Layover in Amsterdam and what to do in Istanbul when you're vegan?
June 28, 2011 3:21 PM Subscribe
My girlfriend and I are about to go to Istanbul for the first time, and we have some questions.
There is some helpful info here and here. But we have a few additional concerns that we hope you can help us with:
1. We have a 10 hour layover in Amsterdam (from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm on a sunday). How can we make use of that time without risking a missed flight?
2. Our flight gets in to Ataturk airport at 12:45 am. Is there a good, decently priced hotel near the airport that we can stay at? What will it be like getting to this hotel from the terminal so late at night? Is there a shuttle? I'm nervous--help!?
3. Less important (because other AskMefi posts address it): We are in Istanbul for 9 days (that's excluding travel days). What should we do? Where should we stay?
4. The lady is a vegan. I'm flexible. What should we eat?
5. Any suggestions for safety?
Possibly relevant contextual information:
• we are in Istanbul for a two-day conference that takes place at the Anadolu Kulubu (Anatolian Club) on the island of Buyukada.
• we are both academics. I will be in the middle of my field exams (PhD in English), so I will need to spend a good chunk of my time reading. So, any good places to read?
• we have zero familiarity with the Turkish language.
• we haven't set a budget yet, but as students we don't have a lot of money to play with. That said, if something is worth splurging on, we want to know about it.
There is some helpful info here and here. But we have a few additional concerns that we hope you can help us with:
1. We have a 10 hour layover in Amsterdam (from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm on a sunday). How can we make use of that time without risking a missed flight?
2. Our flight gets in to Ataturk airport at 12:45 am. Is there a good, decently priced hotel near the airport that we can stay at? What will it be like getting to this hotel from the terminal so late at night? Is there a shuttle? I'm nervous--help!?
3. Less important (because other AskMefi posts address it): We are in Istanbul for 9 days (that's excluding travel days). What should we do? Where should we stay?
4. The lady is a vegan. I'm flexible. What should we eat?
5. Any suggestions for safety?
Possibly relevant contextual information:
• we are in Istanbul for a two-day conference that takes place at the Anadolu Kulubu (Anatolian Club) on the island of Buyukada.
• we are both academics. I will be in the middle of my field exams (PhD in English), so I will need to spend a good chunk of my time reading. So, any good places to read?
• we have zero familiarity with the Turkish language.
• we haven't set a budget yet, but as students we don't have a lot of money to play with. That said, if something is worth splurging on, we want to know about it.
1. If I recall, Schipol Airport is < 30 minutes from downtown Amsterdam by train, so you should have plenty of time to wander around. Google maps says you can get to the Rijksmuseum in 36 minutes from the airport.
2. Can't help you here, it's been a while.
3. The Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, certainly. There's an undergound cistern that I recall being very cool. Topkapi palace is interesting as well.
4. Your gf may need to be flexible on vegan, but I'm sure you won't have a problem finding vegetarian options.
5. Lonely Planet will have specific tips and areas to avoid. It's a pretty safe city.
The Turkish language is pretty easy to pick-up the basics of: please, thank you, where is, etc. The alphabet is latin based and there aren't too many pronunciation surprises.
posted by justkevin at 3:44 PM on June 28, 2011
2. Can't help you here, it's been a while.
3. The Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, certainly. There's an undergound cistern that I recall being very cool. Topkapi palace is interesting as well.
4. Your gf may need to be flexible on vegan, but I'm sure you won't have a problem finding vegetarian options.
5. Lonely Planet will have specific tips and areas to avoid. It's a pretty safe city.
The Turkish language is pretty easy to pick-up the basics of: please, thank you, where is, etc. The alphabet is latin based and there aren't too many pronunciation surprises.
posted by justkevin at 3:44 PM on June 28, 2011
I visited Turkey about 10+ years ago. I found that many people in the touristy areas of Istanbul spoke English, but once you got out of town it was sometimes turkish only. The small turkish phrasebook was great. I also had smoe great experiences having the small yellow dictionary and passing it back and forth in the park having some interesting (though stilted) conversations.
Learning "hi" / thank you / and the basic numbers was helpful but not needed.
I am a vegetarian and didn't have a problem (though I'm sure I got more chicken broth in my food than I realized)
You will find nice cafeteria places where you can point and get food from steam tables behind glass. This was good for me, I stayed away from the meat looking things and got veggies, breads and fruits. Since I was not vegan I ate a lot of pide which is turkish pizza w/ cheese.
