It depends on what area of the city you want to stay in. And also depends on what type of hostel you want. Do you want a party spot, or a nice clean place where you can relax?

I stayed at Agora Guesthouse. Nice place, I would definitely stay there again.

I certainly don’t mind quiet places, but being near all the tourist sites is probably important to me. That said, I just don’t have a clear enough idea of Istanbul to know exactly what I want. I’ll take a look at Agora Guesthouse, thanks.

The description of Agora indicates it is very near tourist sites. Did you find it convenient?

Yes, it’s pretty convenient. It’s very close to Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, etc. (5 minutes walk maybe). But at the same time, it’s far enough away from the main “old” Instanbul centre that it’s a quiet place to sleep.

I was there in March, and it was pretty quiet, but I enjoyed the city and hostel both.

I just walked and walked and walked around the city. All over, it’s extremely easy to get lost, so it’s best to just keep wandering and to not worry about trying to track your steps. When you decide to go home, you’ll find a way to get there. If someone can point you in the direction of the Blue Mosque, you’ll have no trouble finding Agora Guesthouse.

get a not too expensive hostel

There are tons of hostels back in that same area of Sultanahmet (the main tourist district), between the Blue Mosque and the mouth of the Bosphorus. Its a quiet little street, i think they call it backpacker alley, or hostel alley or something like that, they are all independently owned and cost about the same. If you dont want to book ahead, you could just go there and walk from one to another to compare, ask to see bathrooms and such.

There are also some hostel options near Taksim square, which is a 30-45 min walk (across the golden horn and up the hill) from Sultanahmet. There is plenty of stuff to see and do over there, and it should not be missed, but either way you are a good distance from some of the major attractions.

If you do stay in that area of Sultanahmet, I would strongly suggest that you not eat at the restaurants which are conveniently located nearby. They are all aimed at the backpackers staying there, and rather overpriced. Walk 5 minutes beyond the blue mosque and you’ll eat for several Lira cheaper.

A lot of the hostels are above shops. Tons above carpet shops.