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Car hire in Istanbul - The city on 7 hills

A city with a background dating back to the second millennia BC, now a multi-cultural hub of interesting artefacts with a deep hedonistic, relaxing, vibrant atmosphere with friendly and welcoming locals. A city surrounded with history and treasures from the Ottoman Empire and the era from when Constantinople was renamed as Istanbul, after a gruelling 53 days siege by Sultan Mehmed the leader of the Ottoman Empire learning about Ertugul the forefather of the Ottoman Empire. Istanbul is one of the most popular and well visited cities in the world with thousands who flock to this city yearly to soak up the architectural beauty and most of all to learn about the history of the Ottoman Empire and how Istanbul became the city it is today. Enjoy the culinary delights of Istanbul from the traditional Shwarma kebab or visit the grand bazaar another gem within Istanbul and open market which has been around as early as 1455 and has tunnels of exciting alleys to walk through and experience the culture and treats on offer. Istanbul would be the perfect start of an amazing adventure exploring other magnificent cities in driving distance like Bursa known for its beautifully built mosques from the start of the Ottoman Empires ruling days, these buildings light up in the evenings giving you even more of a special feeling being there and being a part of these amazing cities and enjoying the journey through each city seeing unbelievable buildings and admiring the locals and enjoying there great hospitality.

Explore the historical city of Istanbul with the assistance of Auto Europe making life easier for you to travel from site to site visiting some of the most amazing architectural achievements of the Ottoman Empire with car hire in Istanbul.. Find out what other Auto Europe customers thought about their recent car rental experience in the city by reading the comments they posted on our Istanbul car hire reviews page.

How is the traffic in Istanbul?

Istanbul has been known as one of the busiest and most congested cities in the world ranking in at 15th place. It is best advised that if you are looking at commuting using the inner cities roads to avoid peak hours 8am till 10am and 5pm till 8pm. Major routes interlink all tourist destinations in and around the city of Istanbul, making rent a car in Istanbul a great option for a road trip around the northern region of Turkey make Bodrum your next pit stop travelling. The law stands as drivers have to be 18 and over to drive in Istanbul and have a duty to have their driver’s license and ID present when operating a motor vehicle. However do check when booking your car in Istanbul as the supplier you have booked may have a different minimum age requirement. For more information about how to drive in Istanbul click here.

Where can I park my car hire in Istanbul?

The central hub of Istanbul is vibrant and full of life and parking on a day to day basis can be a little difficult, it is best advised to park your car at one of the many Municipality car parks scattered all over Istanbul which are easily accessible. Parking around the city on the main roads can be a task so it is advised that parking on any main road be avoided at all costs and it is a lot safer and more convenient to park in the car parks provided around the city.

Istanbul Airport

Opened officially in April 2019 and parts of which are still under construction and will not be fully open until at least another decade, Istanbul Airport will be one of the world's largest and most modern air transportation hubs once it is fully open transporting an expected 200 million passengers per year.

Istanbul Airport (IST)
Address: Tayakadin Mahallesi, Terminal 1, 34283 Arnavutkoy/Istanbul
Telephone: +90-4441442
Airlines operating at Istanbul Airport: The list of the most important airlines operating at Istanbul Airport includes Atlas Global, Onus Air and Turkish Airlines.
Website: www.istanbulhavalimani.com

What to do in Istanbul

Istanbul is overflowing with historical beauties throughout the city for you to visit, the smells and ambient atmosphere of the Grand Bazaar will have you blown away. The noise within the Grand Bazaar will make you feel as though you are in a medieval era, bartering with local tradesmen for the simplest of gifts. It all adds to the magical city of Istanbul which is a good starting point to visit other historically rich cities as Ankara. We have put together a few recommendations for other well-known locations to visit in Istanbul below

• The Blue Mosque – an amazing architectural look in to some of the empires which ruled Istanbul, this building was built between 1609 and 1616 and still stands today as a place of worship and open to public to soak in the historical building and the beauty within the mosque. The mosaic designs and colourful tiles throughout the building give you the feeling of being a part of the history of Istanbul.


• Prince Islands – one of the most mind blowing locations around Istanbul, there are 9 small islands scattered around in this area which are mainly car free so the cars will have to be left at the secured ports, the panoramic views around these islands will leave you with a delightful vision of the more peaceful side to Istanbul, small restaurants and bike rentals are available on these islands where you can explore and relax by yourself or in your tour groups and take in the breathe taking views all around you stopping off at the small shack restaurants for refreshments. The sounds of silence and the ambient atmosphere is something not to be missed.


• Grand Bazaar – the aromas of burning incense and noise of haggling customers will make your visit even more special especially if you have a keen eye for a bargain. There are over 50 streets covered markets with well over 4000 shops at your convenience. The bazaar was set up in 1461 and is still one of the main tourist attractions in Istanbul; you can purchase anything from within the markets from Spices to Turkish Tea.


