🇹🇷 Where to stay in Istanbul Part 1? Don't stay by the Blue Mosque!

IMPORTANT: This video is just a guide, I don't know if everybody has the same thoughts as me so please do your own research. I prefer the asian side because it's less touristy. However there is nothing there for tourists, it depends if you want to see sights or just take in Istanbul like a local.

In this video i will describe the areas around central Istanbul and give you tips on where to stay. I suggest not staying in Sultan Ahmet like most tourists. The area is beautiful but the food is bad and expensive and everything has tourist prices. Staying there for a few days is fine, but not more than that.

[ronmaren]

I am from istanbul and I agree with everything he said. But also it is a personal thing. He says you can finish the old town in 1 day but You need more than 3 days only for the Grand Bazaar if you really want to see it all and do some shopping. But if you just want to have a look at it and move on then yes 1 day is enough. It all depends if you are a museum guy or a historic person or just like shopping or sight seeing. I have travelled over 40 countries, almost all the famous capitals in the world and I can tell that never seen a city more diverse than istanbul. It is the only city in the world that you can get a taste of Europe, Assia and Middle east in the same day. Mosque, Cathedral and Synagogue on the same street.

[naz]

Excellent excellent...EXCELLENT. FInally someone with no drama, no silly music or over friendly body language .. calm precise and well explained. well done

[JJ-dyvr]

I can’t say how grateful I am for this video. I’m going to Istanbul for the first time and it REALLY HELPED ME!

[MrDerarayoush]

Dude! Honestly the most helpful video I have seen in a while! Thanks for breaking it down!

[tbeats]

I wouldn't say don't stay there, I stayed near the blue mosque for one week and it was amazing, food was brilliant but expensive, one bad experience with food and that was one of the most expensive places we went. Everything was within walking distance, yes you can see it all in a day but you can't take it in all in one day, every day we found something different to explore. Walking to the port from the blue mosque only takes about 30 minutes and we ferried to the Asian side, the Asian side was great, clean, delicious food and lots less tourism but for me it wasn't as exciting or historic if anything it seemed more European than the European side.

[h.a.n.]

Where to stay depends on your interests.
There are still advantages of staying at Sultan Ahmet area:
- feeling the real and historic Istanbul.
- discover many things tourists miss to see, there's history in every corner there.
- have enough time to visit the most important tourist attractions, which really needs enough time.
- the area is very safe.
- public transportation is near and you can reach any destination easily.
* The area is not for those who like nightlife style, it is quite at night.

[Truthseeker]

Why not? I found a very cozy, reasonably priced, and with friendly staff hotel in Sultanamhet. I was lucky to find it. The shop owners had plenty of free time and shared an interesting grumble about the crazy economy. It's touristic, but so is most of the Istanbul City areas. Walking up the Galata Bridge to Kadikoy was fun, sneaking at the fishermen's buckets, but Kadikoy was dirty and disappointing. Not many good Asian restaurants in Istanbul. That was also a drawback. The evening cruise is a must to try. Beautifully illuminated buildings.

[ahmadfsalam]

I only went for the mosques and Topkapi Palace, staying Sultan Ahmet meant that everything was within walking distance. Very nice.

[fadimatar]

i was here 2 months after this video uploaded, i think sultanahmet is very great place, great foods and good hotels, if you go to cheap places or restaurants for sure you may get a bad experience there; it's up to your budget; but overall we had great days there....

[mariawerner]

I lived in Istanbul for 9 years, 4 in Cankurtaran, a really lovely and authentic area a 5 minute walk from the Blue Mosque. I loved it there, and as this was in 2000-2004, Sultanahmet (especially Akbıyık caddesi) was full of Western tourists and travellers, and we used to sit on the beautiful roof terraces and enjoy cheap food and beer, listen to music and make friendships that have lasted me to this day. All this has changed now, as conservative Arabic families now dominate this area, roof terraces are closed, no more drinks and music. I later lived in Moda for another 4 years, and for a while in Üsküdar, 100 metres from the Bosphorus, as well as in Bakırköy. If you are a tourist, though, staying for a few days, I would still recommend Sultanahmet, as all the main sites are there. You can’t see the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Archeological Museum, the Mosaic Museum and the Kapalı Çarşi in one day! I found a family room in a very nice boutique hotel in Sultanahmet for my relatives for 60 Euro (3 people) and then I took them around Istanbul on ferries and public transport, including Kadıköy, Kuzguncuk, the Bosphorus etc. Taksim is crowded and has nothing much to offer European travellers, and Kadıköy doesn’t have many nice hotels - unless you are prepared to pay a few hundred Euro a night at the DoubleTree Hilton or stay at a hostel.

