What are the prices in Istanbul? How much will a trip to the City of Contrasts cost? We have collected in one article the current prices for 2019 and calculated the cost of the trip, as well as shared information about the budget of our trip.

Exchange rate: 1 Turkish Lira (TRY) ≈ 11 RUB.

Flights to Istanbul

From Moscow

Prices for air tickets from Moscow to Istanbul are encouraging, you can almost always find inexpensive options. In the fall of 2019, plane tickets to Istanbul cost only 5 thousand rubles in both directions with a transfer in Baku (a / c Azal)! You can choose a long transfer and devote the whole day - this is exactly what we did when we flew to Istanbul. In the spring and summer of 2019, you can fly from Moscow for 7-8 thousand rubles.

Here is an example of cheap flights from Moscow to Istanbul and back with Skyscanner for fall 2019:

From Saint-Petersburg

Air tickets to Istanbul from St. Petersburg are traditionally slightly higher than from Moscow: the cheapest in spring and summer 2019 - from 8-9 thousand rubles in both directions, in summer - from 10.5 thousand.

From other cities

Inexpensive plane tickets to Istanbul from Samara, Kazan and Mineralnye Vody (from 6 thousand rubles), from Nalchik (from 7 thousand rubles), Grozny and Voronezh (from 8 thousand), as well as from Krasnodar and Nizhny Novgorod (from 9 thousand).

From the cities of Ukraine, the prices for air tickets to Istanbul are as follows: Kharkov - from 5 thousand rubles, Kiev - from 6 thousand, Odessa - from 7 thousand.

Prices for hotels in Istanbul in 2019

The peak season in Istanbul is in the summer (namely in July and August), but in the spring hotel prices are too high - many come in April to the tulip festival. In general, the tourist season in Istanbul lasts from March to November, that is, during these months one cannot count on low prices in hotels.

The way out is to book a hotel in advance, for example, now for the middle of summer 2019 you can find options in Taksim even from 48 liras ($ 13) per day, but this is a rarity, mostly rooms in good hotels cost from 74 lire (20 $) for a double standard. In Sultanahmet, according to our observations, the cost of hotels is higher. Remember that prices tend to almost double in the summer. In February of this year, we lived in both districts for about 70 liras a day.

(Photo © booking.com / Hotel Apartof)

How much does it cost to eat in Istanbul? Food prices in 2019

A light breakfast (coffee + dessert or lentil soup) will cost 9-10 liras per person, a hearty breakfast in a pastry cafe (coffee, scrambled eggs and berek) will cost about 20-25 liras per person ($ 5-7). How much does it cost to eat in Istanbul at lunchtime? It took us about 35-50 for two (kebabs, drinks, dessert), about the same - dinner. You can eat cheaper if you want, but we wanted to get to know the Turkish national cuisine better. The portions are large, and sometimes we ate so much at lunch that dinner was replaced with something light - for example, we bought cheese and fruit in the supermarket, thereby saving a lot.

The prices for food in Istanbul in 2019 are as follows (they may vary depending on the establishment):

• lentil or bulgur puree soup - usually from 5 lire;
• doner kebab with chicken - from 4-6 lire, with meat - from 10 lire;
• iskander kebab - from 10 lire with chicken and from 16 - with meat;
• balyk-ekmek (fish sandwich) - from 8 lire;
• simit (bun with sesame seeds) - from 1.25 lire;
• fried chestnuts - 5-7 lire per 100 g;
• ayran - from 2 lira per glass;
• coffee - from 4 lira per cup;
• tea - from 2 lire;
• salep - from 2 liras (at the bazaar) and from 7 liras in a cafe;
• ice cream (dondurma) - from 5 lire;
• sweets (varieties of baklava) - from 45 lire per kg.

We have a special article dedicated to - in it we tell in detail about what we ourselves had time to try, names in Turkish and pronunciation, descriptions, photos of dishes and menus, and, of course, tips and useful links.

(Photo © site)

Transport in Istanbul: fare

If you are in Istanbul for only one day, you can limit yourself to e-tickets (4 lira, for buses, there are for a different number of trips) or tokens (4 lira, other types of transport). If you come for a few days and plan to move around the city enough, it is more convenient to purchase Istanbulkart, on which the fare is 2.30 liras. Let's briefly talk about what advantages it gives.

Istanbulkart- a plastic travel card, it costs 10 liras (of which 4 are on the deposit), you can buy it in special machines (there is even Russian in the menu!). You also need to replenish it through the machines. The card is valid for all types of transport. When passing through the turnstile, you need to attach it to the device, and the amount will be debited from the account. What is its advantage? Firstly, the fare will cost 2.30 liras instead of 4. And secondly, there are discounts for transfers within 2 hours: 1.65 liras for the first change, 1.25 for the second and 0.85 for the third. It can be used for two or more people, but keep in mind that when transferring, the discount applies to only one person, that is, for the second, the fare will be as usual - 2.30. But even under this condition, the card pays off quickly. You can see the prices at.

