Led by our intrepid tour guide, Gayle and I spent several stretches Day 2 in Instanbul on Public…read moreTransit. All we needed to do was scan our credit card at the entrance turnstyles and for 88 cents US, we were on our way. We found Istanbul public transit to be a safe, clean, and efficient experience, of which people watching the locals was fun and interesting. Our adventure included lots of light rail choices, plus 2 funiculars, of which the Taksim Karaköy Tünel was the most interesting. This historical line, which opened on 17 January 1875, covers the 573-metre route (uphill for us) between Karaköy and Beyoğlu in approximately 102 seconds. And before I could pull my camera out and frame a shot, our ride was over!

Another cool little ferry terminal on the Istanbul system. This one again is a gorgeous old…read morebuilding that's well-maintained, prime waterfront real estate duh. Search three main lines that are well marked and as always they have several Istanbul Kart station, which are essential if you want to use a public transportation system here.

a great and economical way to see the bosphorousread more