The cistern was very cool, going over the Galata bridge was cool (europe / asia in one step)
posted by bottlebrushtree at 4:29 PM on June 28, 2011
Learning "hi" / thank you / and the basic numbers was helpful but not needed.
I am a vegetarian and didn't have a problem (though I'm sure I got more chicken broth in my food than I realized)
You will find nice cafeteria places where you can point and get food from steam tables behind glass. This was good for me, I stayed away from the meat looking things and got veggies, breads and fruits. Since I was not vegan I ate a lot of pide which is turkish pizza w/ cheese.
The cistern was very cool, going over the Galata bridge was cool (europe / asia in one step)
posted by bottlebrushtree at 4:29 PM on June 28, 2011
Rustem Pasha Mosque is kind of like the Blue Mosque but more intimate and less touristy (at least when I was there years ago). I recommend visiting both. Go to the Grand Bazaar. Get lost. Buy tchotchkes (shopping for valuables is best done elsewhere).
Drink apple tea and eat Turkish delight. If you haven't eaten it fresh, you do not know what it's actually like. My favorite flavor is rose but YMMV.
You can haggle over anything you want to buy (unless it's like food on a menu or admission to a museum). As a young woman traveling with my mother, I never felt unsafe or had any problems as an English speaker with no Turkish. Again, that was years ago and we were mostly in the touristy sections/business district, but Istanbul is a cosmopolitan city and most merchants, taxi drivers, etc. will speak decent English (as well as about four other languages).
posted by unsub at 4:39 PM on June 28, 2011
Drink apple tea and eat Turkish delight. If you haven't eaten it fresh, you do not know what it's actually like. My favorite flavor is rose but YMMV.
You can haggle over anything you want to buy (unless it's like food on a menu or admission to a museum). As a young woman traveling with my mother, I never felt unsafe or had any problems as an English speaker with no Turkish. Again, that was years ago and we were mostly in the touristy sections/business district, but Istanbul is a cosmopolitan city and most merchants, taxi drivers, etc. will speak decent English (as well as about four other languages).
posted by unsub at 4:39 PM on June 28, 2011
Istanbul is great, and all of the previous suggestions sound good, especially the cistern. I would make sure also to ride the ferry since you'll be able to see things from a different vantage point. Also the Turkish coffee is really good, as you can imagine. It has been quite a while since I was there, but it seemed safe enough everywhere I went. Enjoy your trip!
posted by sethbabo at 5:51 PM on June 28, 2011
posted by sethbabo at 5:51 PM on June 28, 2011
(I lived there for two years, and just left less than a year ago.)
Don't drink the apple tea (it's only for tourists... no one actually drinks the stuff), but DO try the lokum (turkish delight).
Take a ferry to the Asian side, and wander around the streets. Take a ferry to Büyükada, one of the Princes' Islands. It's one of the best views you'll ever find, great walking/hiking, and you can rent donkeys to take you up to the church at the top of the hill! Everything in Sultanahmet is great to see, but don't spend too long there.
Outside of the high touristy areas, it's pretty hard to find people fluent in English. I lived in an upper class area 30 minutes from downtown, and I'd go days unable to speak English. Learn a few basic Turkish phrases, and you'll really be appreciated by the locals. (You'll find plenty of tourists walking around in scandalous clothing, but that doesn't mean it's ok).
While most of urban Istanbul is relatively high fashion (or at least well "put together"), it's still a bit modest. Despite the heat, your girlfriend should keep her shoulders covered and wear longer shorts, out of respect for the locals.
It's going to be tricky for her to find guaranteed vegan food. Even things like rice are cooked with butter. That said, a lot of the cold mezes (small portion appetizers) are good.
This is a slightly outdated Turkish newspaper article that lists some veg. restaurants near where you'll be. No idea of their quality. There are always lots of street vendors selling nuts, corn on the cob, simit, and fresh juice.
A couple helpful phrases
"Ben tereyağı yemem, sadece zeytinyağı yeyorum." (Ben tear-eh-yah yemem, sah-de-ge zaytin-yah yeyorum) < I don't eat butter, only olive oil
"Hic et yemem" (heech eht yemem) < I don't eat any meat at all (broth is common)
"çok teşekkür ederim" (chuk tehshek-ewr eh-deh-reem) < Thank you very much!
posted by hasna at 9:14 PM on June 28, 2011
Don't drink the apple tea (it's only for tourists... no one actually drinks the stuff), but DO try the lokum (turkish delight).
