3 Nights in Istanbul - November 26-29

Hello, I have an upcoming layover on my way to Africa. This is my first trip to the region. While I am interested in seeing some of the must-see tourist attractions, I'm mostly interested in experiencing / learning about the culture and the people. I have made a hotel reservation at a hotel in the Galata area but otherwise I've no other plans formed at this time. I'm thinking of considering small group tours, I'd like to best utilize my time and as a solo traveler (male) would like to find ways to meet others, be safe and not get lost. I arrive Saturday at Ataturk airport 4pm. What is the best / safest option for getting to hotel from airport? Would appreciate any thoughts on the time of year, what I should be sure not to miss, ways to experience more of the authentic Istanbul and less touristy parts and safe nightlife experiences people would recommend. Thank you

Three or four days--particularly in Istanbul--isn't much time to experience/learn about the culture and people. Actually it's barely enough time for basic sightseeing. Turks are naturally friendly and helpful but like in other large well-developed cities peoples' lives tend to be very fast paced with very little time for socializing with strangers. Those who do have the time may well have other motives. As a solo male be watchful for the "be your friend" scam. Generally a nicely dressed man will strike up a conversation and he will eventually suggest that you go to a place he knows for a drink and girls. If you go you will be presented an ENORMOUS bill and coerced (sometimes the police will assist) to pay. You don't have to be stand-offish as again Turks are generally quite friendly but if asked to go to someplace your new friend suggests, insist upon going to a place of your choice--an open front tea house/cafe is a good idea. Do that and there's a good chance your new "friend" will suddenly remember something he has to do ;)

Small group tours can be nice but the area of İstanbul most of interest to first-time visitors is a relatively tiny part of the mega city. While the hilly, twisting, narrow streets do make it very easy to get temporarily confused it's hard to get truly lost. If you think you're truly lost just keep walking downhill--you'll make it either the Golden Horn or the Bosporus. Unless you're FAR afield you'll be able to see landmarks like the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower, etc. from any shore. İstanbul taxis are inexpensive. Always carry a business card from your place of accommodation.

While you can get to the Galata Tower neighborhood from Atatürk Airport cheaply using public transportation ıt wıll probably ınvolve at least two transfers and, depending on the exact location, a foot search on a very steep hillside. A taxi from the airport will cost about $20 - $25.

Nightlife is concentrated on the cross and side streets of Istiklal Avenue the long pedestrian street that runs between Galata Tower and Taksim Square. The Karaköy neighborhood is the current chic area. It is essentially at the junction of the Golden Horn and Bosporus below Galata Tower. Other than the "be a friend" scam you don't have to be overly concerned with safety when enjoying the nightlife. Very friendly girls are probably for sale and/or not really girls...

The following is not meant to dissuade you from your visit but you should keep it in mind. While I would have no problem visiting Turkey tomorrow and take U.S. State Department travel warnings with a large dose of salt, be aware that now is not a "normal" time in Turkey. The State Department has ordered family members of workers at the U.S. Consulate office in İstanbul to leave the country. They cite dangers from both domestic and foreign groups aimed specifically at U.S. citizens. They also mention significantly increased anti-American sentiments. Security measures--both seen and unseen--have been greatly increased in Sultanahmet and other areas popular with tourists. Avoid any public marches/demonstrations/rallies and should you see a large crowd gathering anywhere at any time it is best to go the other direction. While violent crime is very rare in Turkey the huge drop in tourism and influx of Syrian refugees has made it every more difficult for the many young Turkish (mainly men) who depend on tourism for their livelihood. Even in "normal" years a large number of these young men will go to Istanbul after the tourist season along the coasts ends in hopes of finding some sort of work while eaking out their existence from what they save of their meager tourist industry wages. As a consequence be on alert for crimes of opportunity like pickpocketing, cell phone theft, etc.

Welcome to TT YukeH! So you have all day Sunday,Monday and at least some of Tuesday(you don't mention when you leave on 29th but I assume you have some of that day).
You've picked a nice area to stay which is convenient for the metro system,is close too the nightlife of Istiklal Avenue and also Asmalımescit neighbourhood at the Galata end of the avenue.Asmalı is a small area known for Istanbul's famous meyhanes,a traditional place for eating and drinking usually with live music too.Not ridiculously expensive but most meyhanes also have set menu's too if you are on a budget.

