Je prévois début avril 5 jours à Istanbul et je vous soumets mon programme : merci de l'enrichir d'idées, restos ...😉
Arrivée le dimanche soir tard : hôtel réservé à côté de Ste Sophie pour 5 nuits
Lundi : Topkapi, citerne basilique, office du tourisme ( pour plan transports, jetons ... ) , centre artisanal, mosquée bleue, hippodrome, mosquée Sokollu mehmet pasa, petite ste Sophie .Repas du soir au Doy Doy
Mardi : Croisière sur le Bosphore : aller en bateau jusqu'à Anadolu Kavagi, y déjeuner, , monter à la forteresse traverser pour Sanyer ( y a-t- il des bateaux souvent ? 😐) , puis bus jusqu'à Emirgan ( pour les tulipes du printemps ) , reprendre le bus jusqu'à Kabatas, monter par le funiculaire jusqu'à la place Tacksim, balade à pied sur Istiklal caddesi, y prendre le repas du soir (où ? ) , funiculaire jusqu'à karakoy, si le temps tour Galata et tramway pour rentrer jusqu'à l'hôtel
Mercredi :palais de Dolmabahce, musée militaire, puis de la place tacksim le vieux tram pour aller faire la tour galata si pas fait la veille, puis bazar égyptien. Repas du soir dans le coin ou en route vers l'hôtel
Jeudi : Mosquée neuve, bus 47 pour aller au musée de l' industrie , 😠( comment y aller de là ? ) café Pierre Loti, ( où manger ? ) église St Sauveur in Chora puis redescendre à pied jusqu'au Grand Bazar
Vendredi : Ste Sophie dès 9h, puis le musée des sciences de L'islam dans le même coin, on repart vers l'aéroport vers 17h , décollage à 20h
Je ne vais pas t'être d'une grande aide, mais je vais suivre ton post; je pars en février pour 4 jours avec mon fils de 7 ans...j'ai regardé un peu, ton choix me semble pas mal..
Voyez la réponse que je viens de faire il y a quelques minutes à une dame qui part demain à Istanbul.
Vous y trouverez des noms de restaurants pas touristiques et convenables, à mon goût personnel, bien sûr.
Lundi, arriver de bonne heure à Topkapi. Il devrait il y avoir du monde, début avril, donc à l'ouverture plutôt qu'à dix heures. Il y en aura pour quasiment la matinée. Puis Sainte Sophie, qui est juste devant, et la Mosquée bleue de l'autre côté des jardins. L'Hippodrome ensuite avant de descendre vers le Bosphore pour la petite Ste Sophie. Pour le dîner, j'irais pas chez Doy Doy que je connais par ailleurs.
Mardi, j'irais plutôt sur Uskudar ou Karakoy, en bateau plutôt qu'à Anadolu Kavagi où vous allez vous faire suivre par tous les rabatteurs qui attendent les touristes à la sortie du bateau. Vous allez attendre deux heures pour reprendre un bateau pour rentrer. Si vous souhaitez rester sur ce côté du Bosphore, j'irais en bus à Bebek (excellent restaurant de poissons - excellente pâtisserie sur le trottoir en face). Un peu après Bebek, vous avez une forteresse magnifique sur le bord du Bosphore. Pas très loin d'Istanbul et au retour vous vous arrêtez pour admirer les "yali" à Arnavutkoy (village des Arméniens).
A Beyoglu, quartier autour de Istiklal pour faire court, allez dîner chez Refik, magnifique table de mezzés entre autres.
Si le temps le permet, à la tour de Galata, descendez à pied pour rentrer à Sultanahmet. La nuit, les mosquées resplendissent avec le Bosphore à leur pied...
Mercredi, prenez un bateau à Eminonu pour la rive asiatique, vous verrez Dolmabahce en face et la mosquée d'Ortakoy. Visite d'Uskudar + tour de Léandre si vous ne l'avez pas fait le mardi et déjeuner chez Kanaat. Au retour, à Eminonu, allez voir le bazar egyptien et surtout à une extrémité du bazar, visitez la mosquée de Rustem Paca, un bijou de faïences d'Iznik.
