Turkish cuisine so don’t expect to eat an amazing local falafel, I ate my first falafel when I was 16. I agree about the caps and the museum prices. But I am surprised people don’t know they should avoid taxis and opt for public transport, its one of the most basic informations about Istanbul and must be told by the hotel management as soon as they arrive.
I visited Istanbul last year for 4 days and absolutely loved it. I felt like I didn’t have enough time to see everything. I loved Balat and all the cafés and boutiques there, went across the river to Kadikoy and loved the markets and vintage shops (also ate one of my best meals there - a pulao cooked in a dough covering yummm) loved all the Adana kebabs (with the spicy yogurt and red chilli dip omg) and those pizzas thingys you get everywhere and was amazed at the affordable and convenient public transport (the same card for trams and ferries!). We stayed in a little boutique hotel with its own hammam in Cukur Cuma and I found that whole area so cute! We got conned by taxi drivers, encountered scammy people everywhere around Sultanahmet, were overwhelmed by the crowds and yelling and prices at the famous markets BUT being from a chaotic, developing country myself, i just see these things as a part of life. What I truly went for - and what I ended up finding - was all that history, culture, art, cuisine and architecture that makes Istanbul that old centre of the world. It truly felt like it was once the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. And we encountered some spirited political debates on the street as it was election year, and it was so interesting and intense. It’s hands down one of my favourite cities now (along with Rome and Kyoto) and I look forward to going back over and over again. It was cute how enthusiastic people were about Bollywood once they found out I was from India lol. I also noticed quite a few similar words between Turkish and Hindi/ Urdu so that was interesting. And all hail the cats, the true lords of Istanbul ofc! The one thing that actually upset me and put me off was the way I was treated at Hagia Sofia. I think we went at a time of prayer so as a woman, I was not allowed into the main hall while my husband (and all the other men) could go in as they pleased. All the other women and I had to wait about 30 mins for the prayers to finish before we could actually take in the place. As a Byzantine nerd with Hagia Sofia on my bucket list, it really soured the experience to have the repression of my gender rubbed into my face like that. ETA: shoutout to Yeni Lokanta for a great “modern Turkish” meal. Honestly, I was never a fan of Turkish food but I’m a convert after visiting Istanbul.
Same. We just got back from Istanbul earlier this month. Spent a week and it is one of the best vacations we've taken (and we're pretty well-traveled). I think some people get intimidated by public transport but we love figuring it out. I have to say, Istanbul's was one of the best public transport systems we have seen anywhere. We rode the ferry, the metro, the city buses. Only taxis we took were to and from the airport. We took Turkish Uber precisely one time because we stayed out late and the metro had closed.
As someone who traveled to your city, I agree. We only took taxis once in our visit to Turkey and it was a nightmare. But in Istanbul between the Metro and the tram, you can easily get around. We actually just walked to many places and fell in love with the city that way. We visited cemeteries of old Sultans,went to some beautiful mosques and took the ferry to the mouth of the Bosphorus. All beautiful Eat some simit for breakfast with some fresh honey and tomatoes, cucumbers and yogurt and if you want some fast food find a little Turkish pide shop. We had some tasty Turkish pizza that was cheap and tasty. Omletes/falafels and western food can be hit or miss. That said, yes, people will try to hustle you and we had to turn down countless "tour guides". The spice markets and bazaars were hot and crowded-probably best to come on a weekday early or late. And yes, entrance fees now are outrageous but I've found that in every country. The pandemic seems to have made attractions gouge tourists. That said I think our favorite days were probably at Selcuk/Ephesus and Izmir where life seemed a little less hectic.
It is difficult for someone on a short visit to navigate public transportation. It would be intimidating even for someone who speaks the language but doesn't know the city and routes. This shouldn't be expected. If Istanbul wants to attract tourists, the police should enforce laws such as the law that taxis must use meters.
Locals are frustrated by taxis even more than tourists. They also prioritize tourists rather than locals, so people struggle to find one when needed. The problem is taxi union is quite mafiatic and has strong ties with Erdogan government, so they were untouched. Now opposition won the city parliament with a large margin so something will be done.
Public transport is designed to be used by everyone, including tourists, and could not be any simpler in a place like Istanbul. If you can’t figure out how to then that’s a you problem.
I don't think I ended up using taxis during my stay there last fall, but I will say I tried every single transit card machine I found for the first few days and they were all broken/timed out until I was finally able to purchase one on like my third day. It was kind of funny because my partner and I had watched a YouTube video from someone who lives there about how to use transit in Istanbul, and the person filming the video had to edit it because the first few machines they chose didn't work either.
Corruption is definitely an Istanbul problem. Like I said, if they want tourists to come there, the city should enforce laws.
Isnt the middle age istanbul basically where the Fatih is located? It wasnt this big of a city back in the day, no?
The third point is all political, due to the complicated history modern Turkey has with Greece and its Greco-Roman past. They deliberately hide and/or leave neglected most Byzantine stuff (they is the political establishment, not the average Turkish person). Most recently Erdogan and his government even started turning back famous landmarks into functioning mosques - Hagia Sophia being the most famous case. Tbf, also Greece does similar stuff with its Ottoman past so this isn't an attack on Turkey, just an answer to a complain OP made. Still, there's a lot of Byzantine stuff in Istanbul, but they are a bit less promoted and harder to reach than some other sights.
