Istanbul tips & tricks

Can we just talk about Istanbul for a minute guys? Maybe you have been to a Muslim country before maybe you haven't. I went for the first time the other week. Let me tell you, it was hard. VERY HARD. and also strange. It was one of the strangest places i've ever been.

The first thing that is so very hard to grasp is the size of it. Istanbul is a city of 23 million people. There is an asian side and a european side which just refers to what side of the Bosporus you are on. The asian side was tall and sprawling. We flew into the cheap airport and it took 1.5 hours just to drive from the airport to the ferry terminal. Then we took a ferry and then we walked across the european side of Istanbul into a crater (i let chris plan this one guys).

Somethings I wish I had know how to do:

1. Pay Phones

You will see these around metro stations **insert photo of animal phones. Unfortunately you can't just put money in these, and you can't just use your credit card. You have to go to the post office or a kiosk and try to somehow communicate that you need a Telefon karti. We bought one for 4 lira so that we could call friends when we were really lost. 

2. Have maps and public transport routes mapped out before hand

You will not find a map to take with you of the metro anywhere, and inside the metro you will have a hard time finding one to look at on the wall. You will not be able to find information about any of the buses that are driving around constantly anywhere either. I think people must just know intrinsically. Lucky enough for us I found an APP. Turkiye transport. Get it, use it.

It will tell you many different ways you can get to where you are going on any of the public transport. I didn't find this until our 3rd day in, but it changed our life. Even if it didn't save my knees soon enough.

3. Taksim is a steep ass hill they got tired of walking up so they built public transport. USE IT.

Don't walk up to Taksim. (use the metro) walk down from Taksim. your welcome.

4. REALLY map out directions on public transport first.

Don't walk across Istanbul to your air bnb room. And when your air bnb person says they wont be there, expect to have to follow around 6 different strangers up and down the block before you find the place and they unlock the door.

5. Cover up in Non-tight clothing.

Don't wear jeans (or anything that shows your butt - or better yet just stand next to some westerners who are showing more than you) in the crowded markets or you may get a turkish massage. (WORST THING EVER)

6. EAT

There are many things to see, but the best thing is to eat. Go to the restaurants that serve ONE thing. They make it really well. Eat Menimen. Eat everything.

Beyond this your guess is as good as mine. I think you could spend your lifetime in Istanbul and still never know what the hell is going on. Do I sound like an American? Going to Istanbul made me much happier to be one.