Jeudi, oubliez le café Piyer Loti et allez voir le cimetière d'Eyup à la place puis st Sauveur de Chora (Kariye Camii). Taxi, allez voir la mosquée de Fatih. Taxi, retour vers le grand Bazar, non sans avoir visité le joyau qu'est la mosquée de Soliman, la Suleymanye, la plus imposante de toutes.
Vendredi, musée des sciences, citerne, re grand bazar pour les souvenirs.
Oups ! Je reviens sur le post envoyé hier soir pour corriger un point, et ce grâce à un véritable spécialiste de la Turquie qui me rappelle, par message privé, que Arnavutkoy (sur la rive occidentale du Bosphore, située au nord de Bebek) signifie en turc "village des Albanais" et non, comme je l'ai écrit "village des Arméniens". Et dire que j'y suis passé devant matin et soir pendant un bon moment...
Bonjour
Pour le tour de Bosphore et les horaires et les quaies, vous devez examiner la page de Sehir Hatları
http://www.sehirhatlari.com.tr/Bogaz_Turlari_ile_Bogazicini_Yeniden_Kesfedin_-content-n-14-1.html Maintenant vous y verrez les horarire d'hiver. İL ya des tours courts et longues.En ete il ya des bateaux plus souvent.
http://www.sehirhatlari.com.tr/hrt3/index.html.
A Sarıyer ne ratez pas gouter "Sarıyer böreği" et "Tavukgöğsu avec de la glace."
Et si vouz allez vers la fin d'avril, vous verez les collines tout au long de Bosphore se sont "pourpré" par les fleurs des arbres de Juda. Ça fait parti de la culture de vie de Bosphore et d'Istanbul.
ET meme si je e pense pas que vous y trouviez beaucoup de livres en anglais ou français mais je conseille de visiter au moins le librairie d'Istanbul, İstanbul Kİtapcısı de la Mairie d'Istanbul a Istiklal Caddesi Beyoğlu(tout pres de Taksim) http://www.istanbulkitapcisi.com/magaza/
D'accord avec vous, EZE, le DOY DOY n'est plus à recommander.
Pourquoi ne pas se rendre à Pierre Loti par le téléphérique (1 jeton) et bénéficier d'un panorama magnifique sur la Corne d'Or. Juste un petit coup d'oeil au café pour voir à quoi il ressemble, puis traverser le cimetière pour atteindre la Mosquée d'EYUP : elle est à voir de par son importance dans le coeur des Turcs.
D'ailleurs, si on est au cimetière, sa visite s'impose d'elle-même.
Devant cette mosquée, nombreux petits restaurants sympathiques - aux alentours aussi.
Jeudi : Mosquée neuve, bus 47 pour aller au musée de l' industrie , 😠( comment y aller de là ? ) café Pierre Loti
Je repose ma question à Chimeline SVP : prendre un taxi ? y a-t-il des vapur qui traversent à cet endroit-là ?
Autre question : un endroit sympa où manger avec les enfants le soir près de l'hôtel ( devant Ste sophie ) ?
Merci
Pas loin du Musée, il y a la station de vapur pour EYUP. Pour gagner du temps, vous pourriez prendre un taxi ou un dolmus. Quand vous êtes à EYUP, traverser le grand boulevard sur le côté de la Mosquée : vous avez un arrêt de bus dont certains redescendent à Eminonu en 1/2 h. En ce qui me concerne, pour venir là, je prends toujours le bus à l'OTOGAR (33 ou 99).
J'ai découvert un restaurant très sympathique, décoré de Kilims et d'objets anatoliens. La patronne est aux petits soins pour ses clients. Excellentes grillades.
Il se situe entre la Mosquée Sokollu et le Poste de Police de Kumkapi. Mais l'adresse commence à être connue !!
