An Istanbul Layover

I had purposefully opted for a connection with a long layover in Istanbul because I wanted to test the layover experience program of Turkish Airlines called Touristanbul.

The flight there from Berlin was unspectacular, with a decent chicken dish that was served. The only noteworthy thing is probably that the flight was done in a wide-body aircraft - an uncommon occurrence for medium-haul destinations.

Once there, I just missed the city tour I wanted to leave on, and then ended up on something called a shopping tour. I didn't care all too much, as I was planning to walk around freely and see if the dinner that was included in the trip was worth it.

Overall, the layover experience was lacking some elements, because it was a lot shorter than expected, and we didn't go to the places that were written in the itinerary. Dinner was okay in general, but seeing how I didn't pay for it I have zero reasons to complain.

We ended up driving for more time than we had our feet on the ground, and I felt that was a wasted opportunity on their part. Concluding, I wasn't amazed by the program, but would do it again if I find myself with a long layover in Istanbul. Hopefully with an arrival that doesn't miss the more interesting excursions by mere minutes.Read more