It is important to remember that not all stops have vending machines where you can top up your balance, so it is better to do this in advance. Once we got into such a situation, but, fortunately, there was a way out - to pay into the driver's pocket (although, as we understood, paying in cash for travel on buses is not allowed). By the way, the machines only accept 5, 10 and 20 lira bills.

How much does a taxi cost in Istanbul?

Prices Taxi in Istanbul, they are quite high: for example, travel from Beyoglu to Sultanahmet will cost about 15 liras, from Ataturk airport to Sultanahmet - about 45 liras, to Taksim - 55 liras. Tourists and the Turks themselves do not advise using a taxi, as the drivers are reckless and try to deceive travelers (supposedly their meter does not work). There is a great chance to stay in a traffic jam for a long time, as the traffic is intense.

A great alternative to a taxi from the airport is the Hawatash buses. Travel from / to - 12 liras, to Sabiha Gokcen - 15 liras. We used them. Conveniently, buses also run at night, and also arrive and depart from Taksim Square.

(Photo © site)

Attraction prices

When visiting the sights of the city, to save money, it is better to buy MuseumPass(85 liras, valid for 5 days), which will allow you to see almost all major museums free of charge and without queues. In the case of a short or transit trip to Istanbul, of course, there is no point in the map, so you should know the prices for the main attractions of Istanbul in 2019:

• Hagia Sophia - 40 lire;
• Topkapi Palace - 40 lira, separate entrance to the Harem - 20 lira;
• Basilica Cistern - 20 lire (MuseumPass is not valid);
• Chora monastery (Kariye) - 15 lire;
• Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art - 15 liras;
• Galata Tower - 25 lire;
• Dolmabahce Palace - 40 lire (combo, MuseumPass does not work);
• Archaeological Museum - 20 lire;
• Dervishes Museum - 10 lire;
• Mosaic Museum - 15 lire.

(Photo © site)

How much does a trip to Istanbul cost? Our budget

Let's roughly calculate how much a trip to Istanbul for 3 and 10 days for two costs. The calculations will be minimal so that you know what amount you need to start from when planning.

So, the cost of the trip consists of the following points:

• air tickets to Istanbul from Moscow with a transfer (in both directions) - 10 thousand rubles for two;
• accommodation in budget hotels - 1000 rubles per day;
• three meals a day - about 100 lira, that is, 1,570 rubles per day for two;
• insurance - about 500 rubles for 3 days and about 1200 rubles for two for 10 days;
• transport - at least 58 liras, that is, 900 rubles (buses from / to the airport + Istanbulkart);
• MuseumPass - 170 lira, or 2680 rubles.

Thus, a trip to Istanbul for three days for two will cost 19 thousand rubles(with MuseumPass - 21680 rubles). On 10 days- about 40480 rubles.

• round trip flights (Kazan - Baku - Istanbul - 6500 for two, Istanbul - Moscow - 8100, Moscow - Perm - 7700 rubles) - a total of 22300 rubles;
• hotels - 13,000 rubles;
• insurance - 600 rubles per person (we have one free annual policy on the AllAirlines card from Tinkoff);
• attractions - 3300 rubles (bought MuseumPass + separate entrance tickets);
• bank commissions - 400 rubles;
• gifts, souvenirs and things home - 10 thousand rubles;
• transport - 2800 rubles (bought by Istanbulkart);
• food - 17 thousand;
• everyday life (various little things) - 800 rubles.

In total, our trip to Istanbul for 10 days for two was worth 70,200 rubles.

Istanbul is one of the most interesting cities in the world. I always wanted to stay in it a little longer and in the end lived an unforgettable month from mid-March to early May with interruptions to travel to other cities in Turkey. In my opinion, this is enough to form an impression of such a large city, on the other hand, in such megalopolises you can live for years and constantly discover something new.

How to get to Istanbul?

By land

You can come to Istanbul by land, which is quite an interesting option, because the scenery along the way is beautiful and the country is pleasant. The option through the western coast of the Black Sea is now hardly worth considering due to the difficulties of entering Ukraine, as well as the visas of Bulgaria and Romania. It is much easier to get there from the east side. Bus to Istanbul go from Batumi, Tbilisi, Baku and, possibly, Vladikavkaz.

Thus, the following hitting scheme works:

1. By train or bus to Vladikavkaz.
2. Take a taxi directly to the other side of the border (from 500 rubles, depending on the number of people in the car and the mood of the driver) or minibus No. 42 (Vladikavkaz-Verkhniy Lars) to the final one, and then hitchhike to the Georgian side.
3. The city of Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) is connected with Tbilisi by buses. 250 rubles and about 3 hours of travel in good weather.
4. You can go from Tbilisi to Istanbul by an expensive international bus, or you can save a little and get by internal transport (about 700 rubles for a bus or train, hitchhiking is free) to Batumi, from where to the other side of the border and then a bus to the city on the Bosphorus, a popular route.

By plane and ship

Istanbul is that rare city where there are two airports at once, and they are in different parts of the world. Solid and international "Ataturk" in the European part. It is convenient to get to it by metro from the historical center (station "Aksaray"). The airport in the Asian part is less respectable, only buses go there. It is called Sabiha Gokcen. As a rule, Pegasus aircrafts fly to it.

