Any recommendations for things to see, places to go, food to eat, drinks to drink, streets to walk down, neighborhoods to wander through, beds to sleep in, ferries to ride on, music to hear, people to meet, windows to climb through, fences to jump over, or anything, and I mean anything, else?
I'll be in Istanbul for about two days from the 5th to the 7th of August. It's not much time, but I am very excited.
you seem like the type who want to see many things fast in a short time.
i'd stay in some small hotel in sultanahmet district and definitely see the classic sites (historic peninsula) in one day, covered bazaar, suleymaniye mosque, blue mosque, cisterns, hagia sophia, topkapi palace and anything in between, like book sellers, coffee shops, etc, etc, etc, etc.., all in walking distance. if you still have energy, go to beyoglu district across the golden horn at night and have drinks at galata tower or cicek pasaji and walk on istiklal caddesi with hundreds of interesting things happening.
next day, i'd take the ferry to criss cross bosporus and get off one of the stops toward the black sea (maybe, kanlica or if you have time, last stop near black sea, rumeli kavagi) and have seafood lunch and just relax. if you have time, go to a club and listen some jazz or other avant garde music. the music scene is big. i heard there is a heat wave next week, so, stay near the water, which is everywhere.
here is a site with maps, pictures, categories etc... for two days, you only have time for the must see places.
i doubt you'll see all the places i listed but you can try, and don't be afraid to deviate the plan if you feel like just sitting on a restaurant or something on galata bridge and watch the boat traffic and people.
istanbul is such a culturally loaded, colorful and interesting city with hardly any dull moment.
Orhan, thank you for your thoughtful response. I really appreciate it.
I'm much more the type to wander around a city for hours before finding a cafe or bar to and peoplewatching than I am one for must-see attractions. Though not out of dogmatic "anti-tourist" principal, it's just what ends up happening. For example, I don't think I'll see the Topkapi when I'm in Istanbul. Amazing as it must be, I hear it's super expensive these days, and there is lots of other cool stuff to see in the city. But the Hagia Sophia, well, I'll have to visit it.
I would suggest going to the Sokulu Mehmet Pasa Mosque just to the south west of Sultanahmet. It is a small mosque designed by Sinan. It's not one of the sights flooded by tourists, which to me is a plus. What makes Sokulu interesting is the thoughtful handling of the compact and difficult topography and still a powerfully peaceful architectural composition. I have understood that Sinan built this mosque after returning from pilgrimage to Mecca and if you look at the Mehrab and above some of the doors you'll see small black inlayed rectangles which Sinan himself carved out of the Qibla in Mecca. Though it's not the great Suleymaniye or Aya Sofia in size I think it is a more significant spacial accomplishment that can better inform and influence the programmatic difficulties of present day design than the architectural-blockbusters like the Blue Mosque or Yeni Camii.
Make sure you research if the Suleymaniye is open because when I was there last summer it was closed for some extensive repairs.
Seeing the inside of the Blue Mosque at night is absolutely magical.
I am homesick and have been listening this dreamy video music over and over since last night...
Istanbul is really a beautiful city and every architect should see it if they can.
48 hours in Istanbul
Any recommendations for things to see, places to go, food to eat, drinks to drink, streets to walk down, neighborhoods to wander through, beds to sleep in, ferries to ride on, music to hear, people to meet, windows to climb through, fences to jump over, or anything, and I mean anything, else?
I'll be in Istanbul for about two days from the 5th to the 7th of August. It's not much time, but I am very excited.
only 48 hrs...so just go see some obvious tourist attractions....like Hagia Sophia
you seem like the type who want to see many things fast in a short time.
i'd stay in some small hotel in sultanahmet district and definitely see the classic sites (historic peninsula) in one day, covered bazaar, suleymaniye mosque, blue mosque, cisterns, hagia sophia, topkapi palace and anything in between, like book sellers, coffee shops, etc, etc, etc, etc.., all in walking distance. if you still have energy, go to beyoglu district across the golden horn at night and have drinks at galata tower or cicek pasaji and walk on istiklal caddesi with hundreds of interesting things happening.
next day, i'd take the ferry to criss cross bosporus and get off one of the stops toward the black sea (maybe, kanlica or if you have time, last stop near black sea, rumeli kavagi) and have seafood lunch and just relax. if you have time, go to a club and listen some jazz or other avant garde music. the music scene is big. i heard there is a heat wave next week, so, stay near the water, which is everywhere.
here is a site with maps, pictures, categories etc... for two days, you only have time for the must see places.
i doubt you'll see all the places i listed but you can try, and don't be afraid to deviate the plan if you feel like just sitting on a restaurant or something on galata bridge and watch the boat traffic and people.
istanbul is such a culturally loaded, colorful and interesting city with hardly any dull moment.
check out this thread and some others too.
http://www.archinect.com/forum/threads.php?id=86739_0_42_0_C
Orhan, thank you for your thoughtful response. I really appreciate it.
I'm much more the type to wander around a city for hours before finding a cafe or bar to and peoplewatching than I am one for must-see attractions. Though not out of dogmatic "anti-tourist" principal, it's just what ends up happening. For example, I don't think I'll see the Topkapi when I'm in Istanbul. Amazing as it must be, I hear it's super expensive these days, and there is lots of other cool stuff to see in the city. But the Hagia Sophia, well, I'll have to visit it.
i second orhan's ideas- definitely try to make it to beyoglu and taksim. walk down the side streets, not the main avenue (istikal kaddesi?).
I would suggest going to the Sokulu Mehmet Pasa Mosque just to the south west of Sultanahmet. It is a small mosque designed by Sinan. It's not one of the sights flooded by tourists, which to me is a plus. What makes Sokulu interesting is the thoughtful handling of the compact and difficult topography and still a powerfully peaceful architectural composition. I have understood that Sinan built this mosque after returning from pilgrimage to Mecca and if you look at the Mehrab and above some of the doors you'll see small black inlayed rectangles which Sinan himself carved out of the Qibla in Mecca. Though it's not the great Suleymaniye or Aya Sofia in size I think it is a more significant spacial accomplishment that can better inform and influence the programmatic difficulties of present day design than the architectural-blockbusters like the Blue Mosque or Yeni Camii.
Make sure you research if the Suleymaniye is open because when I was there last summer it was closed for some extensive repairs.
Seeing the inside of the Blue Mosque at night is absolutely magical.
I am homesick and have been listening this dreamy video music over and over since last night...
Istanbul is really a beautiful city and every architect should see it if they can.
I'll be living in Istanbul as of December...
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