• Hagia Sophia – once a former Greek Christian Cathedral then taken over by the Ottoman Empire and turned in to a mosque in 1453. It now stands as a museum and was known globally for its magnificent huge colourful domes, this building gives you the feeling of being taken on journey from 537 AD to present, and the ambience and skillfully designed domes will take you in to another dimension of history.

Best day trips with my car rental in Istanbul

A car hire in Istanbul is easy when booked with Auto Europe, below are a few places we have put together which are a must to visit.

True burc beach

If you enjoy soft sandy beaches the True Burc Beach is the place for you visit, situated along the coast of the black sea get yourself involved in the water sports activities which operate daily, You can have a fun filled day with the family and enjoy the facilities provided. Watching the sunset and soaking up the natural beauty of looking out in to the black sea of Burc Beach is an opportunity not to be missed.

Culinary tours

Istanbul’s culinary secrets, if you are a food lover you will love joining in the regular culinary tours around Istanbul having the chance of indulging in some of the mind blowing culinary delights, from traditional kebabs to signature dishes such as Karniyarik let your taste buds do the thinking. The tours are operated regularly from the Grand Bazaar and the centre of Istanbul and take you deep within the city and its culinary treasures.

Topkapi Sarayi Palace

To soak up the local historical monuments visiting the Topkapi Sarayi Palace is a must, a building built on the orders of the Ottoman Sultans this is another look in to the amazing architectural delights in Istanbul. Walking through the palace which was lived in by the Ottoman Empires leader and his family makes you feel like you are a part of the historical journey of this amazing building and its magnificent outset.

Whirling dervishes dances hodjapasha

Visit one of many locations around Istanbul to witness the whirling dervish dance which will have your heads spinning in amazement and sit back on large local cushion seats and enjoy the traditional tea and watch many of the different dances which are a form of meditation and to balance functions in the human body an experience not to be missed and with the friendly hosts it is even more enjoyable.

Miniaturk

One of the many amazing parks around Istanbul, a miniature structural. If you require a speedy tour of Istanbul visiting this park is a must as it has mini structural pieces of magnificence covering everything from the Blue Mosque to the Golden Horn all built on a miniature scale, you can visit every major tourist attraction within a couple of hours walking around this park. The best time to visit this park would be in the evening as it is all lit up and shows the amazing hard work which has gone into creating such a nationally recognised place to visit.

Geographical information and history

A popular city where thousands of holiday makers flock too. The first settlers in Istanbul where from the Byzas tribe who settled here after which numeous conquerors ruled Constantinople until it was conquered once again after a 53 day siege in 1453 with the then known Sultan Mehmed also known as Mehmed from the family tree of warriors famously known as Ertugul, Sultan Mehmed the conqueror whom then created the Ottoman Empire and changed the name of the city to Istanbul, a city full of historical treasures and architectural masterpieces scattered thoughout now being one of the largest cities in the world with an estimated population of 15 milion. The city is one of a very few in the world for its simple position as a bridge between Europe and Asia. The perfect way of exploring and sightseeing around Istanbul would be with car rental in Istanbul. Istanbul connects the Sea of Marmara to the Black Sea connecting Europe to Asia, this area has always been a hub of excitement as these channels have been used and are still in use for the importation of Oils and precious metals from around the globe.

How to get around Istanbul

You can purchase a Kart card from the airport on which you will need to upload credit and use on trams and trains to travel around the city which would be the ideal solution to conquer the heavy traffic at peak hours. Single fares may seem a little costly so it is best advised to purchase a Kart card which can be used on the trains and trams. Buses, trains, trams and taxis are all readily available from throughout the city, but for a thrilling experience you can hire a public bicycle and travel through the Great Grand Bazaar and enjoy the vibrant culture and get a hand on experience at bartering yourself a good deal at the Grand Bazaar.

Taxis

Taxis are widely available throughout the city and are one of the most cost effective ways of ferrying through the busy streets of Istanbul, unfortunately the taxis do not except credit card payments and strictly deal in cash.

Buses

Public buses are one of the slowest means of transport around Istanbul and it is best advised that you purchase a Kart card which can be used top up the credit on and use on buses rather than paying with cash.

Trams

Trams are a more popular means of public transport as they can cut through the busy traffic and are also a very cheap solution to get around the city, Tram stops are scattered on most main routes which are all sign posted. The Kart card can also be used on Trams.

Bicycles

Bikes can be hired from numerous shops scattered around the city of Istanbul, and the reviews are above excellent for a hands on experience cycling through the old city or the grand bazaar bike rental would be the perfect solution as cheap as 40 liras per day, Zirve bicycle rental are one of the best around Istanbul.

Trains

Experience Istanbul high speed trains in action, they are a national network operating in Turkey and connect all major hotpots from Izmir to Ankara in as little time as possible, timetables for the trains are available in the city metro stations and can also be found online.

Useful links

Tourism Information

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