Istanbul City transport Listings Eating and drinking Nightlife and entertainment Arrival Istanbul airport Best of Explore Hotels

Istanbul listings :

Airlines Aeroflot, Mete Cad 30, Taksim (tel 0212/243 4725); British Airways, Cumhuriyet Cad 10 (tel 0212/234 1300); Olympic Airways, Cumhuriyet Cad 171a (tel 0212/247 3701); THY Turkish Airlines, Cumhuriyet Cad 199-201, Harbiye (tel 0212/663 6363).

Banks The Garanti Bankasi in Sultanahmet stays open through lunchtime, and the Akbank at the airport is open 24hr. However, you'll get the best rates to change money from the Döviz offices throughout the city.

Boats Ferry journeys north along the Bosphorus are one of the city's highlights. There are special sightseeing boats throughout the year from Eminönü ($6 for the 2hr journey to Anadolu Kavagi). Ordinary ferries on the same routes are reasonably frequent. Last return boat from Anadolu Kavagi in summer is at 5pm, after which you must resort to a bus or dolmus .

Books Galeri Kayseri, Divanyolu Cad 58, Sultanahmet; Pandora, Büyükparmakkapi Sok 3, Istiklâl Cad; Robinson Crusoe, Istiklâl Cad 389; and Homer, Yeni Çarsi Cad 28, Beyoglu.

Buses The better bus companies are: Pamukkale (tel 0212/658 2222), Varan (tel 0212/658 0277), Ulusoy (tel 0212/658 3000) and Kâmil Koç (tel 0212/658 2010).

Car rental Avis, airport (tel 0212/663 0646) and Hilton Hotel , Cumhuriyet Cad, Harbiye (tel 0212/241 7896); Budget, airport (tel 0212/663 0858) and Cumhuriyet Cad 19, Taksim (tel 0212/253 9200); Europcar, airport (tel 0212/663 0746) and Cumhuriyet Cad 47/2, Taksim (tel 0212/238 0084); Hertz, Küçükbayar Sok, Harbiye (tel 0212/234 4300).

Consulates Australia, Tepecik Yolu 58, Etiler (tel 0212/257 7050); Canada, Buyukdere Cad 107/3 Begun Han, Gayrettepe (tel 0212/272 5174); Ireland, Cumhuriyet Cad 26a, Elmadag (tel 0212/246 6025); Netherlands, Istiklâl Cad 393, Galatasaray, Beyoglu (tel 0212/251 5030); UK, Mesrutiyet Cad 34, Tepebazi, Beyoglu (tel 0212/293 7546); USA, Mesrutiyet Cad 104-108, Tepebasi, Beyoglu (tel 0212/251 3602).

Hospitals American Hospital, Güzelbahçe Sok 20, Nisantasi (tel 0212/231 4050); International Hospital, Istanbul Cad 82, Yesilköy (tel 0212/663 3000).

Internet Internet Café, Divan Yolu, Incili Çavus Sok 31 (2nd floor); Net Café at no. 37 on the same street (also 2nd floor); Blue Internet Café, Yerbatan Cad 54. Single women should head for Yagmur, Seyh Bender Sok 18, Tünel, Beyoglu.

Laundry Active, Dr Eminpasa Sok 14, off Divan Yolu; the Hobby, Caferiya Sok 6/1, Sultanahmet.

Left luggage Left-luggage offices (Emanet) are in both Sirkeci and Haydarpasa train stations.

Police The tourist police are at Yerebatan Cad, Sultanahmet (tel 0212/527 4503).

Post office Main office is on Yeni Posthane Cad, Sirkeci (daily 9am-5.30pm; stamps 8am-8pm).

Train stations Haydarpasa (tel 0212/336 0475); Sirkeci (tel 0212/527 0051).

Travel agents For plane and bus tickets try Marco Polo, Divan Yolu Cad 54/11, Sultanahmet (tel 0212/519 2804), or Imperial, Divan Yolu Cad 30, Sultanahmet (tel 0212/513 9430).

Turkish baths The most central, and most frequented by tourists, are the 400-year-old Çemberlitas Hamam on Divan Yolu, and Cagaoglu Hamam, Hilali Ahmed Cad 34 (daily: men 7am-10pm, women 8am-8pm). Expect to pay between $10 and $30. Outside the main tourist areas hamams are much cheaper; the 500-year-old Tophane Hamam on the Bosphorus at Tophane costs only $3 (daily 7am-10pm).