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The best of Istanbul
Written by: Anita Lišková & Todd Shaw
Photo by: Allphoto
A heaving bazaar-city of camels, carpets and caravans, Istanbul
is often called "the crossroads of Europe and Asia".
Visitors may be awed by the jumble of Byzantine, Ottoman and modern
buildings as well as the sophistication of café society, designer
shops, and thriving nightlife.
Aziz Unan
researcher, Wood & Company
Favorite hotel: Four Seasons, Tevkifhane Sokak 1,
Sultanahmet-Eminönü, tel: +90 212 638 8200
Favorite restaurant: Venge, Akasyalû Sokak 2, tel: +90 212
281 9383 - famous for meat dishes
Favorite night club:Reina, Muallim Naci Caddesi 10, Ortaköy,
tel: +90 212 259 5919 - for winter and summer
Favorite attraction: Sailing to the islands, visiting historical
sites (there are so many).
Advice: You won't see even 10% of the city unless you have
a local friend (not a guide). Istanbul is a megapolis, and
tourists are shown only a small portion of the historical sites,
as they typically stay for just a few days. |
Ayse
Ersoy
general manager, Turkish Airlines
Favorite hotel: Ciragan Palace Hotel Kempinski, Ciragan
Caddesi 32, Besiktas, tel: +90 212 258 3377
Favorite restaurant: Any restaurant in Cicek Pasaji on
Istiklal caddesi.
Favorite night club: Laila, Muallim Naci cad 141-142,
Kurucesme, tel: + 90 212 287 8282 - great summer open-air
restaurant, bar, and disco
Best-kept secret: Viktor Levi, Hamalbasi Caddesi 12,
Beyoglu, tel: +90 212 249 60 85 - venue with good Turkish
drinks (wine, raki) and music
Favorite shop: Galleria Shopping mall, Ataköy, tel: +
90 212 559 9560
Advice: Visit Aysofia, Topkapi Sarayi, Yerebatan Sarnici,
Istiklal Cadesi and other Bosphorus tours.
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Cuneyt Yavuzcan
second secretary, Turkish Embassy
Favorite hotel: Pera Palas, Mesrutiyet Cad. 98, Tepebasi,
tel: +90 212 251 4560
The hotel was opened in 1891, and has since been frequented
by many famous people.
Favorite restaurant: Asithane, Kariye Hotel, Kariye Camii
Sokak 18, Edirnekapi, tel: +90 212 534 8414. With a lovely
summer terrace and rose garden. Specialties are typically
extravagant.
Favorite night club: Babylon, Sehbender Sokak 3, Tunel-Asmalimescit,
Beyoglu, tel: +90 212 292 7368 - the premier live music club
in Istanbul
Favorite attractions: Home to the Ottoman Sultans for 400
years. The buildings and gardens are impressive, and you
can see portraits of all the Sultans, as well as porcelain,
armoury and jewels. You can also visit the Sultan's private
home - the Harem.
Best-kept secret: The boats running along the Bosphorus is
a great way to see the skyline of Istanbul. The Dolmabahce
Palace will attract your attention - it is decked with over
14 tons of gold and silver.
Favorite shop: It is a shopping experience unlikely to be
matched anywhere else in the world. This is said to be the
largest covered bazaar in the world, with 4,400 shops.
Advice: Ortakoy is the best place for nightlife in Istanbul,
with its discos, jazz clubs, fine seafood restaurants, and
bars. |
Jitka
Roušarová
sales manager, CK Detur Favorite
hotel: The Marmara Istanbul Hotel, Taksim Square, tel: + 90 212 251 4696
Favorite restaurant: Haci Baba, Istiklal Caddesi, 49 Beyoglu, tel: +90
212 244 1886
Favorite night club: Laila, Muallim Naci cad 141-142, Kurucesme, tel:
+ 90 212 287 8282
Favorite attractions: the Blue mosque, Aya Sofya, the Sultan's palace
Topkapi, the Harem
Best-kept secret: sailing on the Bosphorus
Favorite shop: Grand Bazaar
Advice: I recommend trying a Turkish spa to cleanse your body and mind.
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Basic facts
Location: Northwest Turkey
Country dialing code: 90
Population: 15,000,000 (metropolitan area).
Ethnic mix: 90% Turkish, 6% Greek, Armenian, Jewish
and other minorities, 4% Kurdish
Religion: 97% Muslim, 3% Christian, Jewish and other
minorities
Time zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March
to last Sunday in October)
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz; round two or three-pin
plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 5° C (23° F)
Average July temp: 30° C (86° F)
Annual rainfall: 654 mm (25.8 inches)
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Where on the web?
For further information, we suggest the following websites dedicated
to Istanbul:
http://www.turizm.net/cities/istanbul/index.html -a region-specific
site with history and current events, plus tips on dining, sightseeing & accommodation.
http://www.travelcreek.com/istanbul.htm -this site's homepage begins
with sightseeing descriptions, and visitors can browse other sections
from there.
http://istanbul.cybercityguides.com/ -a portal page that contains links mainly
to hotels and accommodation, from budget to luxury.
http://www.anatolia.com/anatolia/destinations/istanbul/default.asp - a clean,
easy to navigate site that will take you all over Anatolia.
http://www.travelnotes.org/Asia/turkey.htm - concise "notes" for travel
and accommodation throughout the region.
Business etiquette
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Prices
Note: Turkey has had more than
12 years of 100% inflation and although statistics
for 2002 indicate that this has been reduced to 60%,
visitors may expect to be counting their Turkish
Lira in billions rather than millions, with the largest
note, 20 million Turkish Lira, worth approximately
USD 12 in October 2002. For this reason, prices are
given in US dollars. The general economic upheaval,
however, has led to lower costs for visitors, including
restaurants and some consumer goods.
· 1.5-l bottle of mineral water: USD 0.25
· 33-cl bottle of beer: USD 0.70
· Financial Times newspaper: USD 0.75
· 36-exposure color film: USD 5.25
· city-center bus ticket: USD 0.50
· adult football ticket: USD 12
· three-course meal with wine/beer: from USD 12
100,000 Turkish Lire (TRL) = GBP 0.40; USD 0.63;
CZK 1.8; EUR 0.58
(currency conversion rates as of press time)
Source:
http://www.cityguide.travel-guides.com
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· It is customary for business visitors to address new acquaintances
by their first names followed by "Bey" (sir) or "Hanim" (lady).
Company heads will invariably have a vast, luxurious office in
which to entertain, while employees just outside the door are squashed
into cramped spaces and have virtually no authority delegated to
them. Secretaries are rarely empowered to take important messages
or even know the boss's schedule, so when telephoning, it is usual
for callers to be told to ring back "one hour later" or
fax your queries.
· Punctuality is expected for all business meetings. In addition
to taking visitors to the most expensive places in town and footing
the entire bill, Turkish people adore having their photos taken
with visiting dignitaries, so visitors should bring a camera. When
visiting people's homes, flowers or sweets are more appropriate
than alcohol, as the host might not drink.
· Business dress is the same as in Europe or North America, although
women are advised to wear business suits with skirts below the
knee.
Source: www.cityguide.travel-guides.com
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