Staying in a 4-5 star hotel near a metro station, so hopefully decent. I don't mind haggling, and I reckon I'll crack on we're Irish to avoid any anto-British sentiments...wife basically is anyway. Lol.
Thanks for the replies.
I've never seen anything like them taxis.Four of us jumped in a taxi when the shuttle bus driver finally admitted he hadn't a fucking clue where he was or where he was going.
The taxi ride made Grand Theft Auto look like the London-Brighton vintage car rally.
Besiktas is good.I'd just about got over the trauma of Istanbul and now you've brought it all back, you fucker :-)
Seriously wouldn't have swapped the trip for the world, it was knackering for an FOC but we had a ball, on returning home my room mate tested positive for COVID and I had the trots for about 8 weeks, actually farted and followed through on the golf course! Spare undercrackers and shorts in my bag as it was a definite possibility.
It's a huge City divided by the Bosporus river that separates Asia from Europe.
The Besiktas area is worth a visit, it's a prosperous area with loads of restaurants and decent bars, it's the hip place and attracts a lively clientele, hope you have a great time.
Agree totally with the recommendation to stay on the Asian side, then travel over for the sightseeing. Much more chill and relaxed place to be based, great places to eat etc without being ripped off and hassled.Kerem will hopefully be along shortly to give you some better info.
I went back in April this year for my third time . If you can cancel your hotel, shift over to the Asian side in Kadikoy .
It’s so much better over there and the European side is a 50 pence ferry away for your sightseeing . There is very little in the way of being ripped off in the bars and restaurants. The taxis are cheap and the area IMHO is far cleaner and safer.
For the final we stayed on this side but when I went back recently , I foolishly chose the European side. It’s like chalk and cheese.
Edit .
By the way, it’s not “ a total shithole “ at all . It’s a vibrant city with problems . It’s an amazing place to visit and there’s loads going on .
Definitely don’t bother going to the stadium though.