Istanbul has made its place in everyone's travel list....and I wanted to experience it SOLO. If you dare to travel solo....then this blog is for you.....
Since its in a Muslim culture country so many of us might skip it out of safety or insecurity issues but I assure you that Istanbul is quite safe and people here are welcoming, sociable and unprejudiced. Istanbul is the only city in the world which lies on two continents - Europe & Asia. It is a vibrant city with too much to do in a short amount of time. The more your see it the more you fell in love with it..just respect their traditions and ethics.
So before moving further here comes a small introduction about myself.....I am an "Entrepreneur - being bothered by Customers, Employees, Investors and Wife". We work for various INDIAN SMART CITIES along with the government. We design and implement smart solid waste monitoring and collection system based on Internet of Things for municipal corporations . I am fond of traveling and visiting new places but due to hectic schedule it becomes enigmatic to take out time to travel...... But as I said it's difficult but entirely possible!! I take out time every 4-6 months and take myself to a new place on a short trip......! I have visited most of the places in India. My first international trip was to Hong Kong & Macao later I visited Singapore, Uganda, Spain, Moscow, St. Petersburg & Thailand.
I have been always dreaming about Istanbul and after milling for 20 days finally I planned for this 5 days short trip as my gift for myself on my 35th birthday. I booked my flight tickets 20 days prior to my trip which cost my INR. 20500 (Check skyscanner for best prices and please refer online information for Turkish VISA formalities). Due to tight schedule I packed whatever I had just a night before. I started early at 7:00 am from home, thanks to my flatmates who wanted to see me off and dropped me to the airport. It was a smooth check-in for me and after my immigration I was all set to fly to Istanbul...
NOTE: "I feel it was a bad idea to choose paid seats in advance while buying tickets. In January as tourism is low in Istanbul so you get many empty seats inside."
Since I booked my window seat already so I sat only on the allotted one. It was quite a comfortable journey for me as the seats next to me were empty and I could stretch my legs easily for the whole duration. The food was paid and there were no free drinks or snacks served as they do in other international flights but that didn't bother me as I got cheap tickets and I had no expectation for the same. But food service was available till the plane descended. Finally after a long journey of around 7 hours I landed at Istanbul Havalimanı International Airport at 15:40 local time, it's expected to be the largest passenger airport in the world soon.
Signs towards the immigration counter were clearly mentioned in Turkish and of course in English which took me directly in front of the immigration officer. It was the smoothest immigration I have ever encountered, else most of the times I have to pass through an additional layer of immigration check....may be due to my name. But I always cooperate with the officers and after 15-20 minutes of questioning I am released.....I am used to it.
DAY ONE:
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
I tried getting the exchanged currency while in India, but I couldn't find it with my exchange agent, therefore I withdrew 450 turkish lira from an ATM at the airport (please find charges with your bank, I didn't pay much attention to the exchange rate or charges levied) using my debit card.
FROM IST AIRPORT TO THE CITY
Well I already did some research like how to reach to my hostel from the airport and therefore I reached directly to the Havaist Bus Terminal , iST-20. As soon as I came out of the gate the severe cold gripped me....it was 6 °C, and without wasting a moment I put on my extra layer of clothing form the bag. I would always suggest to take care of your health first else it will ruin the whole trip.
Alright, so the first thing which I bought was the Istanbulkart from a PoS which cost me 6tl (for the card). If you are planning to stay for 4 or more days then you must buy this card, this is accepted in all public transportation. And also if you use this card you get good discount on the actual ticket price every time. One card can be used for a family, just swipe it multiple times...and its done. I saved a lot on my trip using the card.
It costs 18tl by the card to SULTANAHMET which is the last stop of the bus. The bus service is available every 30 minutes. It was a comfortable ride of around 45 minutes with a good view, we reached at the last stop at 18:26 hrs.
Here I was.....in front of the BLUE MOSQUE, it was a moment worth waiting for..... I was totally mesmerized the way this historic mosque looked....I couldn't resist to get a selfie and shared it with my family and friends :). Then I opened my google map and walked towards my hostel which was only 5 minutes away....
SIM CARD OR DATA PLAN:
NOTE: Don't buy sim card from the airport. You will get cheaper and better data plans in the city.
I didn't buy any SIM card as I already got an international plan (Airtel 3599 - for details of the plan check with the network provider) activated on my number.
