Before you fly
A little preparation goes a long way.
Check the entry rules for your nationality and passport. Save your hotel address, booking and airport-transfer confirmation offline. Pack comfortable shoes, layers and a waterproof jacket.
INTERNATIONAL MLS FORUM · 16–17 NOVEMBER 2026
Meet in Istanbul.
Stay a little longer.
Your guest guide to the city, from your first arrival
to a last coffee by the Bosphorus.
THE DATES16–17 NovemberMonday & Tuesday · 2026
THE VENUERaffles IstanbulZorlu Center · European side
PACK FORCool autumn daysLayers, rain jacket, walking shoes
KEEP HANDYGuest essentials ↗Hotel, directions & emergency help01 / A SMOOTH ARRIVAL
Start with the essentials.
A few things to settle before the city takes your attention.
IST or SAW?
Check your airport code.
Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) are different airports. Give your driver the exact airport, flight number and arrival date. SAW has an M4 metro connection to Kadıköy; reaching Raffles requires onward travel.
On arrival
Connect. Find your ride. Settle in.
Allow time for passport control, baggage and customs. Use an official taxi queue or a transfer confirmed with your hotel or provider. Road journeys depend heavily on traffic; there is no guaranteed 25-minute transfer.
A note on Forum transport
A dedicated Forum airport transfer or Mövenpick–Raffles shuttle has not yet been confirmed in this guide. Please rely only on written arrangements from your hotel, transport provider or the Forum team.
AIRPORT TO HOTEL · AROUND THE CITY
Your Ride Into Istanbul
Choose your arrival plan, then keep these links handy for the rest of your stay.
Taxi Apps to Have Ready
Two useful options. Follow the service’s current instructions for your pickup location.
FOR CITY JOURNEYS
BiTaksi
Request a taxi, see driver details and an estimated fare, and share your journey. Card payment is available in the app; check your payment setup before you need a ride.
Use it for journeys around the city. Check airport pickup availability in the app rather than assuming it works at every terminal.
Get BiTaksiCITY + IST PICKUP
Uber
Uber lists taxi pickup at Istanbul Airport. Enter your exact hotel and follow the current pickup instructions in the app after requesting your ride.
Check the ride type, payment method and pickup process shown for your trip. Availability and luggage space vary.
See Uber’s IST Pickup GuideGetting From IST to Your Hotel
Compare the options below. Road traffic, service hours and luggage can affect your choice.
Transport checked 2026-10-02. Check fares, pickup instructions and service hours again before travel. No Forum transfer is included unless confirmed in writing.
02 / YOUR FORUM HOME
At the heart of your stay.
The Raffles Istanbul hotel deal is sold out. Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus is the alternative hotel; check availability directly. The Forum venue remains Raffles Istanbul.
Istanbul 2026 · Hotel options
Your alternative stay
The Raffles Istanbul deal is sold out. Check availability at Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus below.
Forum venue
Raffles Istanbul
DEAL SOLD OUT
The hotel deal is sold out. Raffles Istanbul remains the Forum venue. Please use the Mövenpick alternative.
Alternative stay
Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus
LIMITED ROOMS LEFT
€120per night
The Forum takes place at Raffles Istanbul, not at Mövenpick.
Book on the hotel website ↗
Discount code
Mövenpick discount booking guide
- Open the hotel's official website and choose Check availability.
- Enter your own dates, rooms and guests. The dates pictured in the guide are examples.
- Under Special rates, choose Preferential code, enter the code shown in the Mövenpick box above in capitals with no spaces, and select Search.
3 pages · 6.4 MB · Original hotel booking guide
Confirm the final total, taxes, inclusions and availability when booking. These rates are provided for planning; the booking guide does not guarantee a price.
FORUM VENUE
34340 Istanbul, Türkiye
Raffles Istanbul
Inside Zorlu Center, with shopping, dining and the performing arts centre close at hand.
Raffles Istanbul, Zorlu Center34340 Istanbul, Türkiye
- Check-in
- 15:00
- Check-out
- 12:00
The Raffles Istanbul hotel deal is sold out. Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus is the alternative hotel; check availability directly. The Forum venue remains Raffles Istanbul.
