(photo by Jane Timm)

By Caitlin Shapiro

Bargaining isn’t for everyone, but if you can find it in yourself to haggle with the local Turkish merchants their faces will light up as soon as you cut their asking price in half. A very foreign idea to most of us, but haggling is a large part of Turkish culture, and an experience well worth your time.

How to get there: Fly Turkish Air ($272-400 round trip) and enjoy a free checked bag and a full meal on Turkey’s national airline.

IMPORTANT: You’ll need to purchase a Turkish visa after you land in Turkey, before you go through customs. Bring $20 from the country that issued your passport. (So, with a US passport make sure you have a crisp green Andrew Jackson in your wallet.)

Where to stay: I stayed at the Eurasia Hostel. The festering mold on the ceiling might have shaved a few years off my life, but with a three minute walk to the Hagia Sofia and a twenty minute walk to the Spice Market, you won’t be in your hostel long enough to realize the lurking death anyway. Plus, most rooms have a private bathroom.

Price: A private quad is roughly 60 per night ( 15 per person, per night); includes towels and breakfast.

(Editor’s note: We stayed in World Hostel. Short walk from nightlife and restaurant hubs Tasksim Square and Istiklal, it’s also a good bet. For large dormitory style beds it was 11 dollars a night, breakfast and towels, too.)

How to get around: Walk everywhere – the areas you’ll likely spend your time in are close together, but get a good map with street names. If you get lost, ask for help – everyone is always willing to help. But be careful, if you accept directions from someone passing by on the street, they may expect you to look at their rugs. This happened more than once.

What to do:

• Hagia Sophia, $13 entrance fee. This basilica turned mosque turned museum is one of Istanbul’s most famous sights.
• The Grand Bazaar is famous worldwide for its thousands of merchants that are bargaining fiends. Lots of clothes, shoes, wedding dresses, rugs, and souvenirs. There are a few food stands, but
• Take a ferry across the Bosporus River to the Asian side of Istanbul for a few lira. It wasn’t as clean or as exciting as the European side, but it’s well worth the trip – if just to say you had lunch on another continent.
• The Spice Market is two large indoor halls with more merchants and market stall. You can buy Turkish Delight, teas, candles, postcards, jewelry, caviar, and lamps.
• Visit the Blue Mosque. Beautiful, working Mosque. Visitors enter through a side door. Women should cover their shoulders and wear a scarf around their hair.

What to eat: Kebabs! You think you’ve had a kebab, until you taste a true Turkish Kebab. Go for the cheaper kebabs – they’re often better. Istanbul isn’t a big drinking city, but there’s a Turkish liqueur called Raki. It tastes a little like watered down black licorice. You’ll also be bombarded by apple tea, during your time in Istanbul, which is a good thing. Try Ayran, too, it’s a popular yogurt drink; I’d describe as yogurt meets ocean water.

Currency: Turkish Lira

Tip: It is custom to leave about 10% for a tip. If you pay with a credit card, ask beforehand to add a tip or leave it in cash. In most places you aren’t able to add the tip to the receipt after you pay by card.

Caitlyn Shapiro is a senior at Rochester Institute of Technology studying journalism.