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WHAT'S DOING IN; Istanbul
By DOUGLAS FRANTZ
Published: June 9, 2002
There are two Istanbuls. One is historic, an ancient city where
Byzantine churches, Roman walls and Ottoman monuments constantly remind visitors
that this was the capital of three great empires.
Then there is modern Istanbul, a vibrant metropolis of 15 million where
traffic is controlled chaos, five-star hotels offer sumptuous accommodations and
ambitious restaurants compare with the best of New York or London.
Istanbul today is the ultimate hybrid city, a beguiling conjunction of old
and new, Asian and European, a place with options to fit the interests and
budget of any traveler.
This summer, crowds should be sparser than usual and most prices are down.
Turkey has been hit hard by the post-Sept. 11 travel decline and Mideast
violence. Further, 18 months of recession have stripped the Turkish lira of 50
percent of its value against the dollar -- it is now nearly 1.5 million lire to
the dollar.
Prices are lower, though not half what they were a couple of years ago. And
bigger bargains are available, especially for those willing to negotiate. Except
in restaurants, bargaining is part of Turkey's entrepreneurial culture, and
polite negotiation should not offend any shopkeeper or hotel owner. Even folks
too shy to haggle should ask if they are getting the best price.
Events
The high point on Istanbul's cultural calendar comes each June when the
International Music Festival brings in musicians from around the world for three
weeks. Most performances take place in Haghia Eirene, an atmosphere-laden jewel
of a Byzantine chapel on the grounds of Topkapi Palace.
The festival, which opened Saturday, concludes July 1, when William Christie
conducts Les Arts Florissants, the early-music vocal and instrumental group, in
Haydn's ''Seasons.'' Early music and period instruments are the emphasis this
year, and the program includes I Solisti Veneti on June 19 and 20, and the
Academy of Ancient Music from England on June 22.
Festival tickets, $10 to $100, can be ordered by phone, (90-212) 334-0700,
extension 34 or 36, or by fax, (90-212) 334-0705. E-mail reservations: meric
.soylu@istfest-tr.org. The schedule is at www.istfest.org.
On the heels of the music fest is the International Istanbul Jazz Festival,
which opens July 5. There will be 35 to 40 acts over two weeks, ranging from
favorites like Herbie Hancock to Antibalas, a New York group that is making a
name with its blend of jazz and funk known as Afrobeat.
Performance sites are as varied as the music. Headliners perform in a
4,000-seat open-air theater and others play in more intimate settings like
Babylon, a club at 3 Sehbender Street, just off Istanbul's busiest pedestrian
boulevard, Istiklal Street.
At least one concert will be at Kiz Kulesi, or Maiden's Tower. Legend has it
that a sultan's daughter was locked in this 12th-century island tower in the
Bosporus near the Asian side to protect her from a prediction that she would die
of a snake bite. More recently, Pierce Brosnan was held hostage there in the
1999 James Bond movie ''The World Is Not Enough.'' Refurbished and now a
restaurant, the tower provides stunning views.
Festival tickets are $10 to $50. Information: (90-212) 334-0739, fax (90-212)
334-0705, and www.istfest.org.
A stroll along Istiklal to the Tunel district on a Sunday afternoon can lead
to some unusual sounds. Disciples of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, a Sufi mystic,
perform a concert, complete with whirling dervishes, each summer Sunday at 5
p.m. Tickets are $6.80 and sell fast, so stop by the box office at Galata
Mevlevihanesi, a museum at Galip Dede Caddesi, during the week because
reservations are not accepted. Seating is also first come, first served.
Information: (90-212) 245-4141, fax (90-212) 213-1059, www.emav.org.
Sightseeing
Few cities offer as much history as Istanbul, and no place in Istanbul offers
more than the Sultanahmet district, where three major monuments and numerous
others are within walking distance.
Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman sultans for nearly four centuries, is
worth a day itself for touring the grounds and exhibits like the harem and the
treasury. At Babihumayun Caddesi, it is open daily except Tuesday. Admission is
$10.20; (90-212) 512-0480.
Nearby is the magnificent Haghia Sophia, built as a Byzantine church in the
sixth century and now a museum at Ayasofya Meydani, (90-212) 522-1750.
Restoration work has recently been completed on the stunning upper gallery.
Closed Monday; general admission is $10.20 and another $10.20 for the upper
galleries.
Across a park from Haghia Sophia at Sultanahmet Meydani is the Blue Mosque,
an active place of worship that is always open free. The mosque takes its name
from the mainly blue Iznik tilework and is particularly magical at night. Proper
attire is required: women should avoid shorts or short skirts and wear a scarf;
donations are customary.
A Bosporus tour is delightful, especially in summer. The best -- and cheapest
-- way to see the straits is by municipal ferries, which leave Bogaz Iskelesi
dock in Eminonu at 10:35 a.m. or 1:35 p.m. daily for a 90-minute tour. You can
get off for two hours in Kavaklar, a village on the Asian side famous for its
fish restaurants. Tickets are $2.
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