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A holiday in Istanbul is nice because you can always combine here tours with relaxed pastime somewhere near the sea and active shopping with walks and cognitive tourism. Istanbul is many-sided. And so its leisure is. To be able to combine its various forms just find out which area of Istanbul is famous for what kinds of things.
The most famous sightseeings of course belong to Sultanahmet. It is no exaggeration to say that almost two thirds of all monuments and sights of the era of Rome, Byzantium and Ottoman Empire are concentrated here. Constantinople truly is Sultanahmet within its present borders. Settling right here you choose an open-air museum as your home. Moreover, whatever hotel you would choose you can safely walk till any sightseeing.
Nightlife? This is definitely Taksim. Same old town, it has concentrated almost all the night clubs, restaurants, discos and entertainment places of the city. Typically most of them are located on Istiklal Avenue - a huge pedestrian avenue stretching across the entire Taksim. People come here day and night on end. There is a cafe which history goes back almost a hundred years, legendary restaurants and clubs. In addition Taksim has several cinemas with noticeable history. Usually the night in Taksim begins with a walk along the Istiklal Avenue where tourists first drink in hundreds of cafes and then stroll about the cult book and music stores. After dinner in a restaurant they go to any open night club there. The nights in Taksim are always crowded, this area lives 24 hours a day in contrast to other areas of Istanbul.
So Sultanahmet has mostly attractions but the nightlife is situated in Taksim. What can you choose for the best combination of leisure? It all depends on your funds. The fact is it’s easier to choose a hotel at the average level price in Sultanahmet than in Taksim. In Taksim hotels tend to cost more.
If you are counting on the budget vacation, it’s better to stay in Sultanahmet where you can spend time in day trips and walks and see all the sights and go to the Taksim area only at night. Sultanahmet hotels will suit you better because this area is famous for its huge choice of hotels at low and medium prices. And in the morning you will travel back to the hotel by taxi, it is inexpensive in Istanbul.
If you’re willing to spend a little more on housing, feel free to reserve a room at Taksim. You will be sightseeing in Sultanahmet in the afternoon. It is quite comfortable and convenient to get there even by city buses. It is not necessary to take a taxi during the day. And during the night you will go out of the hotel and immediately plunge into the world of entertaining Istanbul...
A few words about the hotels in Sultanahmet:
Istanbul Holiday Hotel - a comfortable three star hotel in Sultanahmet. It is famous for its wonderful terrace on the roof of the hotel with stunning views of the Marmara Sea and the Old City. At a distance of just 100-200 meters from the hotel there are such sights as The Cathedral of St. Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Hippodrome and many others.
Orsep Royal Hotel - is a four star Istanbul hotel in Sultanahmet’s district Sirkeci. The hotel is located next to the tram stops "Sirkeci" and "Gulhane", also very close to Eminonu pier where you can take a boat trip along the Bosporus. The hotel is a modern six-storey building with a large terrace on the roof.
Saba Hotel - is a cozy three star hotel in the historic part of the town. It is located close to the tram stop "Sultanahmet". The roof also has a terrace with beautiful views of the Blue Mosque and the Marmara Sea. In short one can say it is quite inexpensive and acceptable three star hotel in Sultanahmet. It is close to the main attractions of the area.
See full list of hotels in Sultanahmet district »
A few words about the hotels in Taksim:
Santa Pera Hotel - is an affordable four star hotel in Taksim. It is located in close proximity to the places of luring nightlife. We recommend this hotel to those who are going to spend most of their time outside.
Inka Hotel - is a three star hotel in Taksim. This is one of the best budget hotels in the district. It’s more suitable for those who will spend in the city most of their time and return to the hotel only for sleeping and having breakfast. It is located in a 10 minutes walk distance from Istiklal Avenue and quite close to the Galata Tower and The Church of St. Anthony.
Kervansaray Hotel – a four star hotel of a higher level than the two listed above. Bright comfortable rooms, convenient location, nice staff and the hotel atmosphere will smooth your pastime in Istanbul over. The hotel is located very close to the nightclubs and Taksim discos.
See full list of hotels in Taksim district » |