Take a ferry to the Asian side, and wander around the streets. Take a ferry to Büyükada, one of the Princes' Islands. It's one of the best views you'll ever find, great walking/hiking, and you can rent donkeys to take you up to the church at the top of the hill! Everything in Sultanahmet is great to see, but don't spend too long there.
Outside of the high touristy areas, it's pretty hard to find people fluent in English. I lived in an upper class area 30 minutes from downtown, and I'd go days unable to speak English. Learn a few basic Turkish phrases, and you'll really be appreciated by the locals. (You'll find plenty of tourists walking around in scandalous clothing, but that doesn't mean it's ok).
While most of urban Istanbul is relatively high fashion (or at least well "put together"), it's still a bit modest. Despite the heat, your girlfriend should keep her shoulders covered and wear longer shorts, out of respect for the locals.
It's going to be tricky for her to find guaranteed vegan food. Even things like rice are cooked with butter. That said, a lot of the cold mezes (small portion appetizers) are good.
This is a slightly outdated Turkish newspaper article that lists some veg. restaurants near where you'll be. No idea of their quality. There are always lots of street vendors selling nuts, corn on the cob, simit, and fresh juice.
A couple helpful phrases
"Ben tereyağı yemem, sadece zeytinyağı yeyorum." (Ben tear-eh-yah yemem, sah-de-ge zaytin-yah yeyorum) < I don't eat butter, only olive oil
"Hic et yemem" (heech eht yemem) < I don't eat any meat at all (broth is common)
"çok teşekkür ederim" (chuk tehshek-ewr eh-deh-reem) < Thank you very much!
posted by hasna at 9:14 PM on June 28, 2011
My husband and I just spent 9 days in Amsterdam a few months ago, and we connected via Amsterdam too! Here are some answers:
1. We have a 10 hour layover in Amsterdam (from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm on a sunday). How can we make use of that time without risking a missed flight?
You can definitely get the train into Amsterdam and will have time to walk around and enjoy the place -- i recommend a stroll through the red light district if you've never been to Amsterdam - it's a hugely varied place where old-fashioned hat shops adjoin sex shops. Amsterdam is a beautiful city, though - you can pretty much go anywhere.
2. Our flight gets in to Ataturk airport at 12:45 am. Is there a good, decently priced hotel near the airport that we can stay at? What will it be like getting to this hotel from the terminal so late at night? Is there a shuttle? I'm nervous--help!?
Every hotel I looked at in Istanbul had a service where someone would pick you up at the airport, for max 30 euros (both ways). We stayed at the Galata Residence and arrived at a similar late hour, and a lovely man was waiting for us and drove us into the city and our hotel. (The Galata Residence is a very affordable place, it's got a lot of shabby old-world charm and we loved it, but it is at the top of a big hill, just to warn you!) I would definitely recommend asking your hotel for a pick-up -- we felt very comfortable and it was well worth the money.
3. Less important (because other AskMefi posts address it): We are in Istanbul for 9 days (that's excluding travel days). What should we do? Where should we stay?
We stayed in Galata and really loved it, because there were tons of great restaurants to go to every night. It is hilly as hell, though. In fact, Istanbul is hilly as hell, just to warn you in advance -- wear appropriate walking shoes!
We did the following:
* The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia -- these are both right next to each other and equally beautiful in their own ways. A must-see.
* The Basilica Cisterns -- one of my favourite parts of the trip, these are beautiful and atmospheric and just so unique and wonderful. Another must-see!
* Topkapi palace -- give yourself a whole day to spend in the palace, the adjoining archealogical museum (which has an incredible, incredible necropolis exhibit and amazing tile examples), and the lovely gardens. Definitely pay the extra to see the Harem (you buy the tickets once you're inside the palace), and don't miss the religious relics in the palace - it's quite an experience.
* A Bosphorous boat ride! On the old city side of Galata Bridge, you'll see tons and tons of people lining up in the morning near a ferry, that's the tourist boat that takes you all the way up the Bosphorous then back again via the Asian side. We took the boat trip halfway then walked back down (this is a long walk!) so we could check out some of the further afield sights, like:
* The Fortress of Europe -- a totally amazing fortress / castle on the riverfront. My husband loves castles and this one was a worldwide fav, since you can walk all over the ramparts and see everything. It's remarkably intact, and its is scale even more astonishing when you learn that Mehmet II had it built in just four months during his siege of Constantinople.