THE CHEERS HOSTEL
I had booked my stay through GOIBIBO. This beautiful hostel in on the European side of the city and is next to most of the major tourist attractions in Istanbul, and that is one of the reasons I chose this hostel over a hotel. It cost me around INR. 4500 for 4 nights and you get a beautiful roof tap bar with a view......to the Hagia Sophia.
NOTE: To save money find your stay near major tourist attractions. Also don't forget to download offline map of the city in your phone even before starting from your country.
The room was nice and clean and the bed was cozy...on arrival I was offered a Turkish Apple tea. Believe me one of the pleasures there is drinking apple tea. My heart filled with joy with it's first sip...the taste was amazing and relaxing. I wish I could brought some apple tea pack to India.........but i missed it.
Distance of major tourist attractions from the hostel (sultanahmet):
5 minutes walk to ( The Blue Mosque / Hagia Sophia aka Aya Sophia) / Topkapi Palace / Archaeology Museum / Carpet Museum / Basilica Cistern )
20 minutes walk to The Grand Bazaar & Spice Bazaar aka Egyptian Bazaar (both are in opposite direction though)
Sultanahmet is an overwhelmingly popular tourist destination, and a prime location for visitors to be wowed on a truly epic scale. This relatively small area of Istanbul somehow manages to retain an air of peace and calm. It offers visitors a significantly less celebrated but nonetheless pleasant network of quaint lanes and side streets, majestic panoramas of the Bosphorus, and an impressive assortment of accommodation options for all budgets and tastes.
I went for a walk soon after I checked in. I found a local restaurant ....people were enjoying shisha, infact it's quite common in Istanbul and there was live music and folk dance too.
I had my beer and tasted some kebabs in dinner. I wanted to explore more but I had to wake up early next morning to catch a ferry BURSA.
DAY TWO:
A DAY TRIP TO BURSA - MOUNT ULUDAG
I had always dreamed about experiencing SNOW, and had never got a chance to see the snow until I visited ULUDAG, a mountain in Bursa province, Turkey. There are several ways to reach Bursa, but the most economical would be taking a ferry. I woke up early in the morning and took a tram from Sultanahmet to Eminonu/Sirkeci. It took only 5 minutes by tram to reach to Eminonu. The first ferry was at 08:30 am however I missed it as the I had to take my breakfast which started only at 08:30 am. Well I was lucky to get on time for the next ferry which was scheduled to depart at 10:00 am. When you reach the ferry boarding area, you will find various ferry stands, however each of them are made for different destinations, and make sure you ask for your destination else you will lose your time waiting in the queue. The ferry service is provided by a company called BUDO, the ride cost me 40tl (I didn't try my Istanbul kart, so no idea whether it may be used or not for ferry).
NOTE: Don't forget to take your passport, they will ask for it at the ticket counter.
Though I got a seat no. A56, but there were so many empty seats, I grabbed this opportunity and sat on the front row enjoying the view. Well, my first ride of the famous black sea was good, it's 1 hour and 45 min journey to Mudanya - Bursa.
After reaching Mudanya, you will get bus to Uludag - Teleferik. Teleferik is an aerial lift line in Bursa Province connecting the city of Bursa with the nearby ski resort area and national park at mountain. The bus service to the Teleferik is every 1 and half hours and costs 12 tl. There are chances that you will reach to bursa right at the time of bus departure. Fortunately, a bus was already waiting for us.
NOTE: As per my experience if you have only one day for this place, book your teleferik tickets online and try to reach as early as possible so that you may get enough time to enjoy the beauty on the mountain. Also make sure you leave (go back down) for Bursa by 03:30 pm else you will have to stand in the queue for at least 2 hours for your turn to get into a cable car.
TELEFERIK TO MOUNT ULUDAG:
Bursa Teleferik, with its 9 km line distance is the longest telpher line (cable car line) of Turkey and the World, regarding the superiority of its technical properties it resides also at the first place. Well the bus took 45 minutes to reach to teleferik. I was shocked to see the long queue at the ticket counter. It took me 40 minutes again to reach to the counter, the ticket charge for turkish citizens is 55 tl per person, however for foreigners it is 105 tl per person. Since i was having limited cash so I used my debit card instead.
