NEW YEAR IN ISTANBUL

New Year is a lovely and eagerly anticipated holiday in Azerbaijan, offering several days of relaxation or travel. As per the latest statistics, the Heydar Aliyev International Airport provided services to some 160,000 passengers during the ten-day holiday period, marking a 34.7% increase from the previous year. For the same period of 2022-2023, this figure was 118,000.

During these days, 35 airlines operated flights to 72 destinations from Baku. The most popular routes included Istanbul, Nakhchivan, Moscow, Tbilisi, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ankara, St Petersburg, and Doha.

It's no surprise that Istanbul topped this list. This city is a favourite among Azerbaijani travellers, and the New Year has reaffirmed this.

From Yılbaşı to Yeni Yıl

The holiday flight to Istanbul began with a pleasant surprise from AZAL. Firstly, all passengers were given delicious Christmas gingerbread shaped like a Christmas tree and a snowman. Secondly, to everyone's surprise, passengers were greeted by a foreign English-speaking crew on the plane. It turned out that due to the sharp increase in the number of passengers for the New Year, a leasing agreement was concluded to attract the Lithuanian airline GetJet to fly under the auspices of AZAL. Both the aircraft and crew members are foreign, but each flight is accompanied by an Azerbaijani-speaking steward. Similar flights are also made to Dubai, Milan, Vienna, Almaty, Astana, and other cities.

Upon landing at the Istanbul airport, I noticed that whereas previously the Turkish New Year was called Yılbaşı, now it is called Yeni Yıl. Everywhere you could find greetings like Yeni yılınız kutlu olsun! It is worth mentioning that New Year's Eve is a secular holiday and is not a traditional holiday celebration in Türkiye, according to Islamic rituals. However, Istanbul, the tourist mecca of Türkiye, is a modern secular city. Recently, the passing of the year and the greeting of the new one has been increasingly celebrated here. More and more families specially prepare for the holiday, decorating the Christmas tree, preparing gifts, and walking until dawn on the New Year's Eve. They are also encouraged to do so by the huge number of tourists who come to celebrate from abroad.

Apparently, this explains the large concentration of police and special vehicles on Taksim Square and Istanbul's main Istiklal promenade on these days. One could see at least 15-20 police officers everywhere on the Istiklal Street (probably more than 50 of them). They patrolled the entire perimeter of the most touristy area of the city. According to one police officer, some of the police forces were drawn from the regions. Toward evening, Taksim Square and the Republic Monument were cordoned off, and passengers were subjected to identity checks at the underground exit. Everything subsided only by the next morning. Fortunately, no incidents were registered...

Costs

This year air tickets to Istanbul for the New Year were not as expensive and frightening as before (back then a one-way flight could cost up to ₼1500). Round-trip tickets could be bought for ₼600-₼700 (depending on luggage).

But the cost of the hotel rooms was not so pleasing. Because of the desire to be closer to the parties and mass festivities, rooms are usually booked in hotels closer to Taksim, around the Sultanahmet neighbourhood and in Nisantasi. This year was no exception either.

Hotel prices, especially during the New Year holidays, have risen a lot. If in previous years it was possible to find a room for two in a three-star hotel in the central districts for 35-40 euros, this time it was difficult to do it even for 60-70 euros.

It is about basic hotels, where breakfast is either not included or the options are very limited. Rooms for two people in most mid-range hotels started from 100-120 euros. In four-star hotels, the cost of a room reached 150-250 euros. As for five-star hotels, the prices were even higher. In most cases, however, the administrators claim that the sharply rising cost of living forces hoteliers to raise prices for services, and that they have "nothing to do with it".

In addition to searching and choosing a suitable hotel, many tourists are also looking for attractive places to dine and party. Those who have planned in advance can purchase tickets for the "New Year's Eve Bosphorus Cruise" water excursion. For 200 euros, the boat cruise programme includes food (local and European cuisine), unlimited drinks, including alcoholic beverages, an entertainment programme with dancing, a professional DJ, as well as a New Year's tree and Father Christmas (Noel baba) and the Snow Maiden.