* The City Walls and Yedukile Fortress -- if you take a train to Yedukile fortress, you can keep walking and walk along the old Byzantine City Walls - some have been restored so that you can actually walk on top of them, and the ruins are still very impressive. People have built community gardens in the moat area beyond the walls, and while it is a bit harder to get to and you're walking through random residential areas, we thought it was well worth the hassle.
By the way, the site i've linked to in the points above turned out to be invaluable during our stay, i can highly recommend it.
4. The lady is a vegan. I'm flexible. What should we eat?
I'm not sure about this one -- the Sultanhamet district is probably the most tourist-centric so you might find them more accommodating, or maybe somewhere around Taskim square.
5. Any suggestions for safety?
I felt very safe the entire time, and as I said, we went wandering well beyond the guide book and were walking through random neighbourhoods. Your girlfriend will get stared at no matter what she wears, but it's a good idea to dress modestly, if for no other reason than to save hassle when you try to visit a mosque. I bought a scarf at the Bazaar and wore that when we went to mosques, but they provide them at the door as well. We found Istanbul to be perfectly safe.
One more thing i'd say about Istanbul - we found our first day or so (spent around the Bazaar area) to be completely overwhelming, because we weren't anticipating the in-your-face-come-to-my-restaurant-buy-my-stuff-i-have-your-size-special-price-for-you-hey-lady-over-here constant din that surrounds the touristy areas. I found it really intimidating to begin with, but after a few days, managed to get into the swing of things and actually really enjoyed it. Istanbulites are some of the friendliest, funniest people I've met.
Oh, and buy the lovely bread roll thingies that they sell on the street! So yummy!
posted by ukdanae at 1:21 AM on June 29, 2011
1. We have a 10 hour layover in Amsterdam (from 10:30 am to 8:30 pm on a sunday). How can we make use of that time without risking a missed flight?
You can definitely get the train into Amsterdam and will have time to walk around and enjoy the place -- i recommend a stroll through the red light district if you've never been to Amsterdam - it's a hugely varied place where old-fashioned hat shops adjoin sex shops. Amsterdam is a beautiful city, though - you can pretty much go anywhere.
2. Our flight gets in to Ataturk airport at 12:45 am. Is there a good, decently priced hotel near the airport that we can stay at? What will it be like getting to this hotel from the terminal so late at night? Is there a shuttle? I'm nervous--help!?
Every hotel I looked at in Istanbul had a service where someone would pick you up at the airport, for max 30 euros (both ways). We stayed at the Galata Residence and arrived at a similar late hour, and a lovely man was waiting for us and drove us into the city and our hotel. (The Galata Residence is a very affordable place, it's got a lot of shabby old-world charm and we loved it, but it is at the top of a big hill, just to warn you!) I would definitely recommend asking your hotel for a pick-up -- we felt very comfortable and it was well worth the money.
3. Less important (because other AskMefi posts address it): We are in Istanbul for 9 days (that's excluding travel days). What should we do? Where should we stay?
We stayed in Galata and really loved it, because there were tons of great restaurants to go to every night. It is hilly as hell, though. In fact, Istanbul is hilly as hell, just to warn you in advance -- wear appropriate walking shoes!
We did the following:
* The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia -- these are both right next to each other and equally beautiful in their own ways. A must-see.
* The Basilica Cisterns -- one of my favourite parts of the trip, these are beautiful and atmospheric and just so unique and wonderful. Another must-see!
* Topkapi palace -- give yourself a whole day to spend in the palace, the adjoining archealogical museum (which has an incredible, incredible necropolis exhibit and amazing tile examples), and the lovely gardens. Definitely pay the extra to see the Harem (you buy the tickets once you're inside the palace), and don't miss the religious relics in the palace - it's quite an experience.
* A Bosphorous boat ride! On the old city side of Galata Bridge, you'll see tons and tons of people lining up in the morning near a ferry, that's the tourist boat that takes you all the way up the Bosphorous then back again via the Asian side. We took the boat trip halfway then walked back down (this is a long walk!) so we could check out some of the further afield sights, like:
* The Fortress of Europe -- a totally amazing fortress / castle on the riverfront. My husband loves castles and this one was a worldwide fav, since you can walk all over the ramparts and see everything. It's remarkably intact, and its is scale even more astonishing when you learn that Mehmet II had it built in just four months during his siege of Constantinople.
