Istanbul (IST) Flights

Words like “melting pot” are probably over-used, so let’s call Istanbul, Turkey, a guvec stew. Whether you want to throw in some chicken, veggies or spices, it can always surprise you (Agatha Christie wrote a novel here! It has the same population as the entire country of Belgium!). Another surprise: cheap flights to Istanbul from lastminute.co.nz. Ready to become an Istanbullu (that’s a person from the city)? Let’s go!

Getting Around Istanbul

Flights to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) touch down about 20km west of the city centre. Grab a taxi or hop on the Metro Red Line to get to Istanbul accommodation downtown; these are also your best bets for seeing the sights.

When You Land…

If you’re getting in early, we’ve got another idea for transportation: Go by sea! Fuel up with a cup of Turkish coffee near the ferry docks (this stuff is strong!), then take a scenic sail along the coast from Bakirkoy to Kabatas.

Those on afternoon Istanbul flights can jump right into the sightseeing—by land, that is. If you thought your last date was fickle, wait till you learn about the Hagia Sophia’s history. It’s been a church, a mosque and a museum.

Got a nighttime flight? In Turkey, it’s always dinnertime. Tram it across the Galata Bridge to the Beyoglu neighbourhood and get down on an Islak burger. Is it chicken? Is it tofu? All we know is it’s delicious.

Live Like a Local

Take a ferry ride to Kadikoy, where you can scream along with 50,000 fans at a Fenerbahce football game. After that, pull a complete 180 and sip tea like a classy lady or gent at Moda Cay Bahcesi (Tea Garden).

The only difference between you and an Istanbullu is that you need Istanbul holiday packages from lastminute.co.nz. We’ll bundle your hotel and airfares, so you can focus on learning useful phrases like “Batti balik yan gider” (“A sunken fish goes sideways”). We’re not quite sure what it means, but you should definitely use it.