There is also a popular public transport, thats ferry. . I was also quite surprised because I have never seen such a beautiful sunset, even much more beautiful than the sunset in Santorini. This palace was built in the 15th century and served as the residence of the sultans for more than 400 years during the most prosperous period of the Ottoman Empire (1465-1856). But contrary to the information in the newspaper, the Bosporus is a very poetic place. Its crazy how these men feel they can be so forward and so pushy. Hostel beds are regularly available, and it is best to opt for a female-only dorm whenever possible. Well, I saw another empty taxi going that way so to cut the drama, I hopped in and agreed to pay a fixed price, which was again a low-key scam, but well I just wanted to reach my hostel ASAP. Moreover, this is also the main hub of all traffic routes in the city. This is also a pretty big shopping mall in Istanbul, but what I like most here is its location. Female Travel In Pakistan: A Foreigners Experience In Pakistan. The first financial operations in Turkey . Start Here; . To avoid such unpleasant experiences while traveling alone the best option is to travel with a tour! High heels and mini-skirts should also not be worn around town. 6 best things to do in Mae Hong Son, Thailand. Daring. I know should have complained about him to The easiest way is to book airport transfer service. And again I heard those magical words, You from India?. Metro: Metro is also an affordable option, but you will have have to carry your luggage, a bit tired. it was a white lie. Everything from access to the top museums, touristic and cultural activities, as well as attractions for children in 1 single package. some apparent reasons, the road further was closed for the cars. The first being quite hassle-free and simple where I boarded a Havabus to Taksim square. but just be prepared to never disclose that youre traveling alone when asked Solo female Istanbul travel vlog 2022, my top places I explored in Istanbul 77 views Aug 18, 2022 This week, I headed off on a solo adventure to the vibrant city of Istanbul. One of the oldest markets in the world, the Grand Bazaar has more than 3,000 stalls, it can take many days to explore. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The five-night trip from Paris to Istanbul on the 18-carriage Venice-Simplon Orient Express train costs just under 22,000 for a twin cabin. Your blog is beautiful! Suddenly, a random guy grilling kebabs in one of the restaurants stopped me. Handcrafted in the USA and printed on premium quality archival paper. Both of these airports are international airports, however Sabiha Gokcen mainly serving low-cost airlines. The merchants in Turkey, especially in the Grand Bazzar always say overcharge. The very next morning, I stepped out from my hostel wandering around the area to look for a decent place for breakfast. However, the security of this area is not very good, as I saw here. Istanbul is the only city in the world which is divided between two continents; therefore, it is natural for it to be very touristy and crowded. 10 best places to visit, Mekong Delta travel blog Beyond rivers of Southwestern Vietnam, 14 reasons why you should travel when you are young, Shigaraki Tanuki An animal symbol of good luck in Japan, Living in the charms of cave houses in Andalucia, Southern Spain, 20+ jaw-dropping tiny homes around the world, My trip to Istanbul Explore the bridge city of Asia and Europe, Istanbul travel tips 9 things & what to know before going to Istanbul, What to eat in Istanbul? Safety - 1 (1 very safe, 2 safe in most areas, 3 be cautious at all times.). Because there are many restaurants and bars in this area, there are many risks. Lets check it out here. The dish is attractive and eye-catching with the main ingredient is lentil stewed with tomatoes, peppers, onions and a little cream to create fat. grabbed a tissue paper and a pen, wrote his name and number and asked me to Overall, solo travel to Istanbul is an amazing adventure. Post Author. Nonetheless, extremely annoyed I got off the taxi trying to figure out how to drag my suitcase for a couple of kilometers uphill. contact him after 6 PM when his duty gets over! For the first leg of my stay in Istanbul, I choose the super . It was built by architect Mimar Siman for Sultan Sleyman the Magnificent from 1550 to 1557. Learn how your comment data is processed. Must eat in Osaka 16+ best food in Osaka & must, Singapore best eats 9+ best food to try in Singapore, Gyeongju travel blog The fullest Gyeongju travel guide for first-timers, Amsterdam travel blog The fullest Amsterdam travel guide for first-timers, Top Kyoto tea house 8 Kyoto tea shop & best, Bangkok itinerary 4 days How to spend 4 days in, How to travel Europe on a budget? Specifically, how to get from the airports to the city center as follows: Currently, this Istanbul new airport has just come into operation in April 2019 and is about 40km from the city center. This service you can book directly with the hotel or travel agencies. And apparently, alone girls are an easy target for them. If you are looking to sample the excellent nightlife and the bars of the city, then look for a hostel or hotel in the Golden Horn or Galata areas. On the peak of a hillside on the Golden Horn sits the largest mosque in Istanbul, a must-see on your Istanbul trip itinerary! Recommendations depend on your interests. One of the things the biggest things I want to highlight, especially for solo female travelers, is that Istanbul has a dedicated Tourism Police department that is located between Hagia Sofia and the Basilica Cistern. Before that, it was Byzantium. You have to bargain, usually 1/3 of the value of the item. If its's the usual first-time-in- Istanbul stuff, then an arc starting in Sultanahmet, cutting through Sirkeci, Karaky, Tnel and Beyolu is the usual area to stay. No:22, 34126 Fatih/stanbul, Turkey Ancient, mysterious but full of surprises will be your first impressions when visiting Istanbul, Turkey. What a sweet time I had on my delightful Turkish adventure! and I think you will be good to go. enough to walk with a huge and heavy suitcase. 