(Kadirga Limani Caddesi, 132)(enbas e l'Hippodrome)
Se rappeler que l'entrée dans les mosquées est gratuite, ce que j'avais oublié en juin dernier : un monsieur se disant le gardien est venue me demander un prix d'entrée.
Il semble qu'il soit est coutumier du fait.
Sur le Routard, vous avez les conseils de David Ménard qui connaît Istanbul mieux que quiconque.
Je pars en Istanbul pour un court séjour (d'escale) fin février 2014, avec ma famille (nous sommes 3 adultes, dont deux femmes et un enfant). Je voudrais avoir…
Nous partons en famille, 2 Adulte et mini Miss de 9 ans dernière semaine d'Avril pour un séjour de 5 jours et 6 nuits sur Istanbul. Nous logerons en hôtel à…
Voici quelques infos sur notre séjour à Istanbul durant les fêtes de Noël 2011. C'est original mais sympa. Jeudi 22 Décembre: Départ matinal pour St Exupéry,…
Nous aimerions partir à deux visiter Istanbul et nos congés sont en février. La météo est-elle si terrible que le séjour en est gâché (la ville peut-elle être…
Mon compagnon et moi partons 15 jours en août et nous aimerions faire 5 jours à istanbul prendre le bus pour passer 5 jours en capadocce et on souhaite faire 5…
Hello,
I’m looking for a snowy destination in Europe that’s accessible by car from Lille, not too expensive, and family-friendly. We have two kids aged 4 and almost 9. We don’t ski—we just want to soak up the Christmas vibe, go on short walks, and sled right outside our rental.
We’d considered Slovakia (the Tatras—but that’s 15 hours by car) or the Czech Republic (closer—Jizera Mountains, Korenov). We’re also hoping for some sightseeing (castles, monuments) and that festive Christmas atmosphere.
Do you think the Czech Republic would work for us for a week?
Thanks,
Hi there,
We're heading to Crete at the end of September, staying in a hotel near Agios Nikolaos—Zeus Premium Mirabello Bay.
Has anyone stayed there before, or at least in that area?
What are the possible outings?
Are there buses to get around easily?
Is the weather still pleasant then?
Thanks for your feedback!
Hi there, the island of Limnos (or Lemnos) looks like a great spot for a September trip: not too many tourists at that time, plenty of hiking opportunities, beaches, villages, etc. That said, guidebooks mention an airbase on the island, with some sources saying there are more or less frequent aircraft flyovers. For those who’ve been there—how’s the situation with this? Lots of air traffic or noise issues?
Thanks in advance
I'm currently planning a trip to Cyprus for late October. I have a few questions:
- I plan to visit Nicosia, Paphos, and Ayia Napa. What do you recommend in Ayia Napa?
- Is it easy to get around by bus from one city to another? Or do you have any private drivers to recommend?
- Do you have any hotels to recommend?
Any tips or advice is welcome!
Thanks in advance
Hi! I'm torn between these two destinations. If we go to Crete, we'll probably head to the Chania region and the south, which seems wilder. With 10 days and a car, it should work out. If we choose Sardinia, we haven't figured out the exact area yet. We love hiking, swimming, and eating well. We have 10 days at the end of September and prefer to avoid crowds this year. In May, we went to Menorca and really enjoyed it—great hikes, beautiful beaches, good food, and not too many cars.
Hi,
I'm looking for a private transfer from Istanbul Airport to the historic center of Sirkeci. Does anyone know a company? I've found a few:
GetYourGuide,
Istanbultour24.fr (more interesting because they offer round-trip transfers at a lower price).
If you've used any of these services, I'd love to hear your feedback.
Thanks in advance!
Hi,
I'm looking for info on the Pristina–Skopje bus route.
Can you leave from the main bus station in Pristina?
I’ve also heard about a bus station near the theater...
If anyone has details, I’d love to hear them—thanks!!!!
We want to book our tickets to visit the Acropolis site and the associated museum. For these reservations, we need to specify entry time slots.
