24 hours in Istanbul- Taking advantage of the Turkish Airlines Stopover Programme

The Turkish Airlines Stopover Program

I’ll start off the content of our trip to Egypt with a short post regarding taking advantage of the Turkish Airlines Stopover Program. The Turkish Airlines Stopover Program offers passengers transiting through Istanbul the opportunity to spend some time in the city on the way to their final destination.  Economy Class passengers may be booked for a FREE one night stay in a 4-star hotel. Business Class passengers may stay two nights in a 5-star hotel. in fact, for flights originating from the US, the allotment is up to 2/3 nights in economy/business class.

From Jamaica, we took the route Kingston-NYC-Istanbul-Cairo >>>> Cairo-NYC- Kingston. We booked KIN-NYC one return ticket (with JetBlue), then NYC to Cairo and back (Turkish Airlines) as a separate ticket. The NYC to Cairo leg included a layover stop in Istanbul, the hub for Turkish Airlines. So we decided to take advantage of this and stay in Istanbul for one night. Once I realised that we could qualify for the offer from the airline and I couldn’t resist trying it out.

Booking through the Stopover Program was relatively simple. I sent an email with my info to the address given for my region (as per their website). They responded shortly thereafter with vouchers for the hotel. Then I didn’t have to do anything else. I double checked with the hotel to ensure that they received the reservation details, and found that everything was in order.

I really like Istanbul, and I would take the opportunity to stopover again if it presents itself. If you really can’t spare a whole night, but you have a layover of between 6-18 hours, they also offer some shortened city tours as part the program. So there’s still a way for you to see something. Go for it! I don’t think you’ll regret it.

The Hotel- Armada Hotel Istanbul

We organised roundtrip airport transfers to our hotels beforehand with Istanbul Shuttle Port. I’m always a proponent of doing this advance; you know exactly what the cost is up front, there’s no haggling, and it’s one less thing to think of. If things go as they should, you walkout the airport and meet the associate/vehicle waiting for you.

The rest of our party stayed at the Walton Galata in the Karakoy area. Since we had stayed in Sultanhamet the last time we were in Istanbul, they wanted to try something different. Karakoy is closer to more modern parts of the city, meanwhile Sultanhamet is the heart of old Istanbul. For a first time visitor to the city, I would definitely recommend staying in Sultanhamet, especially if the visit is a short one. Many of the major sites are concentrated within or nearby this district. These include, among others; The Blue Mosque, The Hagia Sofia, The Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, Basilica Cistern etc

The airline booked us into the Armada Hotel Istanbul which is located in the Sultanhamet neighborhood. As I mentioned before, Sultanhamet is home to many major sights of Istanbul. I was very pleased with the hotel. The room while not large, was quite comfortable with decent amenities. The receptionist also upgraded us to a room with a view of the sea, so that was a pleasant surprise. They have a lovely terrace that I had forgetten to check out, but below is a picture from their website. We left too early the next morning to sample the breakfast offering, but based on the rest of the experience we had I’m sure it was good.

Hammam Visit

The last time we were in Istanbul, I had wanted to visit a hammam, however it just didn’t happen based on the other activities we chose to do. So I decided that I would partake this time around. I figured it that would be a nice way to spend part of the day following a transatlantic flight. As it turns out, I wasnt wrong! I had been in some conversation with the concierge at the hotel in the weeks before our arrival, and they arranged the appointment at a hammam that had a car service. So shortly after checking in and settling in a little, we were shuttled the branch of the Sultan Suleyam Hammams located at the Sultan Suleyam Palace Hotel.

There are several levels of offerings on the spa menu, however I chose the traditional hammam ritual.

We were first shown into a locker room area to change. They provide some generic disposable garments, however they’re one size fits all, so they might not actually fit. In that case you can remain in your own underwear if preferable. Bear in mind that they will be thoroughly sokaed during the process.

At this hammam the attendants were exclusively female. However there are others where the attendants are exclusively male, or there is an option for male or female. You would just have to let your preference be known/ do your research before booking.

We were then taken to start in the sauna, then moved to the steam room. Next we were administered the traditional scrub, foam bath and massage atop a marble slab paltform. After we finished up there, we were lead to a room where we were offered the tea and snacks. They even gave us an add-on upgrade of a face mask while we sat and decompressed.

I definitely felt refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day. It’s an activity I would recommend if you have the time. There are hammams all over the city with opening hours ranging from the crack of dawn to near midnight.

How we spent the rest of the day

By this time the rest our group were making their way up to the Sultanhamet Park area, which is where the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia are located. After shedding whatever we didn’t need for the rest of the day back at the hotel, we struck out on foot to meet them. We stopped for a quick kebab on our way up and then soon were in view of our destination.

By the time we met up with the others they had mostly taken in the sights, and so we decided to move on. We took the tram down to Eminonou, and then a taxi up to Nişantaşı. This section of the city houses many retail shops and luxury/designer brands, and we spent some time milling about there. In my experience Istanbul is a good option for shopping; a sentiment that has been reiterated by my luxury brand shopping friends especially.

Later that evening, we had dinner reservations at Tershane restaurant, which is located on the 8th floor of Hotel Momento. Tershane has a Michelin guide Bib Gourmand designation, and offers mostly Turkish fare, specialising in grilled meats. The restaurant had lovely views of the Bosphorous and the old part of the city.

We then retired to our respective hotels very much ready to start the “real’ trip the next day in Egypt. I know that’s the content much of my audience is waiting for, but bear with me, life is life-ing right now! I won’t leave you hanging. However I wanted to let everyone know that the Turkish Airlines Stopover Program is well worth exploring.

General Tips

• Book you transfers beforehand
• Jamaican/CARICOM passport holders can apply for an e-visa valid for 90 days. It’s a simple process and the cost is USD $20.
• Turkish Lira/Euros are preferred currencies
• Definitely pencil in some shopping time. Whether it is in the more traditional markets, streetside stores, or global brands, there are lots of deals to be had in Istanbul. Money stretches far!
• Stay in the Sultanhamet area.
• The light rail system is one of the best ways to get around.

Stay tuned for the next ppost with an overview of the whole trip including logistics and tips!