In general, you can fly to Istanbul from many cities in the world. There are especially many flights from Russia, Germany, Central Asia, Ukraine. Airfare can cost from 3000 rubles. For 5000 it is quite easy to find a ticket.

As for sea transport, it is the most expensive and slowest of all. For example, a motor ship from Sevastopol costs almost $ 200 one way and about $ 350 both ways. Of course, there are included three meals a day, an artificial beach, a swimming pool and there are discounts for children, but it floats for a day.

Finding an overnight stay

In megacities, you can find accommodation for every taste and budget. It is logical that the easiest way to find a hotel in Istanbul is. It is easy to find from 1000 rubles, although it depends on the season, for example, it is non-holiday time in winter and some hotels, even in the historical center, are almost empty. During a short visit to Istanbul at the end of January, I managed to settle in a single room for 500 rubles, although this was the price of a bed in a hostel, but the common room was completely empty.

Accommodation in the price range of 500-1000 rubles can be difficult to find without prior reservation if the tourist season is outside. There are many hostels and guesthouses in the historical center, near the Hagia Sophia mosque. Sometimes they are beautifully decorated, I stayed at the hostel for a couple of days, where there was a large collection of coins and bills from its guests.

You can also spend the night for free. Not necessarily on a bench under the carpet, like the host of the 2014 Eagle and Reshka program. There are international hospitality sites "Hospitality Club" and "Couchsurfing". With their help, in Istanbul, you can live for free with immigrants from the former USSR who settled there, with Turkish citizens who are studying Russian or with someone who speaks English. I lived in this beautiful city for about a month for free and stopped by with a paid overnight stay a couple of times.

Features of shopping and catering

Nutrition

It is not so difficult to organize food in a metropolis. You can cook it yourself. Almost all hostels and guesthouses have a kitchen, and it is almost always on the list. Products can be bought in numerous markets and shopping centers.

Of the catering establishments, the cheapest are called Lokantasy. In our opinion, self-service canteens. The dishes there are inexpensive, for 100 rubles (7 liras) you can have a light snack with chorba soup and some side dish like macaroni, bulgur and chickpea. I liked the latter most of all, it is quite inexpensive in Turkey, and it takes a long time to cook at home.

These cheap establishments are often located not in the most conspicuous place, but somewhere in an inconspicuous side street, especially in the historical part of the city. In a cafe with a menu, prices are higher, and there may be various small layouts such as unreasonably high prices for side dishes. If a not-too-nourishing side dish in the dining room costs two lira, then the cafe will most likely have 4, and the restaurant from 6.

In addition to canteens, tea houses should be referred to as cheap establishments. Turks love to drink tea from pear-shaped cups, usually it costs 15 rubles. For tea, you can take some sweetness or pastries for 50 rubles. Such points can be used to warm up on a cold winter day, or, conversely, sit in an air-conditioned room on a hot summer day.

Turkish cuisine is one of the most famous in the world. Perhaps, there is not enough river fish, there is no buckwheat, pork and some other products familiar to us, but still there is a large selection of milk, pastries, sweets, dried fruits and vegetables with meat.

An establishment with Russian cuisine can be found near the German consulate and the Kabatas pier.

Purchases

Istanbul can be considered the best city for shopping in Turkey, hardly even Ankara can compete with it. You can buy whatever your heart desires in the markets, in small shops and in shopping centers of various chains, the most notable of which are Migros, Carrefour, Ramstore, Kipa, as well as in economy class supermarkets of the Bim chain.

As a souvenir in Turkey, you should buy a carpet, a hookah, jewelry, dishes, a retro janissary-style costume, a fez hat and much more from clothes. I bought a sleeping bag for 55 liras, but, according to rumors, you can find it cheaper.

Free of charge, at the tourist information center, beautiful brochures on cities and regions of Turkey can be borrowed for a collection. Sometimes they are even printed in Russian.

Of the products, in my opinion, the most valuable will be tea of ​​the brands "Caycur", "Dogus" and "Dogadan" in a pack weighing one kilogram. Costs from 300 rubles. Coffee is more expensive, with a similar weight from 700 rubles.

Price in rubles for some products (kg):

• Red lentils - 250.
• Bulgur - 120.
• Manti (they are not similar to Central Asian ones, pasta, they are served in yogurt) - 350.
• Thyme - 600.
• Rakhat sweets - 500.
• Apples, oranges, quince, grapefruit and carrots - from 25 to 60.
• Lemons - 90.
• Pinar white cheese - 350.
• Basturma - 1000.
• Yogurt - 75.
• Cheap biscuits - 100.
• Silver bow - 50.
• Walnut - 300.
• Pomegranate - 75.
• Anchovies - 330.

Household features

Istanbul is such an interesting city that you can live in it for at least a whole year. Spring and autumn are warm here. The winter seems to be mild, but the climate is damp and there are problems with heating. The city is generally safe, although there are enough wiring for tourists. There are inflated prices and fans to sell something. Beware of barkers and sudden acquaintances. Residents of Istanbul are quite educated, many speak English, even Russian speakers can be found.

