For those who've been to either place, have you recommendations on must-sees, must-dos?

And, yes, I'm aware of the recent suicide bombing in Istanbul. I'm not fazed.

[Edited 1/15/16 21:54pm]

wow good for you! i don't have any tips exceot maybe go with a tour group for safety. hope you enjoy your journey and come back safe and sound.

XxAxX said:

wow good for you! i don't have any tips exceot maybe go with a tour group for safety. hope you enjoy your journey and come back safe and sound.

Thanks, XxAxX

I went to Rome in, like, 2000 so it's hard to say what's changed in the modern aspect of things but, of course, the ancient-ness of the city is what's so wonderful for us north americans who simply don't have stuff that old around here.

I took a few guided walking tours while there and highly recommend finding a good one. I defintely saw things and learned more than if I'd just ventured out on my own. I don't do those often when I travel and really appreciated it there.

The big things to see are all worth it, I think. Trevi fountain, the coliseum, the pantheon, etc.

The ruins where Ceasar was killed is now a fabulous feral cat sanctuary and I just love that. One of my favorite sites. Our tour guide told us that once upon a time Rome was overrun with rats. Marc Antony was dating Cleopatra and got the idea to bring in a bunch of cats from Egypt, which helped control the rat population, but with no natural predators for the cats they soon had a cat problem. Today they control the population by catching and spaying/neutering them, and releasing them. The cats who hang out there get vet care and one meal a day.

My off-the-beaten path suggestion is seeing the Capuchin Crypt. It was an interesting site. The story there is a monastery of Capuchin monks (indeed, where the name cappuccino comes from as the drink was the color of the habits they wore) had to move their location and under their current church were the remains of thousands of monks who had passed over the many years. They brought the bones with them and ended up commissioning artists to create several chapels out of them in their new digs. It's pretty remarkable.

And of course there's the usual Italy things. Eat great food, drink wine and espresso, etc.
Enjoy yourself at every meal and go for a nice stroll after dinner.

I have family in Istanbul. They speak fluent English, too, and they are quite sophisticated people just like you. Let me know if you are serious and I can get you in touch with them and they can show you the most interesting places, depending on what you are interested in.

I´d also recommend both of Anthony Bourdain´s shows on Istanbul to get an idea of what to expect. Even if you are not into food, both parts were really informative and deal with the political situation and culture as well.

Right now there´s a lot of sadness due to the ISIS terror attack last week (which for some strange reason totally fell off the radar in world wide news whereas terror attacks in Europe or the USA get more coverage and sympathy on the news and social media). As far as I´m concerned you have nothing to worry about though, especially if you travel with locals.

Let me know in case you need help. I can also get you in touch with some English speaking German friends of mine who live there or who spent a couple of years there.

Very helpful stuff. Thanks, Carrie/KoolEaze!

Kool, I may take you up on the offer of connecting me with Istanbul locals. Let me get back to you, though, after I determine exact dates and for just how long I'll be in town.

We were just there a few months ago for the 4th Istanbul Biennial. There, I saw this after taking a boat to the island with Trotsky's mansion (ruins):

https://www.facebook.com/...846483224/

We used a "lonely planet guide" to find the best restaurants, and at one, I heard them play "1000 hugs & X's" of of Hit n Run 1.

[Edited 1/16/16 13:09pm]

morningsong said:

I envy you on your trip plans. Rome is definitely one of the places I want to see the most in the world. Hope you have a ton of joy in the experience. Stay safe and report back immediately to the org upon your return.

The two cities have been on the top of my to-do list for years. Really grateful I have this chance to go. I'm be sure to report back ASAP!

ufoclub said:

We were just there a few months ago for the 4th Istanbul Biennial. There, I saw this after taking a boat to the island with Trotsky's mansion (ruins):

https://www.facebook.com/...846483224/

We used a "lonely planet guide" to find the best restaurants, and at one, I heard them play "1000 hugs & X's" of of Hit n Run 1.

[Edited 1/16/16 13:09pm]

Awesome. How long were you there? Did you stay in the Old City or elsewhere?

Lammastide said:

Can you afford a Viking Cruise?

I hear you get ushered past all the lines with their packages.