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TRAVELLING
TO ISTANBUL - HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR DISTRICT ?
Now, you can start to interest you in the human, historical and monumental richnesses of
the City of the cities.
What to see ? What to make ? Difficult to give the priorities, because the
tastes of the travellers vary as the type of the travel itself. If you chose an "all
inclusive" voyage, let your guide take you to see of the principal monuments
and the stores which give commissions. You will not have met any Stambouliote, but will
know all about the carpets. If you chose "intelligent " travelling , to try
to compose a cocktail of museums, mosques, markets while not hesitating to vary the
districts.
But first, the choice where to stay of these innumerable districts, is very important.
Several guides advise to stay in the district of Sultanahmet, near St. Sophia.
Surely, it is not to meet of Stambouliotes. The district is not inhabited and you can find
there only stores and restaurants for tourists, and some little hotels. Of course,
Sultanahmet is in the old city, but covers only 3% of the totality of historical
Istanbul.
If you prefer calm als
the mercantile storm, you can choose a district in the historical center, but
far from the bus of tourists with flowered hats. Laleli, Sehzadebasi and the East part of
Aksaray, have the advantage of being central, but disadvantage is not inhabited. This part
of the old city is devoted to the trade, particularly textile. The Western part of
Aksaray, which continue with the districts of Findikzade, Haseki and Vatan, is inhabited
by the middle class and it is easy to move by public transportation (bus, tram, subway). The
Architecture is not marvellous, but you can find there all the advantages of a popular
district : supermarkets, restaurants, services, etc.
Always in the old city, the districts of Fener, Balat (Gold Horn)
and Samatya, preserved
many old houses. The districts are popular and rich in history. They are well appropriate
for those which want a total immersion in the stambouliote life. Unfortunately, these
districts contain only few hotel infrastructures, except some boutique hotels (Kariye, Daphnis) and some
apartments to rent (Lojman dü Levan).
In the historical center
of Istanbul, the most advisable zone is the old Latin Quarters of
Galata and Pera (Beyoglu). Not only these two large districts are inhabited, but it is
as there, a lot Stambouliotes will go in the evening. Pera and Galata offering a
continuous animation, but the historical districts (divided into innumerable
under-districts), are preserved calm and quiet parts. In Péra and in Galata, the
very cheap hotels do not exist. They are hotels between 3 and 4 *, or Boutique hotels. You can find
there appart-hotels or holidays apartments
too.
It is the high place of the stambouliote nights and it is easy to find there clubs, restaurants, coffees
shops, theatres, cinemas, concert halls and the opera. The district of Tünel, give
the all charm of the " hill of Latins ". Side of public transport, the
two districts are well served by the buses, the subway, the tram and by an old tram and
the old funicular. From these two districts, it is also easy to joint by foot the palace
of Dolmabahçe, the Egyptien bazaar and different museums like the very new Modern art
Museum.
Some one will prefer to stay outside of the historical center where you can find the
luxury hotels.
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Rinaldo Tomaselli 2005 © Copyright
Istanbulguide.Net
Photos : Roxane
Photos Paris © Copyright 2005