The Turks are very hospitable, it is really possible to get to know each other, especially if they know Turkish, and fit in with guests or get a treat in an unexpected place, for example, they gave me a donner in a cafeteria of some college, they did not expect a foreigner to come to them.

The city has a fairly varied public transport. There are commuter trains - European and Asian, as well as two retro trams, a pair of funiculars (Teleferik), an underground carriage, a metro, a light metro, a metrobus, a low-floor tram, regular buses and minibuses.

In addition, the public transport system includes ferries and ships to the other side of the Bosphorus and the island. For a stay in the city, for example, it is useful to buy an "Istanbulcard" for a week. It is refilled with local currency and gives discounts on every trip.

There are no problems with the Internet, so you can work remotely if you want to live in such a beautiful and colorful southern city. It may well compete with Petersburg or Moscow. You can get a job in Turkey, for example, as a tutor or some other valuable person, if you have knowledge of Turkish and English, but there are enough laborers there.

sights

In a metropolis with 15 million inhabitants and 2700 years of history, even local residents often do not know all the interesting places and sights. When you arrive in Istanbul, I advise you to go to the tourist information center and grab more tourist brochures and brochures, so you can choose something to your liking. For those who like to visit famous and expensive museums or palaces, there is a special tourist card, it costs 85 liras and is valid for 3 days.

• Toy Museum. Located in the Asian part, it is quite inconspicuous. Next to him are sculptures of giraffes. Inside there is an interesting exhibition of toys from the middle of the last century from different countries, including distant ones, for example, Myanmar.
• Drive to distant suburbs. This is Shile in the northeast. There is an abandoned camp site and very typical for Turkey ruins of a fortress on a rock. And also Rumelifeneri - the place where the Black Sea ends and the Bosphorus begins. Beautiful and photogenic.
• Fans of vintage cars and technology can go to the Rahmi Koch Museum, and fans of military history to the Army Museum, by the way, there is a Soviet T-26 tank in the yard. A rare foreign copy!
• Green areas: squares, parks and national parks nearby. It's nice to breathe fresh air after the huge city.
• Free museums: Ataturk, museum-library, in the building of the station of the European part, bank and postal.

My review about life and leisure in Istanbul

Istanbul is one of the most interesting cities on the planet, I advise everyone to visit there at least once. It can be used as a starting point for traveling in the Balkans and Turkey itself. I like the Turkish tradition of selling tea in kilogram bags. In Russia, these are less common, so it's a good option to bring a supply of black tea for a year.

I flew from Moscow to Istanbul for about 4,000 rubles, and thanks to free housing and knowledge of the properties of the city, all other expenses for the month turned out to be inconspicuous. If you live in a hostel, eat on your own in canteens and cook breakfast and dinner on the spot, then the rest will hardly cost more than on the opposite shore of the Black Sea.

Toy Museum in the Asian side of Istanbul

Have you decided to plan your first trip to Istanbul? Great! After two months of living in the Turkish cultural capital, I have enough knowledge to give you all the advice you need to organize your vacation in the metropolis. Istanbul is my favorite place where I have been vacationing for four years in a row. Many people have the opinion that Turkey is not a friendly country due to its Muslim religion and culture. But the truth is that when you forget your prejudice, you are instantly enchanted by the beauty of Turkey and its people.

For your first trip to Istanbul, I would recommend spending at least five days getting a taste of the ancient city as well as enjoying the modern part of the city. Although, if you wish to explore most of the city and countryside in the area, then I would say that you should stay for at least ten days. We devoted 60 days to our last trip to Turkey, traveling all over the country, and we did not have enough time to go wherever we wanted.

Istanbul is huge, but Turkey is a cheap place when compared to other countries. When planning a good trip, be prepared to enjoy the resort without draining your pocket too much, as it turned out in my case. Sounds tempting, doesn't it?

Istanbul is full of hotels, hostels, guest houses and apartments. There is everything here: from cheap housing to really expensive apartments. You will definitely need professional help to find the best accommodation for your taste and pocket.

There are many useful internet sites that can make travel easier by booking a luxury room or budget hotel in Istanbul. Today you can find affordable vacation packages to Istanbul including flights and accommodation. The most pleasant areas to stay are Sultanahmet, Beyoglu and Taksim. They are all surrounded by restaurants, street food, and a safe place to live.
Istanbul has many tourist attractions, from ancient ruins, palaces, world famous mosques, grill bars to the endless shops inside the Grand Bazaar. There are so many things to do and see here that it will take you time and energy to visit everything! Here are the points that I would recommend to visit first:

• Blue Mosque
• Saint Sophie Cathedral
• Topkapi Palace
• Basilica Cistern
• Big bazaar
• Spice bazaar
• Suleymaniye Mosque
• Galata Tower
• Dolmabahce Palace
• Taksim Square and Istiklal
• Evening trip along the Bosphorus
• Sunset at Uskudar

As soon as you arrive in the city, you need to buy an Istanbul travel card from one of the machines. This card is accepted by all types of public transport, even boats. Such an acquisition will be much cheaper to move around the city than to take a new ticket every time.

