Family Friendly Istanbul

Istanbul is hardly the first place to spring to mind when you’re choosing a family friendly European vacation. How could a city that starred as the setting of a great heist film and inspired innumerable spy stories and thrillers from the early nineteenth century to the present day be the ideal location for a family trip?

True, the art and architecture of its historic buildings saw it added to the UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1984. Yet few travelers will visit even a tiny number of the estimated 600 Ottoman mosques in town. Looking at yet another great wall even if it was built by Theodosius 11 (who?) or visiting yet another historic palace even if it is the Topkapi is relatively low on most children’s ideal vacation wish lists.

The European side on the West of the Bosporus is home to the world famous Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sofia. But it’s only a short hop across the blue waters of the Golden Horn to lesser-known attractions, which will delight younger members of the family.

Child friendly museums in Istanbul

• The Toy Museum: Although it contains an 1820's doll and the first Mickey Mouse from the USA among its 7000 plus prize exhibits, this museum has more toys for boys. It started as the 4000 strong private toy collection of Turkish poet Sunay Akin who housed it in a historic family home on the Western or Anatolian side of the Bosporus. Magic shows entertain children on weekend afternoons.
  
  Enjoy virtual access to the museum and learn about its history and its founder at the Toy Museum.
   
• Miniaturk: Over 100 models represent buildings from every civilization that left its mark in the country's 3000-year history. Almost half the models are of places in Istanbul. The rest are from Anatolia with a few from Ottoman territories, which nowadays lie outside Turkey.
  
  It’s a less exhausting way to let children enjoy the architecture and choose their favorites. When they are tired of roaming the open-air museum, they can visit a 400-seat amphitheater, or choose the ever-popular gift shop option. For the littlest, a highly recommended playground will enable them to make new friends before exploring the life size chessboard and the labyrinth. There is easy parking, always a consideration if you choose to drive in and around Istanbul, and directions for going by public transport can be found at Miniaturk.
   
• The Museum of Crystals on the same site displays 16 of Istanbul's most precious historic monuments created in crystal by means of laser technology while the Museum of Victory uses sound and light effects to recreate events from the War of Independence which in 1923 led to the foundation of Republican Turkey by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the country’s national hero.
   
• Rahmi M Koc Museum: The RMK museum offers more hands-on experience to children interested in transport, industry and communications. Again handily situated on the shores of the Golden Horn, it is easy to access from the old town.
  
  Children can climb all over a vintage car or sit in the cockpit and try the controls of a real plane. Go at weekends when teachers and demonstrators are on hand to explain the basic scientific principles of the experiments and the working of the many models.
  
  Many of the Museum exhibits were built in Britain or elsewhere in Europe but one of the best-loved airliners ever built in the USA is also here. The DC-3 first flew in 1935. Sixty years later, more than 400 remained in service. This one started as corporate transport for both Ford and General Motors before arriving in Turkey, where it acted as a charter plane until 1986.

Transport in Istanbul

For a child who loves transport and going places, there are so many variations to try in and around Istanbul that a museum visit is hardly necessary. There are ferries, steamships, sea buses, motorboats and the pleasure cruise boats, some of which seem old enough to be museum exhibits themselves. Health and safety officials would have a field day on some of the vessels on the Bosporus so if you’re traveling with young children, choose your boat carefully. Some lack any barriers between the boat deck and what can be a rather choppy sea. Exhilarating to say the least but perhaps not advisable if you have over-active youngsters.

There are trains, the metro, the light metro and the historic tunnel, a two stop underground ending at Taksim, a station worth seeing. There are buses, taxis, the easy and convenient tram and even a cable car between Eyup and the Sultan mosque and the Pierre Loti cafe... If you want to tire out little legs, and your own, you can start at the Sultan mosque and climb the cemetery hill to the cafe at the top.

Just living in Istanbul provides so many more new sights, sounds and experiences that there is more than enough to fascinate every member of the family and provide the ideal family friendly city break. And we haven't even mentioned the Spice market and the 4000 shops of the Grand Bazaar...

USEFUL LINKS

For wonderful photos and commentary on Istanbul please visit the Bamjam pages of a Dutch husband and wife team who really leave you with the impression that you’ve been there, seen it and done it all without the hassle of the travel.

Another excellent site for preplanning that perfect family holiday in Turkey is Mymerhaba where you can find everything from the top ten playgrounds for children to national festivals.

For the maps I wish I'd studied before I went, visit the travel pages of Tylers' Territory--some great photos here too.

Urban Rail has useful train and metro maps as well as up-to-date information on the extending travel links in Istanbul.

Tom Brosnahan is the man who knows it all and answers every question before you can even think to ask it. Istanbul Guidee is yet another useful resource.

~Anne Duguid

Anne Duguid, a Scottish freelance lecturer and writer, loves traveling in Europe. A true believer in budget travel as the best way to learn about a country, its people and its culture, she's looking forward to finding you that dream holiday in Europe. Join her on the European Travel Forum.