Istanbul
Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:
Best: Eating fish sandwiches by the Galata Bridge
Why: Tourists and locals alike seemed to be enjoying the mackerel sandwiches, which were simply delicious! It was an inexpensive treat, and so worth it!
Kelley Snead in Washington, DC USA 07/31/2009
Best: Bosphorus cruise
Why: It is a relaxing day when you just need a break from the hectic activity, carpet salesmen, and pick pockets on the streets of the old city. The yogurt from Kanlica is great, too - be sure to get it with the sugar.
Dale in Fairfield, OH USA 07/19/2009
Best: Cistern
Why: Bizaarely beautiful.
Worst: Trekking to Suleyman Mosque
Why: Closed for renovations--only one little room open to public now--renovations will keep the place closed for eons.
Jane Wolfarth in Salt Lake City, ut USA 06/21/2009
Best: Topaki Palace
Why: So much to see at the Palace, but the Archaeological Museum with things from BCE was the real highlight. Or maybe Chora Church Museum.
Worst: Mosque of Suleman the Magnificant
Why: So much was closed off for restoration, it was a let down after the effort to get there.
Jackie Farbeann in Columbus, OH USA 06/19/2009
Best: The Grand Bazaar / Spice Market
Why: Coming into Istanbul on a cruise ship was jaw-dropping spectacular. While the Grand Bazaar was a great experience, we couldn't handle the stimulous overload for long. We were fascinated by street vendors peeling cucumbers, sprinkling them with salt and handing to customers. The spice market was just so exotic. We could have spent so much more time there.
Worst: Mosque of Suleiman
Why: disappointed that the Mosque of Suleiman was closed for renovations...admittedly, we didn't have the most curren guidebook.
Marsha McCracken in Mill Creek, WA USA 06/17/2009
Best: The Spice Market
Why: I loved the atmosphere, the amazing spices, teas, nuts, and dried fruits. Even though it was smaller than the Grand Bazaar, it was so fun! Although, the Bosphorous Cruise, Istakhal Street Walking Tour, and so many other sites were amazing.
Worst: No such thing
Why: Everything was fantastic!
Sara Patterson in Atlanta, GA USA 06/15/2009
Best: The call to prayer
Why: We loved all the sounds of Istanbul, esp, the call to prayer. We walked around the Fatih neighborhood and the call to prayer was not a recording, but a man in a minuret.
Matti in Chicago, IL USA 04/12/2009
Best: Chora Church
Why: What a gem! And one of the best kept secrets. The mosaics and frescoes are absolutely amazing! And the cost was less than elsewhere.
Worst: Blue Mosque
Why: As a female, I don't like being mauled (literally) by Muslim carpet salesmen. Even though my husband and I yelled and pushed, one man would not give up until I made quite a scene. This was most distateful.
Elaine Daniels in Sacraamento, CA USA 11/26/2008
Best: city walls tour- view from top of tower
Why: great view, free, and not crowded with tourists or cheap souvenirs
Worst: Chora Church
Why: Very expensive, and quite boring for a 26 year old. I believe a 50+ year old would be more patient and enjoy it more.
Aron Kansal in Prague, CZ Czech Republic 10/30/2008
Best: Topkapi Sarayi, Sultan Ahmed camii,
Why: For its architecture and content.
Worst: Topkapi, Hagia Sophia
Why: for its masses of tourists (in Octobre!).
Farago Eva in Szombathely, Hungary 10/20/2008
Best: New District Walk
Why: I liked seeing modern Istanbul --- cheering soccer fans dressed in team colors making lots of noise, salesmen dressed as perfume bottles working the crowds, families shopping, and all the fun sights to find on the walk.
Gail Gerdemann in Albany, OR USA 06/26/2008
Best: Hagia Sophia
Why: Amazing history, beautiful mosaics and just overwhelmingly beautiful. Best to go very early to avoid the crowds.