Most of Istanbul's tourist destinations can be reached by public transport, especially tram, metro, boat and funicular. But buses don't run everywhere. But I would like to suggest that you walk as much as possible. Istanbul is an amazing city with beautiful architecture and hidden places. While exploring the metropolis, you will have a unique opportunity to meet the locals and enjoy the real Turkish flavor.

If you need to use a taxi, make sure the meter is turned on and do not accept flat rates. Surely taxi drivers will ask for more money than they actually need to pay for the trip. In addition, you can reach the city from Ataturk Airport by public transport.
Things to look out for

Istanbul is quite safe for a big city. You may be surprised at homeless beggars, but they do no harm. Numerous refugees from the Middle East live on the streets of Istanbul.

There is an area around Tarlabashi Street, near Taksim Square, which is known as a congregation point for local drug dealers, prostitutes and criminals. Therefore, please avoid this area, especially at night.

We are foreigners in a Muslim country, so we must respect the traditions and habits of local residents. When visiting mosques and religious sites, remember to wear long skirts or trousers, and keep your shoulders and chest covered.

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Weather in Istanbul by months:

Month	Temperature		Cloudiness	Rainy days / Precipitation	Number of solar hours per day
	In the afternoon	At night
January	9.1 ° C	6.8 ° C	52.7%	5 days (71.9 mm.)	9h 35m.
February	10.3 ° C	7.4 ° C	49.1%	3 days (55.3 mm.)	10h 39m.
March	12.4 ° C	8.9 ° C	41.6%	4 days (45.8 mm.)	11h 57m.
April	16.6 ° C	11.9 ° C	30.5%	2 days (33.4 mm.)	13h 20m.
May	21.8 ° C	16.4 ° C	22.1%	2 days (25.8 mm.)	14h 28m.
June	26.7 ° C	21.2 ° C	15.1%	2 days (23.8 mm.)	15h 4m.
July	29.5 ° C	23.8 ° C	8.7%	1 day (11.7 mm.)	14h 47m.
August	29.4 ° C	24.4 ° C	10.4%	-	13h 46m.
September	26.2 ° C	22.1 ° C	21.4%	3 days (34.8 mm.)	12h 28m.
October	20.2 ° C	17.1 ° C	36.2%	4 days (58.2 mm.)	11h 6m.
November	16.0 ° C	13.4 ° C	40.6%	3 days (54.0 mm.)	9h 54m.
December	11.3 ° C	8.9 ° C	47.2%	6 days (79.7 mm.)	9h 17m.

* This table shows the average weather data collected over more than three years

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Prices for holidays in Istanbul. January 2018.

tour cost

A visa to Turkey is not required. Plane tickets cost us $ 100 both ways. True, we flew with the Pegasus airline, its base airport is located on the Asian side, it takes a long time to get to the center of Istanbul. We did not order the transfer, we got there by public transport.

Rented an apartment for $ 40 per person for five days.

To visit museums without a queue, they bought a museum card. It gives you the opportunity to visit museums without waiting in line. The cost of the card was a little cheaper than all the museums we visited. Some of the museums, such as the Dolma Bakhchi Palace, are not included in the list of the museum map. We bought tickets to this museum separately. In addition to this palace, Topkapi, Ay-Sophi Cathedral, Basalik cistern, Rumeli-Khasar fortress and hamam were visited. They spent $ 50 on everything.

Why is it better to have a rest in July?

In July, there are more clear and sunny days, which will allow you to combine sightseeing and beach holidays.

Youth rest

In my opinion, Istanbul is a city with a frantic pace of life, many cultures, everything literally boils and boils. A huge number of people on the streets, the city itself is incredible in scale. Therefore, it is young people who will be comfortable here, if the task is to look, run around all the most interesting, just walk the atmospheric parks, streets and squares of Stabmul.

What to take with you on vacation?

Since I was in August, and got caught in the rain several times and even caught a cold, I advise you to take various medications. This will save time on trips to the pharmacy and help you recover faster. You will also need warm clothing. Most of the time it was hot, but the last week of August was very rainy, the temperature dropped significantly and it was not comfortable to wear a T-shirt. Since Turkey is a Muslim country, I recommend not taking T-shirts, but T-shirts and sweaters to cover your shoulders. This will also protect from the sun, because during your holidays you will spend a lot of time outdoors.

Where is the best place to stay?

For the most famous cathedrals and other attractions to be "close at hand", it is better to settle in the center. The area is called Sultanahmet. So all the most important things will be within walking distance. If you need to go somewhere, there are bus and tram stops nearby. A decent hotel room with one large bed and a TV costs about $ 40-50 per day. In my opinion, this is the best price for a great location. You can choose a hotel and book on booking.

How to entertain yourself at the resort?