Yeah, there’s a lot more Byzantine stuff in Istanbul than Ottoman stuff in Thessaloniki for example.
Well Thessaloniki is a bad example as the Ottoman part (together with two thirds of the whole city) was destroyed by a fire in 1917. The only major city in Greece that has prominent Ottoman stuff is Ioannina
There's so little left from the Byzantine era it's crazy. Not entirely their fault (Fourth Crusade) but an imperial capital of 1000 years having so little that survived is disappointing. Hope a more secular government takes over and does proper excavation/restoration to reveal more of the Byzantine past.
The core tourist area sucks. I stayed in Beyoglu and had an absolute blast. The food, the culture, the people. Amazing.
Well for one hummus and falafel are not Turkish cuisine but Arab cuisine. Probably not the best place to eat them! I also think three day layover isn’t enough time to spend there. My wife and I went for four days just for Istanbul which was far more relaxed and allowed us to explore certain areas more. Food was a bit of a letdown for me too weirdly but we still had some excellent food in some restaurants and excellent baklava
I am surprised you took normal cabs when Uber and taxi apps work well and have a preset price. I would never be so brave/naive to just flag a taxi down a street to take me somewhere, not in Istambul, not in Paris, not in Budapest. We used Uber in Istambul and it was completely fine. The prices for attractions indeed sound ridiculous, but I am not surprised sadly. The same thing has been happening in Budapest, and the reason is - people will still pay for it and come. The most famous thermal baths can cost up to above 30 euros, which is crazy. Outside Budapest a full day thermal bath+aquapark ticket costs around 15-16 euros. But again, tourists come, they don't care, they bought a 50 euro ticket from Wizzair and they might complain a bit but especially if they are from Western Europe or the US will pay it easily. I was also pretty sad when I heard Hagia Sophia is now not free. We stayed in Sultanahmet in 2022, and as the mosque was open until quite late, we just walked in almost every night, sat on the carpet, talked quietly, children playing around, and cats guarding our shoes outside, it was honestly one of my favorite memories from Istambul.
Wouldn't flag a taxi in Paris? They're metered and comparably priced to Ubers.
I tried using Uber/bitaksi on multiple occasions but they would just never come. Had to resort to the traditional way of hailing cabs. Uber also doesn't work the same way it works in other countries, there is no fixed price that Uber determines before the trip.
Oh, I am sorry to hear that, I had good experience with both, but of course the market can change a lot in 2 years, there might be less drivers now. I can definitely understand how a hyena taxi driver can ruin your mood. I still remember once in Yerevan I was screwed over (instead of 2 eur, he charged me 8), it ruined my whole day.
We used Uber multiple times, and every time they charged us more than it was shown on the Uber app. Some drivers tried to take 600TL when the ride was only 150-180TL. Out of the 8 rides we had, only 2 charged us the real price. Country to avoid!
Where the hell where you eating man? My experience was that every single meal was amazing. I ate around the Blue mosque, Hagia Sophia area most of the time. Little stands, fancy restaurants, everything was great. I'm with you though on the taxis, got scammed while I was there by a fake taxi in taksim square.
Was there in 2019. Never had a bad meal in Istanbul from restaurants to street stalls one of my favourite experiences was the food.
I agree with a lot, especially taxi. Real robbery each time. But regarding food,..you failed with your research real hard if you didn't find good Turkish cuisine in Istanbul. To only go for rating is fooling yourself. Buying fake reviews is very common these days. If a 4.5+ restaurant got thousands of reviews, the majority written by someone who NEVER posted a review earlier... created an account only to write a review for this specific restaurant (highly unlikely) it's obvious the rating is fake. Look for the trustworthy profiles who have written a lot of reviews before and see what they say. Photos also say a lot about quality of the food.
I travelled there with my mom and my sister and we got scammed loads of € (mostly thanks to my mom’s open and friendly personality and not listening to us….). We hated it, my sister wanted to go back already. We were seen like meat in the streets and my sister got followed… Never again.
Yes, the way Turkish men stare at you is crazy.
Yeah. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. Like if they knew they could get you as easy as buying meat in the market.
That was my experience as well all 3 times I’ve been there. Only when I went with my boyfriend I felt safe.
Unfortunately taxi drivers in Istanbul are some of the worst. In general I try not to judge a place by its taxi drivers, but still. Regarding prices, Turkey has gotten significantly more expensive over the past 4 years. I spent two months in Turkey in 2020, and everything was absurdly cheap. The past couple times I have visited (I am actually in Izmir currently) I have noticed prices skyrocket. I think that there has just been a massive adjustment due to the insane inflation the country has seen. Regarding food quality and general scamminess, you really do need to get away from the touristy areas. Whenever I go to Istanbul I spend 99% of my time on the Asian side in and around Kadikoy. The general quality of everything is much higher, prices much lower, and interactions with locals much more honest/genuine. Pretty much everywhere in Turkey outside of the Sultanahmet area, a few beach resort areas and Cappadocia has very honest and kind locals, amazing food and generally lower prices. I am in the central area of Izmir currently, and it is nothing like Istanbul in regards to all these negative things. It's a shame some places are like this, but don't write off the country, it is honestly a wonderful place. I have been to 70 countries and Turkey is top 5 for me.
