Anyone know this city well enough to recommend anything? I’ve got a weekend here.

 

What are you interested in? The best touristic sites?

 

I hear swimming the Bosporus is exciting....

 

Most famous:
Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace, Great Bazaar in Eminönü. Some other places there, but depends on the time.
Galata Tower, Tünel, Istiklâl Caddesi, Cicek Passage in Beyoglu/Taksim
Dolmabahce Palace in Besiktas

and if you drink the water you will have some incredible memories during the next week

 

Most impressive tourist site … Blue Mosque ……Where “From Russia With Love” was filmed

Best Turkish Bath …personally recommended…’Cemberlitas Hamami’…Where “Taken 2” finale was filmed

And the fabulous undercover “Grand Bazaar” …where you can buy ‘anything’

 

Bring me back a belly dancer.

 

History, food, drinks (coffee/beer/wine), the baths... Did I mention food?

This is a bit corny but I’d like to see some of the dancing. Not necessarily the whirling dervishes, but anything local of cultural significance.

Art and photography are also on the radar. As are rugs, antiques, oddities. And of course, watches. Did I mention beer?

 

I guarantee that someone will try to sell you a rug, &/or some dope, within 10 minutes of leaving the Airport !!

The Grand Bazaar is a terrific ‘hunting ground’ …but overflowing with fakes…so take a loupe, & some common sense

You have to try the Apple Tea !…No one makes it, quite like the Turks do

 

All of above ... I’d take a tour of the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia ... boat tour of the Bosporus, Spice Market. Food especially grilled sea bass/ grilled anything is awesome. Hang out in a coffee shop. Taksim square and surrounding streets. If you buy anything, I bought an expensive silk prayer rug last visit, have it shipped home. Turkey has very strict export laws.

 

My son currently works in Istanbul, he doesnt seem overly interested to come back haha

 

And the local Turkish Black out of a samovar.

 

The views from the bar (and restaurant, but especially the bar) at Mikla are some of the best in the world, let alone Istanbul. Highly recommend grabbing at least a drink there in the evening.

I enjoyed a hot shave as well - best shave of my life. Picked a place at random and it was great.

The views from Topkapi Palace were also beautiful. That said, mind your possessions closely. I set my iPhone and wallet on the podium between the metal detectors at the entrance and was debating whether to remove my watch (eventually deciding against it) and was keeping a close eye on the podium. As this was happening, a twenty-something attractive woman put her phone down on the podium, swept through the metal detector, swooped up her phone and walked quickly away. Except I was watching closely enough that I saw she had put her phone on top of mine and grabbed both in one motion. I yelled for the guard to stop her and luckily he stood up in her way. She yelled it was an accident and handed the phone to him and hurried away.

Nonetheless, a close call that made me hyper aware the rest of the trip.

Finally: the Turkish Airways lounge is one of the best lounges in the world - if you have access, go early and enjoy! Golf simulator, pool table, massages, full hot food, Turkish coffee, even a functioning Scalectrix recreation of the Turkish Grand Prix track.

 

Mikla ...yes spectacular... + 1 on pickpockets and gypsy like scams. Don’t engage.

 

I was last there more than 25 years ago, but I remember the cistern as being amazing. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_Cistern

 

Haghia Sophia/Blue Mosque/Topkapi/Grand Bazaar are the unmissable, as I think others have already said. There are so many other things to see that a weekend is not enough, but if you are interested in arts (and especially rugs) consider adding the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, which is opposite the Blue Mosque. Istanbul Modern is the main venue for photography shows.

 

Plus 1 on the cistern. If you have time take a boat to princess island. The modern art gallery was very good too.There is tons to do in Istanbul. if you are vegitarian you might struggle. Was difficult to find, although we stayed in the Asia side.

 

Smartest thing I did there was tell the rug sellers that approached me that I was a rug dealer from NYC. Immediate conversation killer--they seemed to have little interest in the wholesale business. Second smartest thing was to buy a pair of funky square-toed Turkish shoes... threw the shoeshine boys right off the tourist scent.

Also, it is good to know that the Turkish word for ciprofloxacin is ciprofloxacin.

 

As others said Blue Mosque.

I lived in Izmir for a little over 2 yrs as a young man working for nato. I love that country.

 

The last (and only) time that I was in Istanbul, I was en-route from London to New Delhi – overland! 1978, just before the Shah of Iran was overthrown. It was the "Magic Bus" company, and I seem to recall that the cost of the five week journey was slightly less than 100 GBP. Those were the days...and what a trip (I spent seven months in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal)!

Wasn't long in Istanbul, but liked it, and it felt very much like the gateway to Asia.

 

Wow ! That's one heck of a journey and one heck of an experience !!