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All was well until his kindness started to low-key irritate me. A note for visitors is to bargain when shopping here. Place on top of the cake is minced lamb stir-fried with spices, chopped chili, coriander and squeezed on a little lemon juice to enhence flavor. For the trip from city center to the airport, the driver will prefer to bargain with customer than turn on the meter. Here are 16 reasons to visit, Strasbourg photos A glimpse of the Frances peaceful corner, Where to go in Malacca? The hotel is situated in the non-touristy family district of Beyoglu. No:1 D:1, 34347 Beikta/stanbul, Turkey Do not point your camera at people who are praying. Specifically, you will have to change trains at Gayrettepe station to the Taksim line. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. to do was to rejuvenate from the travel stress, have a nice spa session Beef is okay, while lamb is a bit too strong taste, maybe because I am not used to the taste of Turkey. Depending on the time of promotion or some agents have their own policy with the airline, you can hunt for cheap round-trip tickets from 650-700 USD. In my experience, the local men were friendly, helpful, and slightly flirtatious. Spring in Turkey starts from April to June while autumn lasts from September to November. Lying on the banks of the Bosphorus, Istanbul is a city that is thousands of years old, and that originally was known as Byzantium, and later, Constantinople, before adopting the name Istanbul in the early 20th century. Guests can also enjoy a cozy and romantic evening at the top of the tower as there is a restaurant and cafe to serve visitors. Height: 56 m I decided to opt for public transport to reach Sultanahmet (old city) from Note that this cream is only for virtual living, but it is boring to eat, a bit flexible so that the seller can playing with you. The reason for its name Blue Mosque is because the mosque is paved with 20,000 blue glazed tiles with more than 50 different tulip designs decorated throughout the mosque. Im Rahma Khan, a third-culture kid of Pakistani native who calls Oman her real home! Hours: 10AM4PM/Tuesday: Closed Living + Nomads Travel tips, Guides, News & Information! If Topkapi Palace looks ancient, Dolmabahce Palace has a bit of modernity and elegance. Im Rahma, an engineer at day, a writer at night and somewhere in between, I manage to travel. Lamb after being thoroughly stewed with spices will put in a ceramic jar. Address: Sultan Ahmet, Atmeydan Cd. The advantage of this type is convenient, cheap (only 30 lira / person / way), straight to Taksim square, but not directly to the Sultanahmet area (only to the nearby stop Beyazt Meydan). The price for this trip is about 10 (90 lira). Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. This narrowest strait in the world is the natural boundary separating the two parts of the Eurasian continent of Istanbul. The Basilica Cistern is a famous underground structure in Turkey that has appeared in many TV series. I firmly believe that solo travel for women is one of the best ways to learn about yourself and the world. When night falls, Taksim will become very crowded with shops and bars. Havaist is the bus that services the new Istanbul Airport. We and our partners use cookies to better understand your needs, improve performance and provide you with personalised content and advertisements. Im inspired by your no-nonsense attitude! But in fact, this was once an underground water storage and a water filtration system providing drinking water for the people of Istanbul. The airline does not limit the number of packages to bring. Currently from Hanoi or Saigon (HCMC) has a direct flight to Istanbul with a flight time of 10-12 hours, which is very convenient operated by Turkish Airlines. Turks speak English quite poorly, not as well as I imagined. If you are looking to sample the excellent nightlife and the bars of the city, then look for a hostel or hotel in the Golden Horn or Galata areas. The idea is to walk (or cab/uber) down the entirety of the shoreline until you get to a neighbourhood called Bebek. After gathering enough guests, all will be invited to get on the bus to get to the pier, whoever gets on first will get a nice spot on the 2nd floor of the boat. Taxis run on meters with starting fare at 2.95 Lira with 1.83 Lira charged for each subsequent km. Check temperatures before you visit, but be prepared to pack layers for the cooler seasons. My journey to Sultanahmet was divided into two legs. Cheers Hostel is highly-rated and very central they offer female-only and mixed dorm rooms, plus private rooms. The Istanbuls population is more than 13 million people, more than the population of Belgium. stay especially when on budget. . Construction started: 1465 Taxi price from IST airport to city center is around 150 lira. Thank you for sharing your experiences. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. While I was eating, he kept on roaming around my table, staring at me in a weird manner and whenever I look at him he would just smile. The public transportation network in this huge city can be confusing at times, with a large range of routes, and a variety of options ranging from the subway, buses, trams, overland trains, and even ferries that take people to different parts of the city.