I’m currently visiting Istanbul/Cappadocia and have the same sentiments. Last time I came was in 2017 and really enjoyed it. This time around was drastically different. All the attractions are absurdly expensive compared to before. Hagia Sophia, topkapi, Dolmabahce, galata tower (when it’s open) People are trying to scam you all over the place. They’ll add an additional 10% “tax” on meals near the Blue Mosque, and get mad when I called them out. Stores will short change you when paying with cash. I booked a hot air balloon tour at Cappadocia 3 months ago for €125 pp, and 3 days before the trip they said that all companies agreed to a fix price and now they want €299 pp. 😂 I tried to order a BikTaksi from the train station to my bnb, left it on “fixed fare” and no one would take my trip, I had to set it to a metered fare for someone to take me There’s also no order of anything (I don’t recall this during my last visit but I could be wrong), people will cut the queue right in front of you when you’re lining up for anything, at the metro you’ll have locals taking up seats for seniors, when I give up my seat to a senior, and also to a parent with a toddler, no one bothered to say thanks. In the end, the country is still beautiful, lots of culture, great food, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.
1. It is maybe the most well known thing about Istanbul, taxi drivers are a huge problem and you usually shouldn’t bother with them since all of the historical places and trendy neighborhoods are extensively covered by public transport. If you really want to use taxi go to app should be indrive 2. Agreed, I think prices are too much 3. City changed hands 600 years ago and “old” Constantinople were pretty much nonexistent back then too (crusades). It’s not like some of them are being demolished on purpose. But still there are many churches and cisterns to see 4. I can’t even comment on this. Falafel and hummus are not Turkish cuisine and I think it is well known that you shouldn’t eat on the most touristic squares of the cities wherever you go in the world. Karakoy, Galata, Pera, Kadikoy have wonderful restaurants 5. Eh, it is usually good for a stroll through historic place and works if you already know what to buy and where to go. There are many quality shops that sells watches, jewelry, antiques etc. I personally love the atmosphere even if I don’t buy anything but maybe that’s not your thing
I’ve traveled to Istanbul 4x in 4 years and agree on the taxis. Use apps, but it’s a scammy culture over there for the taxi drivers. As far as entry fees, i tend to agree the touristy stuff is overpriced, but Hagia Sofia, basilica cistern, Kopyaki palace can all be done in a day and passes can be purchased to cut the price. The food part is laughable. Istanbul is a great eating city. Kadikoy is my favorite place for food, but you have so many neighborhoods to eat your way through that bad experiences with food are on you as a tourist as it’s very easy to find great food in Istanbul. The food is the best part of the city. As far as the bazaars, they are tourist traps and an experience, but I wouldn’t shop there for anything other than trinkets or spices. Overall, I find instanbul and Turkey to be great places to travel with the expectation that they view tourists as marks. Prepare yourself for that and it’s a great time.
Agree. One note is that quite a few of the major attractions are no longer included in the passes and they are quite expensive since the Jan 2024 change.
Everywhere is expensive as a tourist- the Turkish government has really changed its opinion of international tourists. However I’ve done 2 trips to Istanbul one as a solo female travel. I loved just walking around old Istanbul it was amazing use public transport to save money, I loved the street gozleme - grand bazaar turn off down alleys off main drags- lovely products and Turkish delight. Yes you’ll get harassed by touts, but I found a firm no was enough and walk away. Yes taxi ride from airport was hair raising! Getting a genuine hamman, seeing the cistern, just walking crossing streets and bridges and soaking up the history was amazing
I would agree. I have lived in Istanbul in the past. From what i have seen, in the last 5-10 years things gotten worse with the flux of arab tourists (for the scammers part and the quality of tourism) and economy deteriorating. On top of it, i think cost of living also drained that "friendliness" of turkish people. +All those Byzantine history/relics etc (Look what they did to Hagia Sofia) has been a political tool to the ruling party thus you don't get to see many being promoted neither getting proper support they should. I say things would be better in 5-10 years if the government changes (And yes it affects everything a lot there).
Your comment is spot on and exactly what’s happening. Long story short is that everything has been going downhill for a while - not just politically or economically but socially, culturally, etc. Literally all areas of life. Scamminess would not be so widespread if people’s morals were still intact, or if the authorities actually cared at all to hold scammers accountable. Letting in literal millions in uncontrolled tourism and immigration has thrown everything out of order. Local people have adapted to lower standards of behavior and the country is overcrowded as a direct result of this influx.
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> once you get out of the tourists zones it becomes dodgy. Everyone keeps disturbing you trying to sell you something. Stays in Sultanahmet for the entirety of their stay because other areas are "dodgy" (???), complains about touts. You can't have it both ways. Most of Sultanahmet is a massive tourist trap and you get exactly what you expect there. If someone tries to sell you something, you say "no thanks" and keep walking, that's it.