For the Acropolis alone: the first slot is at 8:30 AM.
For the museum: 10 AM? 11 AM?
We like to wander around, so here’s our question: if we haven’t finished exploring the site after 1.5 hours, is it possible to go back in after leaving the museum?
We’ll be buying tickets from the official websites—audio guides are mentioned. Any feedback on those? On sites like Get Your Guide, the prices are much higher with the audio guide included, but does that mean better quality?
Hello,
We're heading to Istanbul from October 7th to 12th. I’d love to do a dinner cruise on the Bosphorus on a more intimate boat (no show) with a private table and alcohol (wine, since it’s a birthday dinner). Could anyone recommend a reliable company (I’m not looking for a private yacht either) that organizes this kind of evening?
Thanks in advance,
Hi, I’d like to buy a ticket to go to Terezín from Prague using the Pid Litacka app, but I don’t know which zone to get the ticket for. Thanks for your help! 😊
Hi there,
After booking an Airbnb last January for this summer’s vacation in Sarajevo... My "host" canceled our reservation without any reason—this has never happened to me before.
Of course, now it’s impossible to find a place to stay at a "normal" price in Sarajevo with parking...
So we’re falling back on the capital of the Republika Srpska, Banja Luka, which had already crossed my mind before I booked Sarajevo.
I already have quite a few ideas in mind, without having dug too deep into the region yet.
But if anyone has already been there and has suggestions? Even for restaurants—I’m all ears!
And even if it’s not right next door, I’m planning to spend a day in Sarajevo!
Hi, I’m going to Turkey for 3 weeks. I’ve heard that you can’t book through Booking.com once you’re there and that everything has to be reserved in advance. Is it true that Booking.com doesn’t work in Turkey? Thanks to anyone who’s already been or is there—if it’s true, how do you handle bookings?
I’d love to get your opinions and advice on a destination.
It’s actually for my 19-year-old son who wants to go to Greece with his cousin, who’s the same age.
They’re looking at leaving on October 24th for 7 to 10 days.
For their trip, they want gorgeous beaches where they can swim, beautiful typical villages and historic cities, stunning landscapes, but also lively spots for their nights out. In short, they’re not just going there to laze around—they want to make the most of it...
But here’s the thing: will the weather be too iffy at that time, especially for swimming?
Also, would Crete be the best choice for what they’re looking for?
Then, a travel agent suggested Tenerife instead because of the weather at that time of year—he said the climate there is the same all year round. But will they find landscapes and beaches as beautiful as in Crete?
Hello!
I’m planning a trip to Greece in May or June 2027. We’re independent travelers.
We’ll rent a car after our stay in Athens and book accommodations through Booking or similar sites.
What do you think of this itinerary? We’re taking our time (beach and swimming if the weather allows in May—is the water too cold?)
Athens, 3 days
Nafplio, 3 days (Mycenae, Epidaurus, Archaia)
Mystras, 2 days or Monemvasia, 2 days (Laconia peninsula)?? Dilemma between the two
Return trip from the Peloponnese via the Rio-Antirrio bridge
Nafpaktos, 1 night
Arachova, 2 days (Delphi, Osios Loukas Monastery)
Return to Athens and departure
Is it crowded in May or June for visits to archaeological sites?
Thanks for your suggestions or corrections!
Hi there,
Our first trip to Greece as a couple. We're planning to spend 7 days in Greece from August 30th to September 5th. We'll reserve 2 days for Athens at the end of the trip. For the remaining 5 days, we want to visit an island—any recommendations? Thanks for your tips and details, we really appreciate it.
Hi,
What tips can you give me for dealing with a car rental scam attempt in Lithuania?
In our case, it’s the Avis-Budget agency in Vilnius trying to scam us.
We rented a car at Vilnius Airport for 2 weeks on July 28, 2019, to return it in Tallinn on August 11.
We brought it back on August 11 at the airport, in perfect condition, and with a full tank at the gas station right by Tallinn Airport.