Explore the Forum venue ↗YOUR SECOND HOTEL OPTION
Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus
Your address in Beşiktaş
Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus, Barbaros Bulvari No 165, Balmumcu Besiktas, 34349, Istanbul, TürkiyeHotel reception: +90 212 370 2020- Check-in
- 15:00
- Check-out
- 12:00
Staying here, attending at Raffles
Your hotel and the Forum venue are separate. Plan your journey to Raffles Istanbul at Zorlu Center and allow for traffic. Confirm any transfer directly with the hotel or Forum team; a shuttle is not included unless confirmed in writing.
The hotel lists restaurants and a wellness centre. Ask the hotel about current hours and what your room booking includes.
Keep the Forum days clear.
Plan your longer city visits before or after November 16–17. Follow the published agenda for sessions and allow time to arrive before your first commitment.
See the current agenda ↗Under Further development - May change without notice prior to November 7th.
03 / A CITY IN CHAPTERS
Explore by neighbourhood.
Less time crossing the city. More time enjoying where you are.
Sultanahmet · Eminönü
The Historic Peninsula
Start around Sultanahmet Square. Choose Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Basilica Cistern or Topkapı as your main visit, then leave time for tea. Check admission and prayer-time access before setting out.
- Sultanahmet Square
- One major sight
- Tea or Turkish coffee
Karaköy · Galata · Galataport
Galata & the waterfront
Make a day of cafés, the streets around Galata Tower and the waterfront. The walk between Karaköy and Galata is hilly; choose your route to suit your pace and mobility.
- Karaköy
- Galata streets
- Galataport
Kadıköy or Üsküdar
Across to Asia
Pick one district for a relaxed half-day. A ferry crossing, lunch and a waterfront walk make a good contrast to the Forum. Check the correct pier, return sailing and weather on the day.
- Ferry crossing
- Lunch in one district
- Waterfront walk
Check the day before you book.
Dolmabahçe normally closes on Mondays (including November 16). Topkapı normally closes on Tuesdays (including November 17). Recheck for exceptional changes. Museum tickets, mosque access and market opening days need their own checks.
MAKE TIME FOR THE WATER
The Bosphorus, at your own pace.
A regular ferry crossing or a dedicated Bosphorus tour is a different way to see Istanbul. Şehir Hatları’s winter timetable covers November. Check the route, departure pier, weather and last return before you go.
Official Bosphorus tours ↗IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE MORE TIME
Make the day yours.
Suggested outings, not timed tours. Add travel time and check opening days.
3 spare hoursOne neighbourhood. No rush.
Choose nearby Zorlu Center, an Ortaköy waterfront visit, or one compact area you are already in. Treat travel time as extra. Three hours is not enough to promise several museum interiors and a cross-city return.
- Choose one area
- One stop and a coffee
- Leave a generous return buffer
1 extra dayGive the Old City a day.
Choose one major interior in Sultanahmet, take a proper lunch break, then walk or browse nearby. Book a hammam separately if you still have time. Check closure days before choosing your main sight.
- One historic sight
- Lunch and a walk
- Dinner or a booked hammam
2 extra daysSee another side of Istanbul.
Spend the first day in the Historic Peninsula. On the second, choose Karaköy and Galata or take a ferry to Kadıköy or Üsküdar. With a third day, leave space for shopping or a longer Bosphorus tour.
- Day 1 · Historic Peninsula
- Day 2 · Beyoğlu or Asia
- Extra time · Bosphorus
04 / TASTE & UNWIND
Leave room for the good things.
A proper meal, a sweet pause, a quiet hour after the Forum.
At the venue
İsokyo for Asian-inspired dining, Lavinia Lounge for coffee or a light meal, and Long Bar for an evening drink. Reserve directly with Raffles.
A sweet stop
Hafız Mustafa’s Galataport branch lists baklava, kadayıf, Turkish delight and drinks. Check its current hours before visiting late.
Try something local
Leave time for a Turkish breakfast, simit, meze or mantı, followed by tea, Turkish coffee or baklava. Tell your server about allergies and dietary needs.
Book your hammam, then switch off.
Raffles Spa
Stay close to the Forum with a hammam at the hotel. Confirm treatment availability and book with the spa.
Hürrem Sultan Hamamı
A Sultanahmet option near Hagia Sophia. Check the current treatment menu and reserve directly.
Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı
A Tophane/Karaköy option with separate women’s and men’s sessions. Check the correct session before booking.
An evening without the logistics.