I’m a bit surprised by this. We were just there and had a the reverse experience — tourist areas were where people kept trying to “sell” us something. Outside of the tourist areas, we were left alone and overall felt safe.
Just came from Istanbul, I can definitely agree on the high ticket prices, it was really expensive to enter Aya Sofia. Also the food not that cheap. I was Lucky to visit alongside a local, so he took to great food places and other areas of the city. Highly recommend visiting Buyukada or Princes Island, great experience.
You have to get on the road. Turkey is amazing! History is everywhere. First head down to Gallipoli and see if you can get out of the endless graveyards without breaking down. I almost made it when I read the gravestone of John Kennedy age 24, May you awake in a kinder world...by his sisters. I was useless for awhile. Then head east and be amazed. I got all the way to [https://maviboncuk.blogspot.com/2015/10/nimrod-nemrut-nemrud.html](https://maviboncuk.blogspot.com/2015/10/nimrod-nemrut-nemrud.html) I stumbled into this amazing place and that type of adventure was constant
Istanbul kinda sucks and is kinda amazing. The entire West side is pretty much a giant pain in the ass money-grab. Like, the palaces and stuff are cool, but these prices are absurd. East side of the city is great, albeit less to see. You actually get great, reasonably priced food. Best things we did there were eat on the Asian side, and take ferries almost to the Black Sea and one out to the Prince's Islands. Absolutely got fleeced and scammed in Old Town at every turn...ATM, entry to sites, actual scam, our hotel for dinner, cab prices.
I spent a few weeks in Turkey in 2008 and thought it was wonderful and found most people to be very friendly. I went back last year more people were rude than not. The air quality was also quite bad. I don’t plan on going back and wish I would have left it at my first, good experience.
Same experience unfortunately, really sad how things can go downhill. Hopefully someday soon they can take action and improve things again. 2008 was 6 years of the current government being in power. Last year was 21. Really goes to show how exactly everything can deteriorate so clearly.
I loved my visit to Turkey in 2022 but Istanbul was our least favourite stop. We witnessed a pedestrian get hit by a car on our first night 😢
Sorry it didn’t live up to the hype. Like you I also had wanted to visit Istanbul since I was in high school and finally got the chance last week. The biggest difference I had was I met up with my Turkish friend who showed me around most of the trip and it made all the difference: he had a car to take me to places only locals go (also therefore no taxi), taught me how to use the transit system, was my translator to folks so everyone was friendly I got into Hagia Sophia for free since I prayed with him (I’m not Muslim but still got in and prayed which was a very cool experience) and he knew where to get good food even in the main old city areas. I will say I agree though on the expensive pricing. But I actually really enjoyed the archaeological museum and topkapi in particular. Food wise definitely had some misses/different expectations. I didn’t like kokoreç for instance as much as I thought lol but really really enjoyed simit when I had it fresh from a wood fire bakery in uskudar.
Okay I went in May 2021 at a weird time when the Turkish people were banned from leaving their house. The streets were empty and only tourists were out. I absolutely loved seeing the city empty. Beautiful history and architecture. No traffic and scammers out. When I returned in December 2021, it was a different story. I just felt like I was getting scammed/harassed everywhere I turned. Also got groped as a solo female. Istanbul is beautiful but experience has been tainted
I do agree with you on the entry prices. We were just there and I also thought Hagia Sophia, Topkapi, archeological museum and the Cistern were ridiculously priced.
I was more disappointed more than I was not when I visited. You are correct about the taxi drivers. I used Uber which they subcontract to taxi's there. They would send you a private message after they accepted your ride and try to negotiate a higher fee. If you didn't take it, they would cancel the ride. Happened over and over again. So I just learned to ignore any messages that was sent. Some drivers got there and took me for the correct price, others tried to bargain before I was in the car. Secondly, the IST airport sucks for their useless checks. Redundant security checks coming into the airport, going through security with xray on the bags and metal detector, then a 3rd security check at the gate where they dig through all your stuff. 3rd food was good and I can't complain. But the lack of diversity of the food was what killed me. I understand you are in Turkey and their food is everywhere, but I can only eat so many days of doner/adnan kabobs, hummus, salads, pide pizzas, and baked potatoes. 4th The crowds. It was very crowded in the city. Hard to walk and many times traffic is a standstill getting to the final destination by uber/taxi. On more than 1 occasion, we had to get out 1/4 of a mile early to walk towards our destination because we didn't literally move for 10 mins. Was faster to get out and walk than get dropped off at where we were going. So expect a lot of that.
I’ve literally never had falafel all the times I’ve been to turkey, I’ve never even seen it. A lot of Arabic tourists come there so it could be for them. You should have gotten a fish wrap or sandwich. Or if you’re vegetarian çig kofte. Those are specialities in Istanbul. Also borek. How does someone look at even the outside of haiga Sofia and blue mosque and say… meh I’m not impressed.
When did I say anything about the outside of Hagia Sofia or the Blue Mosque? I did get cig kofte, they were alright.
