Istanbul Trip: Part 1

Date: 2024-11-29

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Istanbul, Turkey — 4 Nights, 5 Days (September 2024)

Istanbul is one of the world's most extraordinary cities — sitting between the Aegean and the Black Sea, with the city itself divided between a European side and an Asian side. For centuries it has been the crossroads of East and West, a meeting point for people, goods and cultures. The two halves are connected by two bridges, an undersea rail tunnel, and ferries.

The European side is further split: to the south, Old Istanbul with its historic mosques and palaces; across the Golden Horn, the more modern New City district where locals live and work. The Asian side, across the Bosphorus, is a mix of corporate offices, residential areas and quieter neighbourhoods.

We had visited Istanbul ten years ago on an MSC cruise — an 11-night voyage we took with my wife's parents (still with us then). That stop was brief, a few hours guided around the major sights. This time, four full nights meant we could explore at our own pace.

Discovering Turkish Airlines

A few months earlier, at Birmingham Airport, I spotted a large Turkish Airlines advertisement and noted that a direct service from Birmingham to Istanbul had launched. Turkish Airlines used to have a mixed reputation, but we had been seeing very positive reviews recently — and the airline now has a modern hub at the new Istanbul Airport on the European side. We decided it was time to try.

September is said to be the best time to visit — the intense summer heat is fading and the weather is excellent.

The Flight

• Route: Birmingham (BHX) → Istanbul (IST), Turkish Airlines TK1968
• Aircraft: Airbus A321-200
• Scheduled departure: 10:45 | Actual: pushback 10:51, take-off 11:02
• Landing: 16:37 Istanbul time | Terminal arrival: 17:04
• Actual flying time: 3 hours 34 minutes (Istanbul is +2 hours from UK)

Istanbul Airport is enormous — even after landing, it takes a considerable time taxiing to the terminal.

Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member, so we earn ANA miles with every flight — a welcome bonus.

The in-flight meal was a layered pastry filled with cheese or yoghurt — soft, bread-like, filling. Served with a yoghurt-and-cheese salad, bread, and — unusually — sour cherry jam. The flavours were distinctive and genuinely good. We rarely finish airplane meals, but we cleared everything on this flight. The reputation for excellent Turkish Airlines catering is entirely deserved.

Into the City: Havaist Airport Bus

After clearing passport control and collecting luggage, we took the Havaist airport bus to the city centre. The bus stop is one floor below the arrivals level — through the automatic doors and outside, there's a ticket booth and boarding area right there.

The ticket officer helpfully told us we could also pay using an Istanbul Card (the city's reloadable transit card). We bought one on the spot and loaded the bus fare onto it — problem solved for the rest of the trip, as the same card works on metro, tram, and ferries, and can be shared by up to five people.

We arrived at around 7pm — still rush hour. Traffic was heavy in places, but we reached Aksaray metro station in Old Istanbul without difficulty.

Stepping off the bus, the call to prayer (the fourth prayer of the day, just after sunset) was echoing through the streets from every direction. An immediate, unmistakeable sense of arrival in an Islamic city.

Our Hotel: Holiday Inn Istanbul Old City

We pulled our suitcases over cobblestones to the hotel — the Holiday Inn Istanbul Old City, a 4-star IHG property in the Laleli district.

Laleli is a textile and fabric trade area — showrooms and wholesale shops for clothing fabrics and curtains — with many hotels in the surrounding streets. Perfectly located: the T1 tram line connects us easily to the Blue Mosque and other Old City sights, and a different line goes directly to the New City. The Havaist bus stop is also close by. A genuinely convenient base.

We had a Premium Corner Room on the third floor (fifth by Japanese counting). Being a corner room, it had windows on two sides — and this part of the district sits on high ground, so the views were excellent: the sunset, and a mosque visible from one window. We found ourselves returning to look at the view again and again.

The hotel has a traditional Turkish hamam (bathhouse) in the basement, offering steam baths and exfoliating scrub treatments. We were tempted, but one of us had a slight cold, so we saved it for next time.

Breakfast

The breakfast buffet featured an extensive spread, with many traditional Turkish dishes alongside the usual hotel fare. Fresh vegetables, a variety of cheeses, olives, eggs cooked to order — the Turkish breakfast tradition lived up to its reputation. We enjoyed exploring the unfamiliar dishes each morning.

Çay (Turkish tea) was served in the traditional way: from a double teapot (a small upper pot sitting on a larger lower one containing hot water), poured into the characteristic tulip-shaped glass. The slightly sweet Turkish pastries paired beautifully with unsweetened çay.

Ayran: A Discovery

One of the unexpected pleasures of the trip: Ayran — a cold yoghurt drink, slightly salted, thin enough to be refreshing rather than heavy. Available everywhere in Turkey, it cuts through rich food perfectly. It also seemed to agree with our digestion throughout the trip. We became genuine converts.