[arunaniermann]

We stayed near the Blue mosque in an old townhouse, the Artefes hotel, and liked it so much. Nice rooftop bar, very yummy breakfast, friendly staff, not so expensive and walkable distance to the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapi Serail, Bosporus, Grand Bazaar and more places.

[shahid]

Been Istanbul twice n going again in jan..stayed in sultanahmet both times n again In January. Tbh for me I like staying there because of the atmosphere and sitting outside the blue mosque at night is relaxing. Price wise was cheap but depends what time of year you go ofcourse.

[romgozaimas]

Seriously, to cover Sultanahmet in one day is not enough in my opinion. We stayed in the Sultanahmet area for 7 nights and it was like "never enough" for us. We took pictures in the day and had to come back in the evening for some night photography. Dont forget about those long lines to get into all the attractions that could take hours. Hunting for souvenirs like turkish delights in boxes took us to many bazaars. We bought boxes from different places to try them out in the hotel. Finally we settled for the best one and went back to Eminonu to buy dozens of them. We continued another 5 nights stay near the Galata Tower and even went back to Sultanahmet on one of the nights for dinner because we love that restaurant. We visited Kadikoy, Bagdat Street and had a seafood dinner by the Bosphorus Sea at Uskudar on the Asian side for a full day and came back to Galata at 9 pm. The Asian side can be done in a day but not the Sultanahmet.

[JuanCuloCabra]

Great video! I've been to Istanbul twice and I thought I was crazy because I stayed in Kadikoy (and loved it), while most of the people stayed in the Sultanahmet area... I really enjoyed it: few tourists, better and more affordable food, and it is very conveniently located to reach all other areas

[christiandiablo]

I get what you’re saying but a few corrections:

1. Yes, the chances of getting bad food in Sultanahmet is higher than other areas of Istanbul because the area is densely packed with tourist restaurants. But there are still great restaurants there to be found. Just the % is lower than other areas due to the plethora of tourist-quality restaurants packed in there.

2. Yes, it’s definitely more expensive. Restaurants and hotels.

3. But….there is something about the glory of waking up and having breakfast in your hotel’s rooftop restaurant overlooking the Blue Mosque in the morning. So i wouldn’t say “don’t stay in Sulanahmet.” I’d say “Sulanahmet is touristy, but historically beautiful. It’s rife with tourist-quality restaurant so be picky. And be aware that it will cost more, for the convenience and glory of being in the middle of historic Istanbul.” Some people will prefer Sultanahmet, as price isn’t always the deciding factor.

cheers!

[pashminagal]

I disagree...
I stayed off Straselviler Cd. and found walking over the Galata Bridge everyday tiring.
Not everyone wants a marathon day of sightseeing.
Next time I visit Istanbul I would stay 2-3 days in Sultanahmet, and then 2-3 days in or near Taksim.
Then move over the Asian side, maybe I'm odd but I like to go out of my accommodations and be where I want to explore, ideally walking everywhere.
I appreciate your video, it has lots of good info, I've saved it for my next trip!

[NerminLeto]

I slept in hostel Nobel. 100m from blue mosque on Sultan Ahmed. It was very cheap and nice. excelent location.

[fatimaazzahra]

I've been stayed around Galata towe in 2020. It was so noisy at night and so tired by walking because you hv to climb the road everyday... i like to stay around eminonu coz it closed to tram and bus or metro terminal and the port. So it will be easier to go to many places by tram or metro.. and ferry if you want to Uskudar (to see and pray at Camilca camii) and you can go to Bursa by IDO ferry.
And also ot is esier to visit sulaymam mousque and fatih mousqe and Ayub al ansory mousqe and lotti hill if you stay around Eminonu.
There were so many beautifull places in Istanbul and it is esier if you go from 1 district to another by Istanbul transportation which is nice and cheap. So you need to stay next to the terminal... that's my opinion by my experienced when i visit Istanbul 2 years ago.

he's totally right n greetings from Istanbul.. have a good holiday for those who come to Istanbul already.

[pedrozatravel]

I just got back from Istanbil. Unless you have been in Istanbul before I would suggest finding a hotel close to the T1 tram line. That will get you to everywhere a first time traveler would want to go. So that means Sultanahmet or Karakoy.