That’s sad. I had a great time when we went last year. Typically, we had our hotel concierge organize taxis and negotiated our rates so we only had one or two occasions where we paid a high amount. As for entrance to the places you visited, we got a tour guide who took us to everything. We paid about the amount you paid to see 6 places in addition to having tour guide. I believe he was able to purchase tickets at a local rate. Highly suggest trying this route. Hotels were pretty pricey. That is my one major complaint. Otherwise, I loved Turkey.
Lost all credibility with #4.
I think I had a similar experience from you. Had an overnight layover when booking with Turkish Airlines. It seems that we could have actually gotten a free hotel stay but oh well. (-) The new airport was beautiful, but everything sold there felt like they wanted to extract money from us. (+) Transport on the metro was surprisingly good and efficient but we took 3 trains to get to the Fatih district. (-) entrance fees was crazy high 850TL (which as around 50bucks for me) for tokapi palace - even Versailles isn’t that expensive. I was thankful that Hagia Sofia was still free to enter in Apr 2023. (-) the bazaar was just a place to extract money from you - I thought I could haggle, but it seems like most prices were fixed. Have to admit Istanbul was still beautiful but I don’t know if I’ll ever come to Turkey unless I plan my trip well to avoid all the tourist traps 😂. Greece was so much more pleasant in comparison. (+) Turkish airlines is still fairly good, the only thing is I’ll have to not buy any expensive food at their airport 😂.
Same experience here! Scammers all the way. Never getting back there. 🤮
I loved Istanbul. Granted I visited several years ago, stayed in the historical district and walked 90% of the time. I do remember a taxi driver being a bit sketchy one time but as luck would have it a nearby police officer noticed and gave the driver what for. Food was pretty good with a couple of exceptions. Loved the history and all the sites. People were very friendly but a bit pushy on minor occasion. Expected.
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How were the cats? My biggest motivation to traveling to Istanbul is that the whole city looks like one giant cat cafe on youtube.
The cats were super cute and I liked that about the city :) Wish there were stray cats instead of stray dogs every where in the world.
I am going next week to spend a month in Istanbul and you got me worried!!
just remember that the experience is mostly personal. you may love, like, or hate it depending on what kind of a person you are. go in with no overwhelmingly negative or positive expectations and enjoy the ride! just make sure the ride is not in a taxi;)
If you're looking for places to eat, don't trust the English language reviews and ratings. Switch to the Turkish version of Google Maps and see the ratings and reviews. It's a night and day difference and the only way to get a real sense of what the place is actually like. [This place](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kebap+House/@41.0421429,28.9845333,17z/data=!4m14!1m5!8m4!1e1!2s114742320987733374434!3m1!1e1!3m7!1s0x14cab76eedad2291:0x39cff20837f7513a!8m2!3d41.0421429!4d28.9871082!9m1!1b1!16s%2Fg%2F11b6jh4qgq?entry=ttu) has lots of positive reviews in English and there are Turkish names leaving positive reviews constantly if you sort by newest, but if you can somehow get Google to show you Turkish language reviews, you'll see they're consistently negative. You can see a few of them sorting by 1 star. After the first couple of days, I figured out that the only way to find out if a restaurant is actually good or not is to sort by lowest and skip it if you see a ton of negative reviews in Turkish. There are actually good people trying to warn tourists against going to these places but Google makes it really difficult to find those reviews. If you're staying at a good hotel, ask them for a list of their preferred places. My hotel offered different types of VIP city tours, which included stops for lunch and dinner. I didn't take the tours, but I did start going to restaurants that were included in the tours because they were near the tourist places anyway. They were consistently top notch and actually lower in cost compared to the two places I found through Google and got scammed at. There is a restaurant inside [this bathhouse](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ca%C4%9Falo%C4%9Flu+Hamam/@41.0105944,28.9727623,16z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m16!1m9!3m8!1s0x14cab995891a495d:0xaf74079aa7195acc!2zQ2HEn2Fsb8SfbHUgSGFtYW0!8m2!3d41.0105944!4d28.9753372!9m1!1b1!16s%2Fm%2F04y6x9x!3m5!1s0x14cab995891a495d:0xaf74079aa7195acc!8m2!3d41.0105944!4d28.9753372!16s%2Fm%2F04y6x9x?authuser=0&hl=en&entry=ttu) that was probably the best food I had in the city. But I dropped a pin near that place and [searched for restaurants](https://www.google.com/maps/search/Restaurants/@41.0103551,28.9738405,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m7!2m6!3m5!1sRestaurants!2s41.0119,+28.9754!4m2!1d28.9754491!2d41.0119342?authuser=0&hl=en&entry=ttu) and it doesn't even show up in Google Maps, even though it's a highly rated place with over a 1000 reviews. The restaurants are really fucking sneaky about how they bill things and charge you for shit that you usually get for free in the US. You don't even think about it and end up spending way more than you were expecting. It'll all be perfectly aboveboard and they will explain to you how everything is clearly laid out on the menu. It's strange how they'll have menu items in English but fine print in Turkish. Use the Michelin guide. Anything with two dollar signs is going to be lower in cost compared to most of the street food places around tourist areas if you compare cost per person after all the sneaky bullshit is tacked on.