On the parking lot, the receptionist’s booth was closed. So we had to leave the car in the lot and go to the counter inside the airport. The person at the counter told us their colleague had gone for lunch!
But they refused to come out and do the inspection with us because they were alone at the counter.
They told us we could leave and that everything was fine!!!!
Two days later, we got an email from Avis-Budget with two invoices saying the car was damaged—scratched on both sides—and charging us for a full tank of gas. That’s two bills totaling 800 €!!!! Coincidentally, the deposit was 900 €!
It’s clear this isn’t over!!
Have any of you been through the same nightmare? How did you handle it?
Thanks in advance!
I’m spending 2 weeks in Crete in September and will need a rental car.
I usually go with Europcar, but comparing their offer to what Aegean Rentals has, I see Europcar is charging no less than 400 € more for the same car and similar insurance!
I’d love to hear if others have experience with Aegean Rentals, and if so, whether it was a good one?
Hi,
We’re heading to Greece in early October and will be staying in Kineta, north of the Saronic Gulf, and renting a car.
Is it feasible to visit Acrocorinth, Mycenae, Nafplio, and Epidaurus in a single day?
Thanks for your recommendations!
Hi there!
I’m sharing our itinerary for May/June 2027—23 days. This is our first time in Greece, so we’re starting with the must-see spots. We’re planning another trip later to explore the north, Thessaloniki, Macedonia, and some islands.
- Athens, 4 nights
- Corinth area, 2 nights (Heraion of Perachora, Canal, Acrocorinth)
- Nafplio, 3 nights (Mycenae, Epidaurus, Methana peninsula)
- Gefira, 2 nights (Monemvasia)
- Areopoli, 2 nights (Mani). Maybe add an extra night and stay on the peninsula??? Based on my calculations, the Mani loop is about 100 km—doable in a day, but it’d be a quick trip.
- Sparta or Pikoulianika, 2 nights (Mystras)
- Dimitsana, 2 nights (Lousios Gorge, monasteries)
- Olympia, 2 nights (via Lagkadia?)
- Delphi or Arachova, 3 nights (via the west coast, Galaxidi bridge) (Delphi, Hosios Loukas Monastery)
- And back to Athens.
This is just a rough draft for now. We’re planning to stay in hotels or book through Booking.com. What do you think? Thanks for your feedback and suggestions!
Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve traveled the roads between France and Moldova a good ten times, sometimes via Central Europe, other times via the Balkans.
It was while traveling like this—what I call "hitting the road the slow way"—that I realized something simple: our neighbors' neighbors are very clearly our neighbors too. And that’s not insignificant.
After a break of a few years, I’m planning to hit the road again in September, this time heading to Kosovo, crossing through Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Having gotten a bit older, I’ve no intention of rushing—no need to speed ahead of the music! 😄
I’d rather take my time.
I’m not looking to see everything, but to soak in the atmosphere of the places, always leaving room for the unexpected and for encounters.
I’m especially drawn to culturally immersive, authentic, and welcoming regions: lively villages, backroads, preserved landscapes, markets, local festivals, traditions that are still very much alive... and, why not, a few offbeat, forgotten, or slightly secret spots.
If any of you know Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, or Kosovo a little, I’d love to hear your suggestions for itineraries, stops, backroads, homestays, village festivals, or local contacts, for example.
Planning to return to Belarus in mid-August, I just realized that since last September, Poland has reopened several border crossing points, and for buses, this means connections like Białystok-Grodno.
Several bus company routes, like on infobus.eu, take between 3 and 4 hours.
Trains from Warsaw to Białystok take about 1.5 to 2 hours.
This has the advantage of allowing comfortable train journeys with minimal time spent on a bus.
Also, the Terespol-Brest border might have shorter queues if you still prefer a Warsaw-Brest bus.