NOTE: You will find FAST TRACK counters at all tourist attractions, where will be given priority on basis on high ticket pricing. Also it is advisable to bring extra layer of clothing, thermals, a pair of waterproof/anti-skid shoes and thermal gloves.
Finally I was in a cable car with 6 more fellow passengers and mostly of them were carrying their skiing kit. This place has ski center and its a real paradise for ski lover, people come from all over the world to try it....but I was more concerned about my cloths as all of the tourists were in long coats and boots, and for myself it seems to be inadequate to deal with the weather I was about to face. Anyways...as soon as the cable car started my focus shifted from my inappropriate dressing to the view, I started feeling that it was worth waiting in the long queue.....the view was astonising!
After 10 minutes we reached at the first stop "Sarıalan". This is the station to change for the next ride. You'll find public amenities and lots of shops here. When I got out of this station to get into the next queue, I STEPPED ON THE SNOW FOR THE FIRST TIME. I cannot explain the feeling, I simply smiled and thank almighty for this long awaited moment in my life, I was SUPER HAPPY. But soon I realized that my sports shoes are not suitable and are slippery on snow. Since I had to go further up, I decided to buy a pair of boots and a thermal gloves. Bargaining is possible in turkish market, so I used my skills (though I am not so good at it) and bought the stuff in 120 tl.
Now I felt better and was ready for the next ride. There was another queue to get to the next ride but was excited so I didn't mind to join it. Finally after 15 minutes of the second ride i was at the last stop "Kurbağa Kaya".
You will find so many restaurants and coffee shops here. I was extremely happy to be here, the scenery is awesome...no words you need to see it to believe it. You can hire a sled and enjoy the cold weather. I decided to explore the place myself. I could see lots of snow.....snowmobile and ski riders.
I could only spend around 1 hour and 30 minutes there. As it was getting dark and I could see people gathering for the queue to get back and it was indeed a long one this time. Somehow I managed to break into the queue in between (sometimes you feel like misbehaving....) creating a little chaos in persons near me. They were not happy to see me getting into as they were standing for more than 1 hour but I simply ignored and said the life saving phrase "NO ENGLISH....SORRY !! NO ENGLISH.... :)"
Even after intruding and cutting the queue short, it took me more than an hour to reach the cable car. I reached to the base around 07:30 pm only to find that there was no bus available back to the ferry stop. I hired a taxi to the ferry stop. The driver was not able to speak or understand English but he made it clear by typing the fare on his mobile screen.....120tl . After a drive of 30 minutes through ups and downs and curvy streets I reached at the ferry port. It was time to say goodbye to him...I ran towards the gate and took the ferry ticket with my credit card .
This was a huge ferry, run by a different company "ido". I could see cars coming out of its ground floor and people coming out from its upper deck.
Well entry gate was open we were allowed to board. I had never seen a ferry bigger than this one. It has a capacity of 600 person and 112 vehicles.
THE LIGHTER SCAM
I walking fast on my way to my hostel , just a few minutes before I reached the sultanahmet, I heard a strange voice asking me something....I looked back and found a middle aged men walking behind having cigarette in his hand. "No turkish!....you have lighter? he repeated. No I don't I do not smoke I said. Oh that's good! .....no smoking is good! and shook hand with me as he walked along. He told that he is from Izmir and have come to participate in an electronic expo.... Where are you from....India?.... I told yes..... Which place ?........New Delhi I said.....India is good so are the Indians. I like Aamir khan, bollywood movies......he kept praising India for 5 minutes....and was trying to be over buddy-buddy. Then he asked if I am traveling solo... I don't know how but soon I had an intuition that this person is not good.... so I told "No, I am here with my friends but they are still in Uludag and they will come tomorrow". Then he told me that he is going to a club where he will enjoy good food, drinks and turkish belly dance and good ladies. And offered me to come along..... to which again I said No. He asked why, we will enjoy and alot, what will you do alone, there will be so much fun blahh blahh......to which I told that my friends are waiting in hostel. "Just now you told that your friends are in Uludag" he suddenly replied with a heavier tone. I have made new friends in the hostel I told. He gave a strange expression....to which I told that I would love to join him but I am tired too.... This mad suddenly stopped and told that "ok... I will go myself from here by a taxi" I said ok...enjoy ! and kept walking for a few seconds... then I turned back and found that no one was there, as if this guy vanished in air. With a few more steps I reached by hostel.