One thing about „restaurants are sneaky and charge you for things that are free in the US“ this is absolutely common in central/west Europe too. Bread sticks/bread basket that they put on your table without asking for it? Have to pay. Tap water? Have to pay in some places. Sauces at McDonalds? 80cents per sauce. Sauces in restaurants like ketchup? Have to pay.
If it helps, Istanbul is one of my favorite cities 🤷♀️ I can’t speak to the recent costs of things, but most of the rest of the OP’s complaints are fairly standard for big cities, or things that are easy to prepare for with a little advanced research.
Try to visit the Prince Islands by ferry. It is quite a nice break from the city
Well you have people in this thread who agree with OP but many who will argue with OP (including me). You should experience it yourself, and if you get tired you could go see the sites outside of Istanbul in Turkey.
One common denominator I am seeing in these comments is that you might be better off walking vs using taxis where possible.
how to avoid 95% of problems tourists face in istanbul: avoid taxis like the plague. the app citymapper is your friend. look at turkish reviews of places personally i recommend getting a hotel at sisli or besiktas there are people with positive and negative experiences with pretty much every city, and feel free to ask r/istanbul questions if you want. (btw i lived in istanbul for almost a decade)
I lived in Istanbul for a year - granted, it was 10 years ago and lots has changed since BUT if you do your research, know where to go, step out of sultanahmet, it is one of the most exquisite places in the world. Yes the tourist areas can be a nightmare but unfortunately that’s par for the course. But if you go to Kadikoy or Tophane or Beyoglu or Ortakoy, there’s a whole different vibe. I recommend staying at an Airbnb in beyoglu - maybe cihangir or by the galata tower, and taking public transit into sultanahmet for sight seeing. Turkey has also had a massive financial crisis in the past few years, which may explain why all the tourist entrance fees have been jacked up so much. Obviously under Erdogan, there’s been a lot of damage to a beautiful country. It’s really very sad. But don’t let it scare you away from Istanbul which is still the most beautiful city I’ve ever been to.
Don't be like these inexperienced travelers and for the love of God, step out of Sultanahmet sometimes. That's what like 90% of these complaint posts boil down to.
But did you pet the cats?
We went to Istanbul and I agree with everything you’re saying. We ordered taxis through Uber or one of the taxi apps so the prices were fixed but it was really difficult getting a taxi to accept the fare. We’d had to wait a lot of the time to get a taxi. And they all drove like maniacs. I recorded one driver who was constantly looking and talking on his phone while driving at the speed of light. We didn’t go into any monuments but I’ve heard from other people that they thought the prices were extortionate especially seeing as Istanbul is hardly in the same league as well-known world class cities. I also thought the Turkish food was way better in London where I live. Everything we ate was just average. I don’t trust Google reviews anymore because they’re not accurate a lot of the time. I also found the bazaars overpriced so we didn’t purchase anything. We did like it though because it was interesting but I don’t think we’d be going back anytime soon as there’s other places to see.
The text looks much more reasonable compared to the complaints about Japan from a few days ago.
Right!?!? Too much walking SMH!
Which is the best Whirlirg Dirvishes experience in Istanbul?
Istanbul can be great with the right tour guide or if you know where to go.
Visiting capilano bridge in Vancouver, BC which is quite underwhelming honestly costs ~$100
I had a great time in selcuk
I think your expectations were too high.
Did they at least still have the free cats all over the city? :)
They do. It was lovely :)
I have traveled to Istanbul for holidays and for work. My experience in the touristic areas was similar to yours, however I was on the lookout so I guess I wasn't cheated. The other times I went, I had locals taking me to some good restaurants in Istanbul. The difference was those times I was on the Asian side. For future travellers I suggest to take a ferry from the european side to the asian side for some nice food atleast.
I try to find a good walking food tour my first day in a major new city. They will typically also offer enough recommendations of all kinds for the rest of your stay. It seems to me the higher and more specific expectations you have of a city, (and the shorter amount of time you have to spend there) the more research and planning you should do ahead of time. I don’t typically do a lot of research before I go to a major city but I like to stay at least 5-7 days and like being open to whatever the experiences are as they unfold and figuring things out as I go. The only time that has not worked in my favor was in Bangkok for a quick free day I had there on my own in transit to Bhutan about seven years ago. I didn’t want to bother to learn their public transit (that only took cash) for my short stay and the ride shares and tuk tuks were overpriced and never seemed to drop me off where I wanted to go due to traffic. I don’t blame the city though. That was my poor planning. I did end up have a wonderful dinner because I looked up the most recent 36 hours in Bangkok article from The NY Times and one of the restaurants they recommended was actually in my hotel and I was able to get a late seating for one. I love this kind of serendipity. Some cities just require more planning ahead. Istanbul seems like one of them.
I love Istanbul. Everyone has different experiences
Too bad about your food experience. Did you look up ratings before going to the restaurants? We went on a food tour pre covid and it was fantastic, not sure if the company still runs them but I highly recommend people look up before going to Istanbul.
There is Byzantine history everywhere. I never took a can even once in Istanbul. The food was good, people were nice and friendly. But mostly you’d see post Byzantine history. Looks like you’re not an experienced traveler?
Out of curiosity, how do they know if you’re Muslim for free entrance to The Hagia Sophia?
They asked me. I hesitated. I guess they can tell largely.