Reserve dinner or a drink at the hotel, or choose one neighbourhood for the evening and arrange your return. Do not assume a rooftop is open in November: Raffles currently lists Lounge 6 as seasonally closed.
Current Raffles dining options ↗A little shopping.
Zorlu Center is at the venue. For a separate outing, consider Nişantaşı or the historic Grand Bazaar. Check opening days before setting out; compare prices and keep receipts for valuable purchases.
Official Istanbul shopping guide ↗05 / GOOD TO KNOW
The practical little details.
Keep your plans flexible and your essentials close.
Mobile data
Check that your phone is unlocked and compatible before buying a SIM or eSIM. Turkcell and Vodafone list 28-day tourist options. Confirm passport requirements, activation and the full SIM-plus-package price at purchase.
Money
Use Turkish lira (TRY / ₺) for local cash payments. Carry a backup payment method. Before approving a card or ATM transaction, check the displayed currency and fees; no exchange rate in this guide is a quote.
Around the city
Metro and tram can avoid road congestion; ferries add a different view of the city. Ask at an official ticket machine or sales point about an anonymous Istanbulkart. App registration and concessions have separate eligibility rules.
November weather
Historical November averages are roughly 10°C at night and 16°C by day—not a forecast for your visit. Bring layers and rain protection, and check the forecast before departure.
A few words in Turkish
- Hello
- Merhaba
- Good morning
- Günaydın
- Thank you
- Teşekkür ederim
- Please
- Lütfen
- Yes / No
- Evet / Hayır
- How much?
- Ne kadar?
- Do you speak English?
- İngilizce biliyor musunuz?
- The bill, please.
- Hesap lütfen.
- Help!
- Yardım!
SAVE THESE DETAILS
A useful page
to keep close.
Bookmark this guide or print a copy before you travel.
Last checked 2 October 2026.
Recheck fast-changing details before departure.
IN AN EMERGENCYCall 112
Call 112 ↗Raffles Istanbul
Zorlu Center, 34340 Istanbul, Türkiye
+90 212 924 0200reservation.istanbul@raffles.comQuestions about the Forum?
Use the secure contact form for non-urgent questions. It is not an emergency service.
Contact the Forum team ↗Onsite guest-relations and transport contacts will be added when the organizers confirm them.
Official sources & travel notes
Reviewed 2 October 2026 against the sources below. Prices, entry rules, opening hours and services can change. Operator information takes precedence. Outings are editorial suggestions, not included Forum services.
- Raffles Istanbul · venue and hotel information ↗
- Raffles Istanbul · restaurants ↗
- Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus · official hotel ↗
- Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs · entry requirements ↗
- Official e-Visa portal ↗
- Turkish State Meteorological Service · Istanbul climate ↗
- Metro Istanbul · tickets and fares ↗
- Sabiha Gökçen Airport · metro ↗
- Turkcell · Tourist Welcome Pack ↗
- Vodafone · tourist SIM ↗
- Şehir Hatları · Bosphorus tours ↗
- Şehir Hatları · 2026–27 winter timetable ↗
- National Palaces · Topkapı Palace ↗
- National Palaces · Dolmabahçe Palace ↗
- GoTürkiye · Historic Peninsula ↗
- GoTürkiye · Beyoğlu ↗
- GoTürkiye · Asian side ↗
- GoTürkiye · Istanbul food ↗
- GoTürkiye · shopping ↗
- GoTürkiye · Grand Bazaar ↗
- Hürrem Sultan Hamamı ↗
- Kılıç Ali Paşa Hamamı · visitor information ↗
- Hafız Mustafa · Galataport ↗
- Türkiye · 112 emergency service ↗
- Istanbul Airport (IST) · official website ↗
- Turkish Airlines · IST airport and transport FAQ ↗
- BiTaksi · official app ↗
- Download BiTaksi ↗
- Uber · Istanbul Airport pickup guide ↗
- HAVAİST · official routes and departures ↗
- Metro Istanbul · Gayrettepe / M2 connections ↗
- TCDD · airport metro information (Turkish) ↗
Photography: the organizer-provided Raffles Istanbul archive and the official Mövenpick Hotel Istanbul Bosphorus website. Captions identify each hotel. Room photographs are illustrative; confirm your room type and view when booking. Hotel spa photographs do not depict the historic hammams listed.