Sultanahmet : The most popular tourist area of Istanbul. Must seen places are step away, lots of boutique hotels and alternatives. The best for short time stays in city if you want to visit museums and join sightseeing tours of Istanbul.
Eminonu : Still walking distance to Sultanahmet but cheaper hotel options. Lots of colourful local bazaars including fruit and veg markets in the surrounding streets; roof terrace.
Taksim/Beyoglu : Want to enjoy nightlife and real Istanbul city life? Then Taksim and Beyoglu is the area where you should stay. You can still reach Sultanahmet by tram, metro or taxi.
Besiktas/Bosphorus : Although the most expensive and elegant hotels of Istanbul located there it might be problematic for tourists to stay around due to heavy traffic. Chic hotels, restaurants and clubs are closeby. Hotel prices are usually up.
Sisli/Osmanbey : Alternative neighbourhood with lots of hotels including US Chains such as Marriott, Hilton and Radisson. Easy to reach metro and paradise for shoppers.
If you are looking for a hassle free trip to Istanbul and expert help then I would recommend you to check this Istanbul package tour offered by Turkey Vacation Specialists.
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In general it is better not to exchange much money before travelling to Turkey, as you can often get a better rate there. All cities have a large number of banks and ATM machines.
Banks are open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, with most of them closing between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. for lunch. International banks HSBC and ING Bank are in Turkey, and many good Turkish banks also exist.
The easiest way to change money is at the döviz, a licensed money changer. Döviz bureaus are small, main-street premises; they are regulated and often give the best rates. Rates will be posted on boards (so compare if two or three döviz bureaus are near to each other) and the posted rate is what you get, with no extra commission. US dollars, euros, and sterling are the most widely traded foreign currencies.
Most hotels will change money, but they give a worse rate than the bank or döviz. Beware of money changers on the street. At best you may get a poor rate; at worst you may end up with counterfeit notes. You can check exchange rates here
Traveler’s checks are almost impossible to exchange and attract a high commission. Credit cards are widely accepted in shops and restaurants.
Visa and Mastercard are the easiest to use; often shops are not equipped to process other credit cards, or debit cards. Beware of fraud it is best not use your card in a small backstreet outfit. Many shops and hotels accept US dollars, euros and sterling.
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