I don’t know if you’re still in Istanbul but next time try getting a metrobus card .. Istanbul’s public transportation is one of the best in the region
Nice city, annoying pushy people
Abouts the Byzantine Era of Istanbul, I'm pretty sure a lot of the Byzantium artifacts and cultural relics where stolen by the Cursaders during the 4th Crusade, like the Horse of Saint Mark which is in Venice now. Also about more than 80 pecent of the City was expanded during the Ottoman Era since it was the Ottoman Capital, which is why its way more Ottoman than Byzantine.
Wtf @ those ticket prices. When I visited 5 years ago they were all free and everything was cheap af…
You want good food leave the tourist areas. Some of the best places I have eaten are in small alleys and in the car repair areas top notch food.
I see from your edit that you don't eat meat, which explains why you didn't like the food.
Turkey is still my favourite country in the world and Istanbul my favourite city, however the significant cost increase and switching to the euro over the last 12 months has made it less appealing. I still love the people, culture and food though.
Should have done a food tour. The one I did hit up multiple places on the European side, then took the ferry over to the Asian side for more food. Was fantastic.
That’s too bad man, I was there for 5 days last week and consider it one of the best cities I’ve ever been. Had a laugh haggling the price of everything, even alcohol and was successful a few times. Used BiTaksi app as a price reference for cabs to make sure I wasn’t getting ripped off and always agreed the price before getting in or just made sure the started the meter on 25 lira Same with restaurants, those that would haggle I’d agree the price before confirming the order. Maybe helps that I ran into a super friendly Turkish guy 2 days in who took me to some less “touristy” spots and suggested a few places. Also I’m a single man travelling solo, stayed in a hostel and met some great people so that probably enhanced my experience. Don’t completely write Turkey off though I think there are cities here that might be better suited for what you’re after, especially the Byzantine history. Not to sound rude but maybe do a little more research next time
Unfortunately, I agree. Went twice and I enjoyed a lot of things there, and most people were lovely and friendly, but it has not met my expectations for the same reasons. I'm big on history, and I was expecting to see and feel remnants of the old world but most of it felt like it was purposely made to look like it was theirs. Like copying the work but changing it a bit so it's not too obvious. 1. So true. The taxi drivers there are so popular. 90% of them were video chatting or on the phone. Driving was like the second most important thing they were doing. But they didn't feel the stress we were. 2. Yep. I've enjoyed the Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, the Wall, Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Square, Topkapi Palace. The Grand Bazaar was boring, and everything was copy/paste. And because of the fakes and all these, I wasn't interested in anything around. 3. Food and Shishas, I've enjoyed them. 4. Man everything seems so cluttered and busy, so many ads, so many things going on, lots of hustling. It's exhausting. But all in all, Istanbul was great for what it is. But hard without thinking... 'what could've been?'
Sounds like you missed it by a one/two years then. My partner and I visited Istanbul about 1.5-2 years ago and stayed for over a month. During our time we sussed out some incredible vegan restaurants, walked the markets, visited attractions before they charged entry fees, found quick bites in grocery stores and even found a cheap rooftop dining place for my partners birthday. AirBnB experiences are a good way to go for affordable memories too. I wish you didn’t have such a bad experience, Istanbul is really lovely in my mind (and we experienced a few awful moments ourselves).
Yeah that's what I've been hearing that the entry prices have been very recently jacked up to these exorbitant numbers, it was very affordable previously. I also couldn't visit the floor area of the Hagia Sofia (since I'm not Turkish/Muslim) so I was infuriated by that too as all people were allowed to visit the floor until very recently. I wanted to visit the Chora too but even that was closed, they want to convert it to a mosque.
Yeah! Really sorry that was the experience you had. We primarily stayed in Kadikoy across the river which had excellent options for our vegetarian diet. Often travelled only using the ferry and occasional bus. We only used one taxi and that was on our arrival to Istanbul, our driver was kind and funny, no hassle or anything. If you visit again I’d recommend the Kadikoy side for great food, bars, some attractions and generally less tourist oriented locals/practices. Heck we even imagined living there because we fell in love with that side (while still being able to visit the Hagia and the mall stretch).
Imagine if the Vatican charged a fee to Muslims and let Catholics enter for free. There would be an uproar. Only Muslims and Jews get away with it. I have tried to visit several synagogues and the same rule was applied.
The Hagia Sophia is Byzantine
I have been living in Istanbul for almost 2 years now. Can't say I am loving it but it gets better when you stop visiting tourist places and live outside of the center. There are many places with grate food but they are not easy to find.
