Istanbul, like every major city, is full of tourist traps, but it can be a really inexpensive holiday destination if you do your homework before going. Look for a cheap flight to the city, a budget hotel with decent standards and cheap places to eat out and you’ll be set for a wonderful time in this city that has become so famous for bridging Europe and Asia, the east and the west, the historical and the modern.

Budget accommodation

If you want to be at the heart of modern Istanbul, look for accommodation on Taksim Square as this is where you will find all the more modern buildings, shops and restaurants. It is also home to the Cumhuriyet Anıtı (Republic Monument), which commemorates the establishment of the Turkish Republic.
If, however, you are more interested in the historical side of the city, you should stay in a hotel near the Blue Mosque where you will also find the Hippodrome of Constantine and the Hagia Sophia in an area declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Getting there and around

Ataturk is Istanbul’s main airport and it is located just 10 km from the old city centre. You can get to the centre of the city either by taxi or, a cheaper alternative is to take a LRT (light Rail Transit to Zeytinburnu, and then a tram to Sultanahmet. There are also buses to Taksim Square which take under an hour to complete their journey. Once you are settled in your accommodation, it’s time to get visiting the city. I’d recommend an Akbil pass if you are staying in town for a while. You will find trams and buses but just a very limited metro service as the system is only partially completed. For water travel, you will find catamarans and ferries which will take you along the Bosporus for a very low price.

Cheap eats

Istanbul is as full of chic, expensive restaurants as it is budget ones. Some of the cheap eateries leave a lot to be desired though, so it’s good to have a few reliable addresses to head to when you are hungry and your travel funds are running low.

Canim Ciğerim (Asmalimescit Mahallesi Minare Sokak 1, Beyoğlu) is a simple little joint with a mainly meat menu. The food is fresh and cheap and the waiters are friendly and efficient – what more could you ask for?

Hala (Istiklal Caddesi 211, Beyoğlu) is part of a chain of restaurants selling pasta and pancakes with a choice of cheese, meat or spinach as a filling. This place has a few good vegetarian options and makes a nice place for a quiet lunch.

And, if you are feeling brave, head down to the river’s edge and grab a fried fish sandwich right off of one of the fried fish boats tied up down by the Galata Bridge!

I’m here to dispel a few common myths about the Turkish city of Istanbul. Contrary to popular belief, Istanbul is a thriving, youthful and surprisingly modern city. Whilst visiting mosques and museums is an essential part of a trip to Turkey for most tourists, don’t overlook what contemporary Istanbul has to offer in the way of night life, fashion and business!

When you have visited the Blue Mosque and the Haya Sofia, drank tea in a çay bahçesi (tea garden), and shopped in the Grand Bazaar, head back to your hotel in Istanbul before heading out to explore the ever-expanding collection of night clubs and bars that are dotted around the city. The Beyoglu district, on the European side of the Bosphorus, in particular has received a much needed face lift over the past ten years and is now home to some very nice bars and restaurants that fill up on a Saturday evening. 360 Istanbul, Nu-Teras and Babylon are the names of just a few places worth checking out for music and great city views from roof top terraces. The admirable thing about young people in Istanbul is their ability to move with the times whilst maintaining more traditional pastimes like drinking tea in quiet, candle-lit gardens and smoking water pipes whilst listening to traditional Turkish music.

Other common myths I am keen to dispel are the ideas that (1) there is no gay scene in Turkey and (2) Istanbul is not a safe place for western women to travel. Although maybe not advertised as such, there are a growing number of gay bars and clubs in Istanbul and people’s opinion of homosexuality, particularly among the young people, is far more liberal and tolerant that many westerners may think. As far as being a lone female traveller in Istanbul is concerned; you need to exercise common sense here as in any other major city. Know your areas and which to avoid after dark but, other than that, there is no reason why you can not enjoy this exciting city as much as your fellow male travellers.

If there is something that Istanbul does well, it is organise major business events like conferences, trade fairs and congresses. The city’s impressive list of major annual events includes: Istanbul Gida, IPACK Turkey and AYMOD. So it’s no wonder there are so many budget hotels in Istanbul, designed with the business traveller in mind.

If you come to Istanbul in search of exoticism and tradition, you won’t be disappointed…just don’t expect it to be all that you will find here.