NOTE: I shared the above incident to my room mates and the receptionist. They told me that this happens at every public place in Istanbul. People ask for lighter and start talking. If you fall in their trap, they will take you to a place, where they will drink and eat along with you and you will be billed 2000tl-4000tl. And no way you can escape without paying it.
I walked back to the hostel with a mixed feelings.....happiness, tiredness & a shock! But I stayed positive throughout..... I was chasing my dream of - "experiencing snow for the first time in life and that too on an international land" and today its accomplished.
That's why it took me 10 minutes to search my seat number. I took and nap and woke up at Yenikapi stop. It was 80 minutes ride.
But to my surprise the stop was new to me and I didn't how to reach my place from here. The problem was that no body could help me as they do not know english. But thank god I had offline google map of istanbul. So I walked to my place which took me 20 minutes to reach my place - the Sultanahmet.
DAY : THREE
TOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM, GRAND BAZAAR & SPICE BAZAAR
I woke up around 9:00 am. It was a good sleep. Today it was my day to explore the local tourists attractions. So I headed to the Topkapi Palace which is 5 minutes walking.
TOPKAPI PALACE MUSEUM:
It is the biggest and one of the most popular sites to visit in Istanbul. It was built in between 1466 and 1478 by the sultan Mehmet II and is open daily between 09:00 – 17:00 except on Tuesdays. Currently, the admission to the palace costs 72 TL for adults and another 42 TL to the Harem.
It took me around 4 hours to visit this palace. There are various options inside to eat and refresh yourself.
After coming out of the palace, I was so exhausted that had to sit for 30 minutes to take rest...but this was a place worth visiting.
GRAND BAZAAR:
From Topkapi palace, I walked to the Grand Bazar. It took me hardly 15 minutes to reach. Before getting into the bazaar I took a sip of apple tea in a restaurant near the entrance of the grand bazaar. I started walking through the maze of small shops, taking in the overwhelming sites of Turkish rugs, ceramic dishes, brightly colored lanterns, Turkish flags, clothing, and antiques. Numerous shopkeepers tried to lure me to their shops but i just wanted to do window shopping.
I spent a good one to two hours in the Grand Bazaar, window shopping and wandering with breaks for apple tea. No doubt it's one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, the Grand Bazaar dates from the 15th century. Having more than 4000 shops, the Grand Covered Bazaar is visited by the tourists and the citizens regularly. I didn't buy any souvenir as I wanted to buy it on the last day. But you can buy and bargaining works here. It was an awesome experience indeed.
THE SPICE MARKET (Misir Carsisi) aka EGYPTIAN MARKET
NOTE: It's closed on Monday and on other days it closes at 19:30.
From the Grand Bazzar I took tram to Sirkeci stop which is a 10 minutes ride and from there it's just 5 minutes walk.
You can’t really got to Istanbul and not visit the spice market. The smells, colors and atmosphere are intoxicating . Prices may appear high, but don’t hesitate to barter. There are some wonderful and legendary products on offer and if spice is your thing, then you will find almost everything under the sun. You shouldn’t miss it. It is also much smaller than the Grand Bazaar, so very easy to find what you are looking for. Great experience. Though I got only 15 minutes to explore it but I enjoyed it.
However to my surprise there was another market just adjacent to the spice market which is used by locals. I walked in it for 10 - 20 minutes and also tasted a new Turkish sweet
One the way back to Sirkeci stop, I tasted another turkish sweet Kunefe at SAFA restaurant.
After reaching back to Sultanahment, I found "Panoramic Restaurant". The food was great and not too pricey. There are 2 parts, inside and rooftop. Great view on the rooftop. Friendly people and awesome beer.
DAY : FOUR
THE BLUE MOSQUE, CARPET MUSEUM, AYA SOPHIA & GALATA TOWER
Today it was another day to explore the local tourists attractions. My roommate Mel & Methiu accompanied me to the Blue Mosque in the morning. It's just 5 minutes walk the Cheers Hostel. The entry was free. We reached at 10:00 am and luckily it was not the prayer time. I always wanted to see this mosque as for me it symbolizes Istanbul. The mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design and the mosque is beautiful. A magnificent building that is more impressive from the outside. Blue Mosque is the only mosque in Istanbul with six minarets, which is the maximum number you can have in a mosque. A big disappointment inside as the continuing restoration really lets it down. We spent around 15-20 minutes inside discussing similarity among Islam and Christianity.