A 5-minute walk from my hotel was the Blue Mosque, a magnificent structure. As far as I remember, admission is free. The mosque amazes with its size, decoration, scope. The Aya Sophia Museum is located very close by. In general, even a leisurely walk in Sultanahmed Square is incredibly atmospheric - a well-groomed beautiful territory, harmony and tranquility reign there. Nearby is the Topkany Palace - one of the most popular tourist destinations. Also in that area you can see the mosaic museum, the Sokollu-Mehmed Pasha mosque, the Basilica cistern, the ancient Egyptian obelisk. Don't miss the Miniature Park. This is a large beautiful area, where small copies of the sights of not only Istanbul, but also the whole of Turkey have been recreated. Walking along the footpaths past miniatures, it seems that I saw all of Turkey and its famous temples, palaces, mosques, mountains, bridges - well, everything that deserves attention in it. I also really liked the Galata Tower. The view of the evening Istanbul from the observation deck of the tower is beautiful, although I had to wait in line for a long time. If you want noise and Turkish colotir, then go to the Grand Bazaar. Gold, teas, spices, various accessories - what is there just not! You can also take a ferry ride and admire the seascapes.

To get a general idea of ​​the geography of the great city located on two continents at once, travelers should look at it from different viewing platforms. For this, there is a fascinating tour of the Asian and European parts of Istanbul, during which the metropolis can be seen from a bird's eye view.

Our journey will begin from the shores of the Golden Horn. Near Eyup we will take the funicular to the top of the hill, and also visit the cozy cafe Pierre Loti, which became popular thanks to the French writer.

The next stop will be amlıca hill, located already in the Asian part of Istanbul. Here, from a height of 268 meters, a breathtaking panorama of the Bosphorus and its shores opens up to the Black Sea.

Returning from Asia to Europe via the Bosphorus Bridge, we ...

Traditionally, one begins to get acquainted with Istanbul from its oldest part, which is Sultanahmet Square. During the Byzantine Empire, it was the center of political and social life. During the Ottoman period, noisy performances and fairs were held on the square. Here the Janissaries raised their revolts and showed military prowess.

It is on Sultanahmet Square and in its vicinity that the main attractions of Istanbul are located: the former at the Patriarchal Cathedral, and now the Hagia Sophia Museum, the Topkapi palace complex - the residence of 25 sultans, the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet), which gave the name to this area, the Archaeological Museum, Erebatan - Europe's largest underground reservoir, Gulhane Park, the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art and the Museum of Mosaics.

Old buildings are located around the square ...

https://experience.tripster.ru/experience/8350/

In 3 hours, you will begin to navigate the main sights of the city and the intricacies of Istanbul history and discover the favorite places of the townspeople. After the tour, Istanbul will become clearer for you, and walking around the city on your own will be more interesting!

Program

Easy and humorous about the complexities of the story. The route of the excursion is designed to cover the most important sights and historical eras of Istanbul. We will tell you only the most interesting and important things, so that it will be useful for you on independent walks. You will learn about the founding of the city, the greatness of Byzantium and the fall of Constantinople, the heyday of the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and how Ataturk created modern Turkey.

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13.1 € (90.3 lira / 959.0 ₽) - the minimum budget for a day in Istanbul 🇹🇷. This is enough for a decent budget hostel, two rides on public transport and food (the sum is equal to two lunches in inexpensive cafes).

Article updated: October 2018... In 2017-2018, the Turkish lira fell sharply. More than 2 times against the euro and the dollar, almost twice against the ruble: in October 2016, one lira cost 20.2 rubles, and today - 10.6 rubles. Following the devaluation came high inflation - inflation for 2018 is predicted to be at least 25%. But the country is still cheap.

This amount does not include the cost of travel and insurance. A round-trip ticket for a direct flight from Moscow can be found for 6-7 thousand rubles. Thanks to Pobeda for cheap tickets to Istanbul. Somewhat cheaper during sales (subscribe to the @samokatus telegram channel so you don't miss them).

Insurance can be picked up on services or or (these are insurance search engines for many insurance companies), prices start from 0.7 € per day.

• Bus... City buses are a rather inconvenient way to leave or arrive at the airport. City buses have several routes to the airport (H2, H3, H4), but they do not leave from the city center. View routes and maps.
• Taxi: to Taksim no less than 115 liras (1,221.7 ₽). Hop into the yellow taxi and make sure the driver turns on the meter, which in most cases is located on the windshield. The price to your destination can be checked at taksiyle.com.
• Transfers or costs 38 € (2,781.7 ₽).

If you arrived in Sabiha Gokcen (SAW):

• Fast and inexpensive - Havabus buses. They run every half hour to Kadikoy (14 lire) and Taksim (18 lire). The road to Kadikoy usually takes an hour, to Taksim - 1.5 hours. The bus does not need to be booked in advance - there are always seats. You can pay for the fare inside during the trip. Buses run from 4.00 am to 1.00 am. The schedule can be found on the Havabus website.
• City bus... You can buy a ticket from the driver (4 lira), or you can pay with an Istanbulkart transport card. Buses E10, E11 go to Kadikoy (full list of buses). In Kadikoy, you can take the metro or ferry to the European part. Buses run around the clock.
• Taxi: to Kadikoy 90 lira (956.1 ₽), to Taksim or Fatih region - 100 lira (1,062.4 ₽).
• Transfer or with a sign and a Russian-speaking driver costs 40 € to Kadikoy, 53 € to Taksim or the Grand Bazaar area.

How to get around the city?