* The City Walls and Yedukile Fortress -- if you take a train to Yedukile fortress, you can keep walking and walk along the old Byzantine City Walls - some have been restored so that you can actually walk on top of them, and the ruins are still very impressive. People have built community gardens in the moat area beyond the walls, and while it is a bit harder to get to and you're walking through random residential areas, we thought it was well worth the hassle.
By the way, the site i've linked to in the points above turned out to be invaluable during our stay, i can highly recommend it.
4. The lady is a vegan. I'm flexible. What should we eat?
I'm not sure about this one -- the Sultanhamet district is probably the most tourist-centric so you might find them more accommodating, or maybe somewhere around Taskim square.
5. Any suggestions for safety?
I felt very safe the entire time, and as I said, we went wandering well beyond the guide book and were walking through random neighbourhoods. Your girlfriend will get stared at no matter what she wears, but it's a good idea to dress modestly, if for no other reason than to save hassle when you try to visit a mosque. I bought a scarf at the Bazaar and wore that when we went to mosques, but they provide them at the door as well. We found Istanbul to be perfectly safe.
One more thing i'd say about Istanbul - we found our first day or so (spent around the Bazaar area) to be completely overwhelming, because we weren't anticipating the in-your-face-come-to-my-restaurant-buy-my-stuff-i-have-your-size-special-price-for-you-hey-lady-over-here constant din that surrounds the touristy areas. I found it really intimidating to begin with, but after a few days, managed to get into the swing of things and actually really enjoyed it. Istanbulites are some of the friendliest, funniest people I've met.
Oh, and buy the lovely bread roll thingies that they sell on the street! So yummy!
posted by ukdanae at 1:21 AM on June 29, 2011
Amsterdam Centraal is about 15 minutes from Schiphol by train, with trains leaving about every 10 minutes. If you buy your ticket at the desk at Schiphol, you can ask the staff if there are any delays going on. If all else fails, you can get back to the airport by bus (about an hour) or taxi (about half an hour).
There's plenty to see within walking distance of the station. The Sint Nicolaaskerk, Dam Square, the Nieuwe Kerk, Het Spui, the Oude Kerk, the red light district, the Amsterdam Museum, and the Anne Frank House are fairly close. You could also do a canal tour; you can buy tickets at several places right across from the station.
If you want to go to the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Diamond Museum, or Vondelpark, I'd pick up a 24-hour tram pass at a GVB office in Centraal Station. Vondelpark is a nice place to read, if the weather is good.
posted by neushoorn at 1:33 AM on June 29, 2011
There's plenty to see within walking distance of the station. The Sint Nicolaaskerk, Dam Square, the Nieuwe Kerk, Het Spui, the Oude Kerk, the red light district, the Amsterdam Museum, and the Anne Frank House are fairly close. You could also do a canal tour; you can buy tickets at several places right across from the station.
If you want to go to the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Diamond Museum, or Vondelpark, I'd pick up a 24-hour tram pass at a GVB office in Centraal Station. Vondelpark is a nice place to read, if the weather is good.
posted by neushoorn at 1:33 AM on June 29, 2011
Just wanted to pipe up to say that if you're considering the red light district in Amsterdam, it's not quite the 'attraction' during the day that it is at night, when you truly see couples and families taking in the sights. During the day, I'd probably stick to the buildings (e.g., Dam Square, de Waag), the canals, and any 'special interests' that appeal to you, like the shopping areas, Van Gogh or Rijksmuseum, Anne Frankhuis, or coffeeshop.
posted by troywestfield at 7:49 AM on June 29, 2011
posted by troywestfield at 7:49 AM on June 29, 2011
I just realised that i said we spent 9 days in Amsterdam -- i meant Istanbul! D'oh!
posted by ukdanae at 3:21 PM on June 29, 2011
posted by ukdanae at 3:21 PM on June 29, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Go to Sultanahmet and do all the tourist sites. They were all great.
Can't help with the rest, but you'll love your time there. Istanbul is a wonderful place and a very pleasant surprise.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 3:42 PM on June 28, 2011