It was followed by the CARPET AND KILIM MUSEUM. Entrance fee is 10tl per person. The museum is installed in the Blue Mosque's imperial pavilion. The museum contains a fine collection of Usak, Bergama and Konya carpets dating from the 16th to the 19th century. The best examples of 13th-20th century Turkish carpets are exhibited along the ramp, which is the entrance to the pavilion. They were also exhibited in the rooms where the Sultans used to rest. The carpets and kilims on display have been restored and are displayed in a contemporary fashion.
AYASOFYA aka HAGIA SOPHIA MUSEUM
A glance into many centuries of history through a huge and impressive church/mosque/museum. Cafe and gift shops on site. Worth the entrance fee.
TAKSIM SQUARE - ISTIKLAL STREET
NOTE: There is an area around Tarlabasi Street, close to the Taksim Square, that is known for being a place of drug dealers, prostitutes and danger. So please avoid that to go there especially during night time.
Gorgeus outside, gorgeus inside. So peaceful and huge. If you visit it the best time is early in the morning. After that it is crowded with People.
GALATA TOWER
After doing lunch at Sultanahment, I took tram from Sultanahmet to Karaköy stop. From here its just 10 minutes walk to the tower. I reached around 4:00 pm, and no surprise - there was a long queue as usual. Well it took 40 minutes to reach to the entrance and there is a lift to the top.
I went all the way to the top, had a coffee and admired the view till the sunset.
The viewing platform all around the top of the tower is very narrow and crowded and if you are nervous of heights then it might be a problem but it’s well worth the effort.
You will love it. But it will be worth a visit if you are with your partner.
It is a large irregular shaped area, in the Beyoglu district. The only thing I found of interest here is a monument to heroes of the movement that created modern Turkey. Lots of open space, little greenery. There is a metro station directly under it, so it is easily accessible by public transport. Some nice restaurants around the square, where you can get a bite. It is ok for people watching at Istiklal Street, not much else. It is also a good place to meet locals and chat with them.
On the way back to by hostel, I experienced the Funicular (Cable Metro). This one stop Funicular takes you from Taxim Square to Kabatas and back. It was something unfamiliar to me. I had never seen a metro being pulled by cables.
BASILICA CISTERN
It just 5 minutes from my hostel. So before going back to hostel to check-out I stopped to this last place in my list. This place is totally worth visiting! When you see all this enormous columns it is very hard to realize when and how people did built it. It is totally amazing! And good thing to see and think about the history and human being. Don't forget to walk right to the end to see the two Medusa heads as part of the columns. No water on my visit.
I reached hostel, Mel and Methiu helped to pack my stuff. It was time say goodbye to them and the beautiful Istanbul.
I went to the sultanahmet, the same bus service was ready to go to the Istanbul airport. It took 18tl from sultanahmet to the airport.
SUMMARY:
Istanbul, a fascinating city built on two Continents has impressed me a lot....I explored true meaning of being Solo. I lived my dream of touching and experiencing snow....which I will never forget. You don't need much money, you don't need everyone to join you, Just listen you your heart, it will tell you the path....and provide you the courage to experience the world Solo.....The magical city of Istanbul connects the east and the west straight to your heart......
With a hope to return back soon I headed to the airport..........
I hope my post will help you to prepare your mind for a solo trip to this beautiful city, please don't forget to like my blog. For any queries please write to me in comments, I shall reply as soon as possible....
DAY FIVE
NOSTALGIC TRAM , BASILICA CISTERN & CHECK OUT
I missed one thing last evening and I decided to experience it today - the "Nostalgic Tram" - the icon tram of Istanbul. Though I had to check out , but I thought I could make it before the check out time. So after breakfast I left for the Taksim Square.
Though I reached early morning at the Taksim Square then I walked a bit on Istiklal street and noticed that a tram was in yard and was under maintenance. It was then I regretted that I should have done it yesterday only. I saw two mechanics working on it but to my disappointment they told me that they don't think it will be fixed by today. Well....it was a bad feeling that I couldn't make it to the tram, I stood there for 5 minutes, grabbed a view of its interior and headed back to my hostel.
