Saturday 8 August 2015

An Istanbul layover - 4 stories

Istanbul, Turkey
There are treasures to find around every corner in Istanbul
creativecommons image benmciver on Flickr

Istanbul in 10 Hours: Making the Most of a Flight Connection - Travel with Pedro
Pedro shares the ground he covered, mostly on foot, on his layover. Using public transit, he arrived back at the airport with plenty of time, and ready to sleep on his next flight.
Recently, on a trip from Tbilisi, in Georgia, to Kyrgyzstan, I had a 10-hour connection in Turkey’s largest city. So here I show you how I spent those ten hours, and hopefully that will give you good ideas of what to do during your Istanbul flight connection. My flight landed at 7:15am and by 9am, I was already in the main area of tourist interest. I got off the tram at Beyazit, which is near the famous Grand Bazaar... [read Pedro's story]

Touring Istanbul on my short overnight layover - UPGRD: Regional First
Brad arrived at his Istanbul hotel late and tired, but arose early to make the most out of his day, even forgoing an airline bus service for more time and a metro ride.
After a nice time in Belgium, and an easy flight back to Istanbul, while I had the business class cabin to myself, I would finally have some time to leave Atatürk Airport and see a few of the sites in Istanbul. Of course, a few hours exploring is not nearly enough time, but I was pretty happy with what I got to see in the short time I had... [read Brad's story]

How to See Istanbul In One Day - The Wok of Life
Sarah shares her story along with many practical tips, including how to get a visa to leave the airport, currency and footwear.
If you’re contemplating a one-day layover in Istanbul, or thinking about how to see (at least some of) Istanbul in one day, three things: 1. Yes, it’s possible. In fact, it’s awesome. 2. Don’t even think about wearing flip-flops, Tom’s, or anything less than an orthopedic shoe (I’m only partially kidding. My aching feet beseech you…bring good walking shoes!). 3. Read on for more tips... [read Sarah's story]

The Best Decision I Ever Made: A 4-Day Solo Layover in Istanbul - Olivia Balsinger
Olivia's spontaneous inquiry that led to life-changing pause in Istanbul is inspiring ~ plus she deals head-on with the question of "Is it safe?"
As I waited to check my bags at the “Alexander the Great” Airport in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, the poetic and profound words of Wiz Khalifa echoed in my ears, "We searching for the thrill of it, thrill of it". In spite of the fact that I had nothing to lose, or maybe because of it, I asked the booking agent: “How much would it be to not go back to New York? To take a later flight and spend a few days in the layover city? To see Istanbul?” “1,600,” she replied. Darn. There goes that. “1,600 Macedonian dollars … $32.37 American dollars..." [read Olivia's story]

Related resources
5 Reasons to Plan a Layover at the Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul - Live, Do, Grow
Layover Lowdown: Istanbul Atatürk Airport - The Points Guy
Istanbul Layover Ideas and Things to Do in Istanbul
Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) transportation guide
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) transportation guide