Self catering holiday guide on Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is a city which many think of as where the East meets the West.  Staying in self catering accommodation in Istanbul can be a good way of exploring this Turkish city.  The majority of accommodation in Istanbul is in apartments.  Holiday villas can be found usually in areas outside of Istanbul.  You may prefer the security of being able to cook at a home from home whilst abroad particularly in countries such as Turkey where all too often you hear tales of stomach upsets from those who have holidayed and eaten out in the country.  With self catering you can be more free from concerns about food hygiene as if you choose to rent a self catering apartment in Istanbul you can enjoy the flexibility of doing a supermarket shop, stocking up and cooking for yourself.

Istanbul - a mix of Asia and Europe

Think of Istanbul and immediately images of mosques, markets, belly dancers and spices spring to mind.  Istanbul is a city rich with sights, smells and sounds.

Many visit Istanbul to be enchanted by the historical sights.  The Ayasofya is world famous.  There are many attractive historical mosques to visit in Istanbul.  Happily many of the historical sites in Istanbul are located close together, mostly around the Sultanahmet area.  Within this area you can find Ayasofya, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi palace, famous for being the site where one of the Sultans had his Hareem.  There is no shortage of sights to see on a self catering holiday in Istanbul, the only challenge may be deciding which to visit.

Not too far from Topkapi palace you can take a boat trip on the Istanbul strait and enjoy views of Istanbul from the Bosphorous.  See one side of Istanbul, the Asian side, and contrast it to the other side, the European side.  It is little known that a number of the palaces in Istanbul have waterside settings.  In some guides, writers compare Istanbul to cities such as Rome because of the similarities in the layout of the cities and Roman influence in Istanbul.  However if you take a boat trip to see the city you may start to think that there are actually more similarities that Istanbul shares with cities such as Prague or even Venice, with the number of beautiful buildings enjoying a riverside location in Istanbul.  You may even be lucky enough to spot dolphins on a boat trip as they are seen from time to time on such trips.

Istanbul is a city heavy with scents.  On the streets of Istanbul you experience the city partly through smell.  Walk round the Spice Bazaar and smell the variety and assortment of spices on sale.  Walk through the streets near the Grand Bazaar and smell the colourful aroma of shishas, turkish delight, cooked nuts and more.

With so many mosques, in Istanbul you will quickly become accustomed to the soulful callings to prayer that are broadcast to all from each mosque via loudspeakers.  Starting at dawn, you will hear these three times a day. 

Istanbul is a city which offers many opportunities for shopping whilst on a self catering holiday.  The main place that holidaymakers head for a shopping experience to remember is the Old Bazaar.  Here your eyes can feast upon an assortment of goods including lanterns, rugs, gold jewellery, silver jewellery and leather goods.  Haggling is the name of the game in the Bazaar and be prepared to haggle hard.  Some shopkeepers come up with wildly imaginative prices and offering one quarter to one half of the price is often not unrealistic.  In most cases it is best to walk away and shop around before making any purchases.  Best prices are usually obtained when you decide to walk away but not always, in many cases the best option may be to decide on what you feel is a realistic price and make an offer after you have done your research.  If you feel that a price is not good then it is not worth making a purchase in any event.  The shopping experience in the Bazaar is very full on and you will be accosted by various shopkeepers who try to get sales by offering tea and other sweeteners.   Feel free to enjoy the tea but do not be intimidated in to making a purchase unless you are happy with the price.

If you are after a touch of glamour and western restaurant chains then head for Taksim square in Istanbul. In Taksim square you can find a number of upmarket venues which cannot be easily found in Sultanahmet, the gritty heart of Istanbul.

Although Istanbul is considered by some to be a European city, you will see a mix of the traditional and more modern in this city.  Many women still wear headscarves although men in traditional dress are seen far less often.  Remember that for visiting some of the historical sites if you have exposed shoulders you may need to cover up and for mosques you are asked to remove your shoes, many of the sights have facilities available though so you can often borrow a wrap where required.

Getting around Istanbul

Istanbul has a tram service and the outskirts are reasonably well served by buses.  Taking a taxi is another option but traffic is often heavy in Istanbul so using the tram or bus to get around may be your best option.  Taking a boat trip is a good way of getting an overall impression of the city from a distance.  Buses run from the aiport to the centre of Istanbul and offer good value for money compared to taxi fares.