How much does public transport cost?

Istanbul has good public transport, although it can seem difficult to navigate. The Google Maps app does a pretty good job of planning routes, so you don't need to install anything extra.

The city has: buses, light rail, ferries, metro, Marmaray (metro under the Bosphorus between Asia and Europe) and metrobus. Each time you change trains, you will have to pay the fare again. And often you can't do without a transplant. Therefore, the Istanbulkart transport card is required. It can be bought from vending machines at metro / ferry stations or at kiosks throughout the city. When buying, give 10 or 20 liras at once: 6 will go to a deposit on the card, the rest - for trips.

One trip costs 2.6 lira (27.6 ₽), the first transfer - 1.85, the second - 1.4, the third and subsequent - 0.9 lira. Ticket prices.

How much does a taxi cost?

Boarding costs 4 lira (42.5 ₽), each kilometer - 2.5 (26.6 ₽)... On the Taksiyle website, you can calculate the approximate cost of the trip. Be sure to have the driver turn on the meter.

There is Uber in Istanbul, but it's kind of banned. The BiTaksi application is more popular in Istanbul. It calls you an ordinary yellow taxi, the price shown by the application is approximate - at the end of the trip, the driver will drive in the amount that will be on the counter.

There are thousands of taxi stops around the city, getting in a taxi on the street is usually faster than ordering it somewhere. Taxis are not the best mode of transport in Istanbul during the daytime. The city is constantly in traffic jams and getting to the desired place by public transport is often faster or not much longer.

Rent a Car

If you are looking to rent a car, be sure to check the prices on several major online aggregators. Just keep in mind that gasoline is very expensive in Turkey. For Turkey we recommend:

• Is one of the world's largest aggregators of rental companies. RentalCars withdraws money immediately and in rubles, and in case of cancellation, it returns in rubles as well. RentalCars usually gives free additional options such as co-driver or unlimited mileage.
• Is a large European aggregator. Does not take any additional payment for cancellation or modification of the reservation 48 hours before the start of the rental.

If you rent a car in advance, an Economy class car (like Opel Corsa) will cost from 17 € per day. It will be a mechanic with incomplete insurance. Always read the terms of the contract carefully! Read our article ““, where we have described 6 ways of honest money taking by offices from a traveler.

How much is accommodation in Istanbul?

Where to live in Istanbul? There are three worthy options: Kadikoy in Asia, Karakoy and Fatih in Europe. Fatih only if you need to live close to major attractions like the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque - life dies there in the evening. For evening life, you need to go to the Besiktash or Kadikoy districts. In the Taksim area, there are only nightclubs for tourists from the Middle East.

Hotels: In low-cost hotels, room rates start from 15-20 €, but these options may have low ratings (for example, Dilek Hotel or Rüyam Hotel). Options with ratings from 8 and in good areas will cost from 25 € (for example, Hotel Altun or Emirtimes Hotel). In good three-star hotels, you can rent a room from 35 € (for example, My Boutique Hotel or Seven Days Hotel), in the off-season for such a price you can find a room in four-star hotels (with a booking rating of 8.9 and 4 stars - a great option). In general, in such hotels a room can be rented for 45-50 € (for example, Holiday Inn or All Seasons Hotel).

Hostels: there are relatively few hostels in Istanbul. A bed in a good one can cost from 7 € (for example, in Fatih)

Airbnb: There are a lot of apartments for rent in Istanbul. Try AirBnb if you want to find an apartment with a good location and, for example, a rooftop. These can cost € 30-50.

If you don't have an AirBnb account, you can get 36 € on your first booking by signing up using this link.

Thus, a good budget accommodation in Istanbul will cost you 7-10 € per night per person.

Ferry station in Kadikoy

How much does communication cost?

Mobile communications in Turkey are expensive. Here's a rough comparison of the three leading operators for internet packages:

A mobile WiFi router can be cheaper. Many companies (for example, Rent'n'connect or the same All Day Wifi) rent them out at a price of 5-6 € per day. For this money, you will receive unlimited Internet at a good speed, which can be distributed to any number of devices.

A way to save money on communications is to order a DrimSim SIM card for travelers in Russia. What we like about Drimsim:

• cheap internet. ~ 10 € for 1 GB in many countries of the world (with the exception of third world countries rarely visited by tourists)
• The SIM card will work already on the plane: you can immediately order a taxi or write to the host.
• billing is in megabytes, i.e. for 100 MB you will give ~ 1 €. If you are traveling to a country with inexpensive internet for more than 3-4 days, you should buy a local SIM card, if less, then you should take a closer look at a travel SIM card.

Delivery of the card costs 10 €, and by issuing it using this link you will receive 7 € as a gift on your account. The minimum top-up amount for Dreamsim is 25 €. Consider this point.

In Turkey, Drimsim costs 10 euros.

How much does it cost to eat in restaurants?