I would not normally advise tours in Istanbul because it is so easy to see alone;but,given your very limited time you don't want to waste a minute trying to relocate your position etc.,If you are a person who hates organised tours the perhaps consider the HOHO bus so at least you can get off as you wish.Red Route would be the better one for you-
http://eng.bigbustours.com/istanbul/home.html
You'd see both European and Asian sides on this which is nice and it gives you a real sense of the size and layout of the city.
Or perhaps one of these walking tours(even their 2 day tour)might interest you.As a solo traveller walking tours are a nice safe way to get chatting to others.I see they also have an evening dinner and stroll programme you may like to join.
As you are especially interested in the culture rather than just the touristy things then I recommend the Fener and Balat tour.This covers some of the most ancient parts of the city and also some of the traditionally most ethnicly diverse neighbourhoods with Jews,Muslims,Christians,Greeks,Roma,Armenians,Turks and others all living cheek by jowl for centuries :)
http://walksinistanbul.com/walks/

Anything like these would help you to cover a lot in a short time and then you could go back to anything you want to spend more time at.

Mike warned you about the befriending/bar scam and he was right to do so as it seems to be on the increase and operating in pretty much all area's tourists are found.If someone seems to want to be your new BF a little too much be very careful and NEVER get in a car with anyone at all!This is a very smart,slickly operated,very nasty scam.

Re;Americans departure situation.Do bear in mind this is political and not from the people.Although there are 'things' happening over the borders and there are tensions between the Turkish and U.S governments, that does not really translate down to hostility from Turkish people themselves so don't feel that you will be made to feel unwelcome or uncomfortable.In Turkey a guest is a guest and is always made welcome and treated with warm courtesy regardless of who or what they are.

Airport transport will depend on where in Galata your hotel is(it is a large district!).If you are travelling light then you'd be fine on public transport of metro and tram but if you have a lot of luggage then a taxi or private transfer maybe better for you.

I just returned from a week in Istanbul, my third visit to the city in the past five years (seven visits in total) and there are still things I have yet to see. With your limited time, I'd concentrate on the typical tourist sites and to be honest, you could hardly pick a better time to visit. The city was virtually empty of tourists; the five massive cruise ships which would normally dock for the weekend are no longer there, and the long lines of visitors for must see sites like the Blue Mosque, Topakpi Palace and Hagia Sofia have disappeared. Even the Grand Bazaar was empty. The US Dollar is strong, and the shopping in Istanbul is simply magnificent: I came home with a suitcase filled with treasures, including five pair of shoes! I've never traveled into Turkey with more than one bag (although I usually leave with two), so I have no issues with the Metro, which is quick, cheap and efficient. Late evening traffic will be a nightmare so ground transportation from the airport to Galati will take some time.

I have no clue behind the recent warning by the US state Department because while I was in Istanbul the city was as quiet as I've ever seen it and discussions on domestic politics were almost non existent. Men only talk about three things: Women, sports and politics, and Erdoğan's crackdown as he tightens his grip on power has more or less eliminated that topic of conversation (with over 10,000 people being "detained" and about 40,000 having their various licenses suspended, I'd be keeping my mouth shut as well).

I've been to all of the major European cities: Rome, Paris, London and Berlin, and I can honestly say that until you have visited Istanbul, you really haven't been anywhere! Trust me, you will be planning a return visit soon.

I would not have even mentioned the State Department warnings had you not mentioned your great desire to learn about Turkish people and culture. Believe me. I understand that desire and hold the wonderful friendships I've made in Turkey well above all but a handful of those with friends/family in the U.S.

With such limited time you are extremely unlikely to encounter any sort of problem during your visit. As markinrancho said now is actually a great time to visit as the sometimes overwhelming crowds are way down.

