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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Porto or Istanbul?

64 replies

AshGreen · 29/07/2023 18:26

My partner and I are looking for a week holiday in late September. We can't decide between Porto and Istanbul, if you have been to both of them which would you recommend and why? Thank you.

OP posts:
iamenougheveryday · 29/07/2023 18:30

Istanbul

HermioneWeasley · 29/07/2023 18:37

Istanbul - there is absolutely nowhere else like it

atthebottomofthehill · 29/07/2023 18:38

I would go to Porto, it's lovely. Istanbul is further (if you are in U.K.) and less safe.

roses2 · 29/07/2023 18:44

Porto is small, one week is quite a long time. Istanbul is huge and one week is a good amount of time.

Both are lovely places but unless you go outside Porto then you you’ll be bored after 3 days.

Crabwoman · 29/07/2023 18:50

Istanbul. Just incredible.

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 29/07/2023 18:53

Porto 100%. I got conned by a taxi driver in Istanbul. I say that as ex cabin crew.

Suzi7979 · 29/07/2023 18:58

Porto

DaveClifton · 29/07/2023 19:01

Been to both but for me Istanbul is the frontrunner - as a PP said, there really is nowhere like it. It's majestic.

itsmyp4rty · 29/07/2023 19:14

Both are wonderful but Porto is smaller, safer, easier but less to do and somewhere I'd recommend more for a weekend. Istanbul is full on, lots to do, fascinating, more exotic and better for a week I think.

Orangello · 29/07/2023 19:29

I've been to both and would absolutely choose Porto.

Hillcrest2022 · 29/07/2023 19:31

Porto is nice for 2 days but Istanbul has more to offer for your length of trip. The food, culture beauty of the city are all pretty impressive. I loved it.

Original poster
AshGreen · 29/07/2023 20:02

Hillcrest2022 · 29/07/2023 19:31

Porto is nice for 2 days but Istanbul has more to offer for your length of trip. The food, culture beauty of the city are all pretty impressive. I loved it.

Local cuisine is indeed one of the deciding factor for us, I have an aversion to lamb, do you think my choice of food would be limited in Istanbul?

OP posts:
Hobbesmanc · 31/07/2023 08:06

Both great cities. You'll have no problem with food. The restaurants are great and I'm vegetarian. Istanbul is a major world city with some unmissable sites. I love Porto and have been several times but they aren't really comparable. But if you hire a car there's plenty to see around the city. A whole week just in Porto would be limited. We drove north into Spain. Was magnificent

Shangrilalala · 31/07/2023 08:18

Porto every time. Combine it with time at the beach at nearby Foz do Douro and you have the perfect week.

JamSandle · 31/07/2023 08:41

Porto

feralunderclass · 31/07/2023 09:37

Haven't been to Porto but Istanbul is incredible. I've travelled extensively and haven't been anywhere else with the same feeling. There's loads to do to keep you busy for a week.
You do need to keep your wits about you with taxis, try to stick to uber or say 'meter lutfen' (meter please) every time you get into a taxi.
And haggle like mad in shops/markets! Everything geared towards tourists is very overinflated.

ScribblingPixie · 31/07/2023 18:21

AshGreen · 29/07/2023 20:02

Local cuisine is indeed one of the deciding factor for us, I have an aversion to lamb, do you think my choice of food would be limited in Istanbul?

Show quote history

Not at all.

DuesToTheDirt · 01/08/2023 15:34

Been to both, for a week Istanbul is better. We would run out of things to do in Porto if we were there for a week, though TBH I don't know anything about day trips out of the city.

You don't have to eat lamb in Istanbul - we're veggie and had no trouble with food, though I did suspect that some of the soups had meat stock in them.

ScribblingPixie · 01/08/2023 16:37

Someone mentioned about travelling up to Spain. I've done it the other way round, staying in Galicia and driving to Portugal and that whole region is so amazing with fantastic seafood - if you want to explore that would be the one. If you want to stay put, Istanbul every time.

FernsInTheFire · 01/08/2023 16:49

Istanbul. I liked Porto, but I loved Istanbul. I was ready to come home after a short break in Porto, but could easily have stayed longer than the week we were in Istanbul for. There is so much to see that we didn’t manage any day trips out of the city, whereas I fit in Guimaraes and Braga from Porto. Food ok in Porto but not memorable, whereas the food in Istanbul was just fantastic. I’m pescatarian btw so no lamb for me.

Istanbul is one of the great cities of the world and up there with Rome and Athens for historical sites.

Augustus40 · 01/08/2023 17:16

If you go to Istanbul do try their cake made from chicken. Any good bakery will have it. It is to die for!

Original poster
AshGreen · 01/08/2023 20:42

Augustus40 · 01/08/2023 17:16

If you go to Istanbul do try their cake made from chicken. Any good bakery will have it. It is to die for!

Cake made from chicken 😮won't miss it! Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
AshGreen · 01/08/2023 20:58

Thank you all for the input! We have decided to go for Istanbul for this trip and leave Porto for a shorter break next time. Any more tips for visiting Istanbul will be much appreciated.

OP posts:
namechanged221 · 02/08/2023 00:44

Istanbul every time!

It's amazing!

ScribblingPixie · 02/08/2023 14:57

Fantastic. My tip would be to pick your hotel location carefully because travelling around Istanbul is a bit of a pain - the traffic can be terrible.