Amy Sinclair in Novato, CA USA 06/05/2008
Best: Blue Mosque
Why: The book described every thing perfectly.
Worst: Open Top Bus Tour
Why: What a rip off. Two hours long, most of it spent in choking deisel fumes. It should be removed from the book. We hardly saw anything we could not have seen from the tram.
John Dillon in New York, NY USA 05/27/2008
Worst: Rami and Balilci Sabahattin
Why: The main courses here cost 27-28 YTL, AND there is a 15% "service charge" added (one must still tip), which brings the real price for the main courses to 31-32 YTL. The food was pretty good, but not cheap.
Balilci Sabahattin charges a 5 YTL per person "cover" charge. This charge is listed as the last item in the dessert menu, in exactly the same font as the desserts. If this isn't fraudulent, I don't know what is. Of course, the average person isn't going to notice this until the bill arrives, and even the bill was written in such a way to make it incomprehensible; I had to demand to have the bill explained to me line by line.
Tom Shiple in San Francisco, CA USA 04/29/2008
Best: Aya Sophia
Why: Amazing that this was built over 1500 years ago
Worst: Grand Bazaar
Why: Very touristy
Suzanne Lau in St Ismier, France 04/28/2008
Best: Chora Church
Why: Your tour absolutely made the experience.
Worst: Cisterns
Why: You gave it a high rating but it absolutely wasn't worth 10 YTL.
Karen Muncaster in Westford, MA USA 01/07/2008
Worst: The so-called Hop On-Hop Off Tour.
Why: This is probably the biggest rip-off and most misrepresented item I have ever experienced in a Rick Steves' Tour book. Essentially it takes you from Dolmabahce or nearby Taksim Square to St. Sophia and back in the most round about way, through terrible traffic congestion where you get to sit exposed to unremitting engine exhaust. You get to see nothing except the old city wall which most everyone sees coming in from the airport. For 35YTL a piece the day we used it, no other stops were made and the promised hourly departure from St. Sophia did not occur. It appeared that they were waiting to fill up the bus, and they would not refund any of our money.
The Tram gets you to and from the same spots cleanly, inexpensively,and quickly.
mm gillen in potomac, md USA 12/09/2007
Best: Hagia Sophia
Why: I was the first visitor in the museum when it opened and had the place to myself for a few minutes before the tour groups descended -- profoundly holy experience.
Worst: Cicek Pasaji on Istiklal Cad.
Why: Nothing much to see when I was there except dinner tables. However, I do appreciate its historical significance. The adjacent Balik Pazari was much more fun and interesting!
Helen Holter in Seattle, WA USA 11/01/2007
Best: Self-guided tours and walks.
Why: I've been to Turkey six times (once as a high school exchange student), yet this book brought fresh perspectives and deeper insights than ever before, thanks to Rick Steves and his native Istanbul co-authors, Lale Surmen Aran and Tan Aran. In my 8-day October 2007 trip, this book helped me maximize my time, appreciate what I was seeing without overwhelming me, and guided me through the maze of choices that a city of 15 million can offer. Hands-down, this is the most practical, insightful book on Istanbul I've used.
Helen Holter in Seattle , WA USA 11/01/2007
Best: Topkapi Palace
Why: Lots of history, Ottoman 'crown jewels' that remind me of those in The Tower of London.
Dale in Fairfield, Oh USA 07/17/2007
Best: Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Istanbul Archaeology Museum
Why: I found the book's self-guided tours of these places to be excellent. They really enhanced our enjoyment of the sites, providing interesting tidbits we wouldn't have been aware of otherwise. Very helpful, considering on the day we went, there was no guided tour offered to the Topkapi Palace Harem.
Worst: Istiklal Street
Why: I was confused as to why this was rated a 3-triangle site. I thought it was overly crowded and boring. You can find a better, more atmospheric shopping street just about anywhere in Europe.
MP in Landstuhl, Germany 07/08/2007
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