Istanbul is a gastronomic paradise. Especially for street food fans. Here you can never go to a restaurant during the whole trip (although you will succumb to the barkers who shout “Buyurun”). In Istanbul, you can find prices for any wallet. Below are the average prices for non-tourist destinations

• Traditional Turkish breakfast Kahvaltı Tabağı (several types of cheese, sujuk, cucumbers, tomatoes, boiled egg, olives, butter, bread, tea / coffee) costs 20-30 liras. For 20 liras (212.5 ₽) it will be a serving for one, for 30 - a plate for two (318.7 ₽).
• Menemen- Turkish scrambled eggs, which they like to serve for breakfast from 15 liras (159.4 ₽).
• Tea- from 1.5 liras (15.9 ₽), Turkish coffee from 5 liras (53.1 ₽).
• Fast food: decent doner 8-15 lire; lentil soup (merjimek) 4-6 lire, lahmajun 6-8 lire, large pide 10-18 lire; simit - 1 lira.
• Look for places with the inscription Lokanta... This is a cafe, there is often a counter there, like in a dining room, and you can type whatever you want. You can have a hearty lunch from 15 liras (159.4 ₽). For example, the same merjimek soup can be found in lokants and for 2.5 lira (26.6 ₽).

Shawarma with chicken + french fries + ayran = can be found for 10 lira or less. This will be a dense and good snack.

Everything is very good in Istanbul with coffee and not so good with alcohol.

• There are a lot of establishments with good coffee, many where they make an alternative. Cup of cappuccino~ 10 TL (106.2 ₽), filter coffee from 9 TL (95.6 ₽), alternative from ~ 12 (127.5 ₽).
• There are many bars in Istanbul, but 99% of them only serve Tuborg, Efes or something else very different from beer. Bottle of beer costs from ~ 12 liras (127.5 ₽), although more often it is closer to 20. Sometimes you can find beer from local craft breweries (for example, Zikkim) - a bottle will cost from ~ 19 liras (201.8 ₽).
• Turkey has some decent local wines and a shortage of places to try them. One of the best wine spots is Solera Winery. A glass of local wine will cost ~ 20 liras (2.20 $) on average. Cheese / meat platter from 35 TL (371.8 ₽).

How much are groceries in the supermarket?

Local goods in Turkey are inexpensive. Dairy products, cheeses, chocolate, nuts, dried fruits, local fruits and vegetables are on average 1.5 times cheaper than in Russia. Vegetables and fruits are best bought in the markets that are at every turn.

How much does entertainment cost?

There are many free walking tours in Istanbul: istanbul-freetour.com, freetour.com/istanbul, istanbul.viaurbis.com. Google will help you find more, but these have good reviews.

There are Hop-On Hop-Off buses in Istanbul, but, I must admit, sitting on a bus in a stuffy city is so-so. And it's not cheap - Big Bus costs 35 € per ticket. Bosphorus tours are much more popular, from a simple ferry ride along the Bosphorus for a few hours to a full day dinner cruise. Tour prices are almost never fixed, so bargain. On a two-hour guided tour of the Bosphorus, you can bargain for 20 liras (212.5 ₽) per person. But enterprising Turks will not hesitate to take 100 lire from you.

The Turkish bath is a popular pastime. Above all, do not go to Galatasaray Hamam. This place is overgrown with legends, but it differs only in high prices and poor service. In non-tourist hammams, it costs 30-35 TL, another 10 for a massage, another 10 for a scrub. The most popular and well-known hammam with good service is Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan. It is geared towards tourists and costs between 80 and 140 euros per visit.

You can find excursions from Russian-speaking guides on the websites or. Prices from 20-30 € per person for an individual walking tour.

The most popular tripster excursions:

How much do souvenirs cost?

You can buy souvenirs almost anywhere. Just remember to bargain. Popular things can be bought for next to nothing: 1 € for a dozen postcards, 0.5 € for magnets, 1-2 € for souvenir mugs, 2-3 € for wallets. Silver rings can cost 3-5 €, a set of 6 traditional tea cups with saucers - from 1.5 €.

Turkish coffee, copper products (a Turk to your coffee, for example), spices, dried fruits, scarves, rose petal jam, figs, olive oil, shoes, bags, jewelry and much more are also brought from Turkey. Istanbul is a hectic and hectic market. After walking around, asking around for prices and learning a few Turkish words, you can profitably buy anything.

There are cool antique shops on Chukurjuma Street (Google maps), next to the Museum of Innocence and in Kadikoy.

Istanbul museums

You can enter the Blue Mosque for free, the main thing is not to get into the prayer time (the schedule is indicated). A ticket to Hagia Sophia costs 60 lira, the same to Topkapi. To the Basilica and to the top of the Galata Tower - 25 lire. ...

If you want to get around all the museums in Istanbul, then try buying the Istanbul Tourist Pass. At first glance, it looks incredibly expensive (95 € for two days, 145 for seven days), but it includes a free transfer to the hotel (that's 30 €), a mobile router (that's 35 € for a week), entrance to 12 museums, a cruise Bosphorus, Turkish baths and other things. If you use the card to its fullest, then it will pay off.

How much is more expensive in Istanbul compared to Moscow?

Average prices for restaurants in Istanbul are 20% cheaper. Learn more at numbeo.com.

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Flights Moscow - Istanbul:

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The article was updated in October 2018.