Tourists with larger budgets prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve in glamorous five-star hotels such as InterContinental Istanbul 5*, The Marmara 5*, Four Seasons Hotel at the Bosphorus and others. In many of them, the magnificent panoramic view complements gourmet dining, fireworks, cocktails and discos. Celebrations in such hotels and famous clubs usually cost at least 300-500 euros, and tickets are hard to find.

Tourists with more limited budgets make arrangements in advance with small restaurants, clubs and bars in the neighbourhood of Taksim and Istiklal Street, which are open until the morning. Entrance to these establishments on New Year's Eve is charged, as a special programme is prepared for guests. Another affordable option is a New Year's Eve dinner at one of the inexpensive fish restaurants in Nevizade, a popular neighbourhood on Istiklal. A full dinner per person here will cost 1,000TL (₼60). For example, a fish (chupra or levrek) costs 250TL, a salad 150-200TL, pasta with seafood 300TL, and a glass of wine 250TL.

The most popular places for New Year's celebrations are still Taksim with Istiklal Street, Nishantashi district, and Galata Bridge, where people come to admire fireworks and dine in fish restaurants.

This New Year's Eve the weather in Istanbul was unusually warm. The average daytime temperature was 15-16 degrees Celsius, which is quite comfortable for walking and sightseeing in Istanbul.

The Hagia Sophia and Sultanahmet mosques, as well as the Basilica Cisterns nearby, remain the top tourist destinations. Unlike the usual time of year, there were long queues in front of the Hagia Sophia Mosque, which, by the way, moved quite quickly. The entrance to the mosque is still free. It is expected to become paid for foreigners from 15 January 2024. Big queues were also lined up in front of Dolmabahce Palace - entrance for foreigners is 1050TL (₼60s), for locals - 150TL.

Among the must-see places are Topkapi Palace - the residence of all the sultans of the Ottoman Empire up to the mid-19th century, Galata Tower and Galata Bridge (where you can try balik ekmek, a fish sandwich), Taksim Square with Istiklal Street and the famous red tram, Suleymaniye Mosque, Sirkeci Station, Eminönü Square and the Princes' Islands.

In recent years, it has also become popular for tourists to visit the Asian part of Istanbul, especially the Kadıköy neighbourhood. It often leads the way in terms of decorated shop counters, colourful lanterns and the general holiday atmosphere. The influx of tourists has also made prices here "biting". For example, a Turkish small armudu with tea is served for 35TL, coffee - for 70TL and more, and the cost of a portion of sweets (cakes) can reach 300-400TL.

Additionally, the Turkish authorities invite visitors to Istanbul to explore the recently restored neighbourhoods of Fener and Balat, which are just three tram stops away from Eminönü or Halic Metro Station. Today, the former Greek neighbourhood of Fener and the old Jewish neighbourhood of Balat, located on the southern shore of the Golden Horn, boast a rich historical heritage and a beautiful atmosphere that is appreciated by tourists worldwide. This area is home to Istanbul's famous colourful flamboyant houses, made famous by popular Turkish films and TV series. While local authorities still have work to do to fully restore these adjoining neighbourhoods, they are a must-visit for fans of authentic and colourful places.

If you're a fan of Istanbul's "European life", head to the famous and affluent Bebek neighbourhood in Beşiktaş. It starts just after the Ortakey Mosque. Bebek offers stunning views of the Bosphorus coast, which connects the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea. It's a place where lovers gather in cafes and fish restaurants to enjoy breakfast on holidays and weekends while admiring the stunning view of the blue Bosphorus. The Bebek coastline is a suitable place for sports such as cycling and running, and even swimming in the summer. Be sure to take a stroll through the local area too, to see the elitist life of Istanbul's Turks. And if you want to continue travelling along the coast, a 45-minute drive will take you to the equally beautiful Sariyer district.

Almost all of these sights can be visited using Istanbul's extensive public transport system. During the holidays, the fare on trams, buses and metro was 15TL (₼0.85) with İstanbulkart cards (70TL). However, Turkish authorities have already announced a fare increase to 17.70TL (₼1).

In conclusion, Istanbul is always beautiful no matter the season. If you haven't had a chance to see Istanbul in 2024 on the New Year's Eve, you can start planning your journey to see 2025 now. Happy travelling!