I now congratulate myself on choosing Mehmet's place for our four days' stay in Istanbul. For a newcomer the first headache is to find the apartment in the maze of the old city. Mehmet took care of that by arranging an airport transfer and personally receiving us at the entrance of the apartment building. A very pleasant personality, Mehmet not only provided us with some very useful tips on our travel itinerary but also booked on our behalf, and later modified that booking at short notice, a relatively inexpensive shuttle service to Sabiha airport to where regular bus service is not available and taxi an expensive alternative.
The apartment is only a few minutes' walk from most of the attractions of Istanbul like Hagia Sofia, Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace, Church Irene, and Mosaic Museum. There are plenty of shopping and gastronomical options in the area. Tram service is also frequent, runs 24 hours and is easily accessible from nearby Sultanahmet Square.
And if you don't mind climbing the stairs Mehmet's apartment will offer you a spectacular view of the sea of Marmara squeezing into Bosporous strait and a view of another continent just on the other side. If you open the wide glass door you can hear the sea's distant roar.