While it will not directly affect you as a tourist be aware that Turkey is under an official "state of emergency" declared after the coup attempt and recently extended. Also as markinrancho said politics is normally a very common topic of discussion. While I don't start them I've never had a problem when Turks steered the topic that way. Were I in Turkey now I would not discuss politics with anyone except those well known to me. I would also, sadly, be less inclined to strike up conversations with Turks that I do not already know. I tend to be more outgoing, open and trusting with new acquaintances in Turkey than nearly anywhere save a family reunion. Such is because I find Turks to be more outgoing, open and trusting than others--especially in the USA. This is also probably why my Turkish friends tell me that I can't really "be myself" now in Turkey. The Turks aren't really themselves either :(

It is true that the coup attempt by the Gülenists has opened up a deep rift in society at the moment with people less inclined to speak openly to people they don't know intimately.Consider that you worked alongside someone for several years or had a family member you thought you knew well,to suddenly wake up one morning to discover that they were a traitor.Work colleagues have disowned one another,parents have disowned their children and siblings each other.Such is the depth of the pain the treachery of the coup attempt has caused.It went right to the heart of the Turkish psyche.
This will fade to some extent over time but for now the pain is still too bitter and recent and the investigations are still going on as new suspects are pulled in following the piecing together of newly received information.So it is too early yet for people to be able to start to put this behind them.

Don't let this put you off engaging local people in conversation if you have chance and time but other than offering condolences for those who died that night of July 15th and acknowledging the bravery of Turkish citizens it is best not to bring the coup issue up in conversation.There is still too much pain and anger and also still too much uncertainty over who may yet be arrested.
In WW2 there was a saying" careless talk costs lives" that is probably an appropriate attitude to take right now.

YukeH: Please check your messages for a private message from me.

In February, my husband and I are considering stopping over in Istanbul for 3 nights after a trip to Egypt and Jordan, but after reading this thread, I'm not so sure anymore. Perhaps it's best to visit some other time...after the political situation has somewhat stabilized.

Hi

On my trip I had 2 days in Holland then 3 days in Istanbul on my way to Rwanda

I arrived in Reanda yesterday

Honestly I did not see nor did I feel any unrest in Istanbul. It felt as safe to me as Holland or any major city where you don't speak the language

People were friendly. Tourism is obviously very low as many of the best restaurants and tourist spots had no waits and few people

I was a bit concerned. One thing I did do was hire a personal tour guide which cost me $100 per day. Well worth it in my opinion as he was able to advise me and I made the best use of my three days

If be happy to share his contact information if you are interested

Freakolina I find it somewhat puzzling that you are concerned about spending a couple of days in Istanbul when you will have visited Egypt-a country which has plenty of security problems if it's own.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/egypt.html

Any issues here are domestic ones not ones that are likely to affect foreign tourists.Look a round not just this but other internet travel forums and you'll come across lot's of reviews from recent visitors who all had a great time in the city and state that it was nothing like they feared.Indeed many have said they wondered what all the fuss was about!
This is an ideal time to visit.Sadly the city is much quieter than normal due to people's paranoia but that means being able to visit sites with out huge queues or cruise ship crowds filling places up for hours.Hotel rates are excellent and exchange rates make it a cheap stay too.

I personally don't see the point in a personal tour guide as Istanbul is very user friendly for tourists but I guess a guide can help you to whizz around quicker if your time is short.

Freakolina:

I'm afraid it is my posts in this thread that make you reluctant to visit Istanbul. Don't forget that my comments were delivered to a single male traveler who hoped to "get to know" the Turkish in a very short time.

this was touring privately in Egypt (my 2nd visit there) and while I never felt in danger I will say that there is a strange unease in the air and that some of the touts are so aggressive--sometimes literally grabbing your arm to get you in their shop--that they make Turkish rug salesmen seem like pussycats. I was also in Istanbul during the coup attempt and while the situation was surreal and I was very much on edge, in retrospect the Turkish people dealt with the situation extremely well and with surprisingly little violence and civil disobedience. I'll be on holiday in Turkey again this coming February and fully expect to enjoy myself just as much as in every other visit.

Freakolina:

Regarding private guides I agree with Sarikinarya that despite its size, İstanbul is surprisingly easy and very safe to enjoy on your own. I must though disagree with her assertion that expedience is the prime benefit of a private guide in İstanbul. If you are at all ınterested please send a prıvate message to YukeH. The guide he used is one I suggested to him, truly my best friend in the world and certainly the best guide I have ever experienced anywhere in the world. He will greatly enhance your experience in İstanbul--particularly after your extraordinarily fast-paced commercial tour in Egypt and Jordan.

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