Note that another route to Minsk, if you have a paper Russian or Belarusian visa, is the Kaliningrad-Minsk train. It’s long—around ten or eleven hours—but you can lie down and sleep. An option if you fly into Gdańsk and then take a short bus to Kaliningrad.
There are also Belavia flights from Minsk to Kaliningrad, but they’re expensive. The route is scenic:
In any case, this adds a few more options compared to what’s been available over the last four years.
Hi there.
I’d like to know what the daily budget is for Greece in December. I’ll be landing in Athens and staying there for a week, then heading to some other islands—I don’t have a set itinerary yet. Also, I’ve heard that in December, or early January, the temperature is around 11–16°C. Is that accurate?
Finally, does anyone have a good recommendation for a cheap but clean hotel near the tourist sites? I don’t need a TV or any other extras. Also, is Greece gay-friendly?
I’d like to know the opening hours of physical stores between Germany and Austria, and between Austria and Slovenia, that sell the PAPER STICKER toll vignettes that still exist for 2026—non-digital ones. I don’t think they’re open 24/7, and I can’t find the info anywhere.
Thanks
Hi there,
We’re planning a 3-week trip in late September with our camper van to explore Bulgaria and Romania.
What routes would you recommend, starting from the South?
Is there an option to take a ferry in Italy, and is it worth it?
Thanks for all your tips!😊
Hi there, we’re a young couple and we’d love to go to the Blue Eye (Syri i Kalter) between today (26/06/26) and tomorrow (27/06/26).
Is anyone heading there and could give us a ride? We’re super friendly!
Thanks so much!
We're back. It's still a bit tough to get precise info, so here's a quick trip report!
A good starting point is Shkoder, a really pleasant city. You can easily explore Shkoder itself in a day or two.
Two accessible spots: Valbona and Theth.
In both cases, local travel agencies in Shkoder or online offer round-trip or one-way access packages. Super handy, especially for Valbona.
Valbona and Theth are both very steep! There aren’t many easy hikes for less sporty folks (like me!).
Valbona: The highlight is the amazing 2.5-hour boat ride across Lake Koman. There are day trips from Shkoder, but you’ll only get a short tour of the lake. The best option is to do the full crossing—so spend a night in Valbona (or two if you want to hike in the valley) and return.
Theth is deeply nestled in the mountains. The village at the end of the valley, which is a dead end, has lots of hotels, but they’re pricey. Other hostels are scattered along the mountainside road, but it’s a steep climb down to the village or to the start of the two easy hikes (waterfalls and the Blue Eye). For us, it was a one-hour descent (and ascent!). It’s fine if you have a car; otherwise, keep an eye out for a taxi (cheap) or try hitchhiking—it works really well.
Access from Shkoder to Theth is through an agency. The road is in great condition, and you can also rent a car for 2-3 days in Shkoder. If we did it again, that’s the option we’d choose.
We didn’t do the trek and returned to Shkoder each time. I can’t speak to its difficulty, but we were there in late May, and even experienced hikers had given up because of heavy rain and snow.
Hope this helps! It’s a stunning region you shouldn’t miss.
We’re a Canadian couple, both 77, and we’re already planning our vacation for fall 2027.
Timeframe: mid-September to mid-October... dates are flexible, and we might stay even longer.
Initially, I had planned this itinerary:
Athens (3), Naxos (4), Paros (4), Santorini (4), then a flight to Istanbul (7–10 days!!). This would let us maximize our flights and experience another culture.
That’s a lot of ferries, though... I’ve already cut out Milos.
Our second option would be to stay 2 x 15 days on two different islands, but I’d still keep Istanbul as our next destination... or maybe 30 days on one island that offers the chance to take day trips to other islands where the ferry ride is no more than 2 to 2.5 hours. For example, Naxos to Paros only takes 30 minutes. We could return the same evening or stay overnight.
Naxos seems like the best option!!!
For Istanbul, of course we want to do a day cruise on the Bosphorus and see Hagia Sophia. If we stay 6–7 days, what would be the other main attractions? Are there any points of interest we can reach by local bus?
