HELP Visiting the Blue Mosque Tomorrow!!!! Advice Needed!!

Hey You guys and gals
I have a few hours tomorrow to do some sight seeing and I really want to go to the Blue Mosque. Any advice? How much does it cost? Is there anything else close by or in the area worth visiting or going? Anyone good with directions I will have the car from 9am til about 2pm which is when I will have to be back in Sariyer. So directions from Sariyer or the Sheraton would be great?? Thanks sooo much!

The Blue Mosque is free, but you should leave a donation as you leave. You will be expect to remove your shoes as you walk through. If you are driving, there is a parking lot behind the mosque. I live only a few blocks away and my restaurant is just down the block -- I could give you a short tour. PM me if you have time before you leave & I'll give you my phone number. Or go to the Arasta Bazaar, walk towards the sea, walk down Kucuk Aya Sofya to the Family Pizza Pie Place (next to Hotel Abella) and ask for Virginia. Good luck. Enjoy Sultanahmet

Hi Verjen
Thanks so much. I guess I do not have enough post to PM you but I can recieve PMs. I am getting ready to leave in a few minutes. I will check right before I leave if you still want to PM your number. Thanks again. If not I will try to look for your Pie Place.
Hope to see you later

TChatty -- Great to have met you. I will PM the book name and my number which I forgot to give you.

Hey Verjen
Thanks so much for your hosipitality. You really do know so much about Istanbul's history. Can't wait to hang with you again soon.

TChatty, how was your day in Sultanahmet? Please don't hang, we still need you! ;-)

Hey Utabe
Our day was really great but not enough time to do much. I took us an hour to get there and when we finally arrived about 10 till 11am we only had about 10 minutes to go inside. Actually 10 minutes is really all you need because the mosque though beautiful it's not that big and as tourist you are limited to where you can really walk. It doesn't cost anything but you are expected to leave a donation when leaving. O and please either bring or wear clean socks because you can't wear shoes inside the mosque. I am still learning about the history of Istanbul but Verjen knew many of the great stories for the statues surrounding the Blue Mosque.

After the quick very of the Mosque we walked thru the Arasta Bazaar which is a small bazaar right outside the mosque. A quiet little shopping bazaar unlike the Grand Bazaar. We then got to Verjen's Pizza joint "Family Pizza Pie"(very cute which everyone who reads this must go visit the smell is yummy). Can't wait to go back and have some! Verjen took us around where the Hippodrome park and showed us how to get to Topkapi Palace all within walking distance. She also showed us this carpet museum that was really neat too. She said the Topkapi palace is beautiful and costs about 12 ytl (don't quote me) and you should have at least a couple of hours to be able to se the entire palace so we will have to go back when we have more time to see it.

Before we left the Sultanahmet area I went to the Grand Bazaar and picked up a gold necklace I had made. It's a nameplate necklace handcrafted right in the bazaar and it's absolutely gorgeous. I love it!

Well that was pretty much it so if anyone has any questions I will try to answer them but I am still learning and have lots to see. O it was really easy to get there but I did end up going to far and stopped by the Kalon Hotel where they gave me quick and easy directions. They also gave me this GREAT map that has a map of the city and a bunch of places that tourist should visit. Most places are not talked about on the tourist websites so I am lucky to have one.

Oh yeah one more thing. We got to see the Four Seasons Hotel located behind the Mosque. Beautiful Mediterranean style hotel. And they have a bunch of Christmas decorations up great for photos if anyone is interested. And make sure you take a cookie to go the gingerbread one was very tasty.

TChatty -- sorry we had so little time. We covered only inches! Great that you found a map. Youll feel much more oriented the next time.

Our waiter/assistant chef was convinced that Andre was your brother, that you are much too young to have a son. Good for you! When you come to eat, Tarih will make you one of his specials -- he likes to take care of my friends. Actually, he just likes to show off. Remind me to give you hot lemonade -- better than tea!

Utube -- we don't really "hang." It's more like dangling.

Sorry I'm slow. I didn't really get the whole hang comment.

It's cool Verjen I plan to do some more sightseeing soon. Actually either tomorrow or Saturday,weather permit we will be going to the Asian side.
Any suggestions on what we should do and where to go?

Thanks and can't wait to get back to your spot for lemonade and Pizza!

Thanks for the travelogue, TChatty, and good you only dangle!

If you want to go to Asia, and you live in Sariyer, maybe Anadolu Kavagi would be a nice place to see. You’ll find an interesting castle ruin on top of a mountain there, and it’s just opposite from Sariyer, there should be a boat going directly from one side to the other. Once your are there, also Beykoz, a village at the coast, is a nice place to visit!

T'Chatty, listen to other folks about the Asian side. I wander around, have no idea where I'm going, but have a good deal of fun. I never get lost, but.....

Utube,
It's not just the newbies who are welcome to dangle in Sultanahmet.

Thanks, dangling sounds like a great idea - haven't dangled for centuries!