Istanbul Travel Tips

1. There are 3 airports in Istanbul. Ataturk airport, on the European side and Sabiha airport, on the Asian side of the city and third one which has recently been built.

2. You can take the Havatas buses to the city center (Taksim).

3. You can buy Istanbul Card to travel on all of the transportation means.

4. Negotiate and bargain at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar!! Don’t buy impulsively

5. Always take off your shoes and wear head scarf if you are women when you are entering the mosque

6. You can easily access public toilets by using your Istanbul Kart or paying 1 TL

7. Statistically, Istanbul is one of the safest cities in Europe with low crime rates

8. You can buy Museum Pass to visit the museums and save your time and money

9. Indulge in street foods in Istanbul. You can buy from doner to corn in the street

10. Beware of the common scams, such as the shoe shiner who ‘accidentally’ drops his brush, the friendly man who approaches you in order to help you find your way and the man who invites solo male travellers for drinks

11. Turks are very warm-blooded men, so you should be prepared! They like to state their admiration to the opposite sex by all means! Do not feel any fear. In case you feel offended or awkward, let them know you are not interested or remain aloof

12. Public transport is accessible to all part of city and you can easily roam around with your Istanbul Kart

13. The best month to travel to Istanbul are May April and October, September

14. You can easily purchase local sims by showing your passport for mobile connection from brands like Turkcell, Turk Telekom and Vodafone

15. The best place to get an accommodation is near Taksim and Sultanahmet area

16. Most of the museums are open until 17:00 during the winter months and until 18:00 during summer months

17. You can get an e-Visa before your arrival in Istanbul. Check here the details: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/

18. Nuts/fruits are not free of charge , so if you visit restaurants/bar be sure to ask the price

19. There are ferries every 20 minutes, which connect the European with the Asian side of the city

20. Be prepared to walk a lot as walking on foot is better than being stuck in horrendous traffic

21.Please be aware of pickpockets. Keep you zips closed and don’t leave your valuable in loose pockets.

22. Learn few Turkish words which will take you far in Turkey and will make your trip more memorable and relaxing  

23. Turkish love children and they will show warm behaviour to your kids too, so don’t get worried

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