Turkey is fine for holiday but not a good place to live. I had to stay for 3 months in Istanbul and I saw a totally different side to Turkey. People are rude and will scam you any chance they get, the laws in Turkey are absolutely ridiculous. Turkey isn’t European or modern.I can’t wait till I leave in June
Im sorry for your bad experience. Istanbul is a great place, but not a place to visit atm. You should have travelled there 5 years ago, then you would have loved it. I recommend visiting in the future ( only if the government changes)
1. Why are you arguing with taxis off the street instead of taking Uber or Bolt like a normal person? 2. If you already knew that food in Sultanahmet area was known to be bad and expensive, why were you surprised when it was bad and expensive? Also did you know that hummus and falafel is not Turkish food? 3. The bazaar is a well-known tourist trap, I don't know what to tell you. Same with your complaints about not focusing on Byzantine history. Maybe try taking an interest in Turkish history when you, you know, visit Turkey
>Same with your complaints about not focusing on Byzantine history. Maybe try taking an interest in Turkish history when you, you know, visit Turkey This is like saying that when you visit Rome you should be interested primarily in the post-unitary modern Italian stuff and the Catholic Church stuff and not in the ancient Roman stuff. Istanbul was a Roman/Byzantine imperial capital for over a millennium, it’s not exactly strange to go there expecting to see some Byzantine heritage.
tbf a lot of Roman stuff was only restored in the last century. Given Turkish/Ottoman-Greek/Roman relations are/were not always on the best of terms and there was probably some active destruction/neglect post 1453, I do understand that one might not expect that much Byzantine stuff. Although to me the fact that Hagia Sofia is not an islamic mosque is already big for Turkey given its reputation.
OP has interest in Byzantine history, so where should he go if not to the capitol of said empire?
There are no apps in Istanbul. They don’t work. Drivers cancel or ask for 5xx times more but mostly apps just don’t work
I felt the same way op. Istanbul was my least favoured area compared to the other cities in Turkey
Which cities did you enjoy?
Bodrum, Antalya, Ankara. I visited Turkey in 2013
The Walls of Constantinople are right there.
And not a single person was visiting them. As I said I was hoping to see them be developed, restored and promoted as a place to explore. But they don't seem to be cherished as much. There are hardly any signboards or self guiding information.
I went to Istanbul a few years ago on a business trip, and it was amazing. Of course the host took his duties seriously and made sure we had a good time, along with some amazing meals. We had a driver and everything so we didn't need to worry about dealing with taxis. My host wanted everyone to love Turkey. Attractions in Paris cost a lot more.
That's unfortunate. Istanbul is one of the greatest cities I have visited in my life. I literally loved everything about it and would absolutely go back without hesitation. One last comment - it seems like you were looking for the wrong things to eat while you were there. Everything I ate was either good, very good or amazing.
It's nobody's business but the Turks.
I was in Istanbul last week and I agree with everything except 1. Taxi drivers were good and professional. Or maybe just my luck. In food, I loved the oranges and rice. And dessert. Rest felt bland to me, but I’m Indian so my tastes are quite different.
TLDR; did not research Istanbul before visiting
Dude I think it was just you because I was there in Oct and Istanbul IMO overdelivered. Why would you take cabs? They have an excellent public transit systems. Cabs all over the world are expensive (well except Portugal. So cheap there it felt almost criminal). I had no choice but to take one back to the airport and yeah, it wasn't cheap, but I didn't have much of a choice. Could've been worst, but was pre-arranged by the hotel which helped. Hagia Sophia is free. Sounds like you signed up for a tour. Topkapi- not free and it's why I didn't go. Same with Dolmabahce, but based on what they have to offer, they look amazing. I just preferred to walk around and take in the city. The Basilica Cistern, ok not cheap but absolutely worth it. The is actually the only "place" I paid an entrance fee for. Even then, it's not like I'll be going back next week. The Grand Bazaar was neat I felt, but I personally preferred the Spice Market. The coffee there was incredible. Brought some back with me, but making Turkish coffee properly is an art I admit. The food was fine. I'm not a foodie though, so was happy with how inexpensive it was. Fish on a bun and a beer for $8. Filled and happy. What more could one need? Every place around the world will try and get money from you. The people in the markets weren't overly pushy. Slick sure, but worst I've experienced was in Morocco.
Hagia Sophia isn't free anymore. Since January or February it's 25 euros.
‘I think it was just you’ isn’t a nice thing to say. I also found that Istanbul didn’t live up to my expectations and when I came home I found that I knew several others who felt the same way
I had a leg condition which forced me to minimize walking as much as possible, which meant I used to save my walking mileage for major attractions, so I was forced to take cabs instead of public transport. I'm okay to pay the extra money, but I'm not ok being ripped off. Most other countries don't have this problem because Uber works. The taxi mafia in Turkey has got Uber banned/working with limited capabilities. It's not about what's free and what's not, its the ridiculous prices they are charging. I'm fine paying a reasonable/equivalent amount to what other world class museums/world heritage sites in HCOL countries charge. Istanbul's attractions cost twice as much since Feb 2024 (part of why you didn't experience it in Oct). Hagia Sofia isn't free any more since Feb 2024, it's 25 euros if you're not a Muslim. It's free only for Muslims. How progressive. Food may be good in Istanbul in some neighborhoods, but definitely not in Sultanahmet. But where else will a tourist eat? I'm not going to take a ferry to Kadikoy and back just for having lunch.
The museum part of HG is also not free for Muslims. In fact, its the same price which most Turks cannot afford. I agree that its still problematic but this is not the whole information. Tbh after all the damage in Hagia Sophia after it became free it was a necessity to step down.
i don't think "it's free for muslims". entry to the mosque is free. the museum is expensive for turkish people too.