Visits:Blue Mosque - Topkapi Palace - Haghia Sophia - Savior in Chora - Bosporus - Dolmabahce Palace - Beylerbeyi Palace - Spice Market - Grand Bazaar Departure Day :Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Start City :Istanbul End City :Istanbul
Category
Departure Date(s)
Land Only Per Person in Double
Single Supplement
Additional Bed
Regular
Between Jan.01.10 to Dec.31.10 every Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
316
0
316
Istanbul 5 days & 4 nights
Day 1
Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.
Day 2
Lunch
A full day tour to explore Istanbul, a fascinating city straddling two continents which, under the name Byzantium and Constantinople was the capital of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and in 1453, became the third and last Capital of the Ottomans. Visit the Blue Mosque, recognizable from its six minarets, built between 1609 and 1616 for Sultan Ahmet I and decorated inside with 21,043 tiles from Iznik in a dominant blue color; the Hippodrome where political, cultural, and sports activities took place during Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times; Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman sultans between the end of the 15th and the first half of the 19th centuries, with its treasures, terraces overlooking the Marmara Sea, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn... You will end the day at the historical Grand Bazaar. Lunch during sightseeing.
Day 3
Lunch
Morning, visit imposing Haghia Sophia which marked the apogee of Byzantine Emperor Justinian's reign; Rustempasa Mosque with its beautiful Iznik (Nicea) tiles, and the Spice Market with its exotic spices and aromas. Cruise on the Bosporus that separates Asia from Europe and connects the Marmara Sea to the Black Sea. You will get the best views of the city and most of the historical monuments in Istanbul. All along the strait and on both shores, you will discover the marble Palaces of Dolmabahce, Beylerbeyi, the beautiful wooden Ottoman villas called "yali" (water-side residences), the medieval forteresses etc. Lunch at a fish restaurant along the Bosphorus.
Afternoon, visit of St Savior in Chora (Kariye Museum) whose mosaics and frescoes are among the most beautiful in the Byzantine World.
Day 4
Lunch
Morning, visit Dolmabahce Palace, the somptuous new official residence of the sultans after 1856. Cross the suspended bridge over the Bosphorus to reach the Asian side of Istanbul and visit Beylerbeyi Palace, which was the summer residence of the imperial family. Continue to Uskudar for lunch in this old typical quarter from where you will discover the Maiden's Tower located in the middle of the Bosphorus. Drive up to Camlica Hill where you will enjoy one of the best panoramas over the city. Discover the residential quarters of Asian Istanbul. At the end of the day, return by boat to the European side and take the funicular to the quarter of Pera. Free time on Istiklal street where you can find the flower market, lots of shops, cafes and restaurants.
Day 5
Transfer to the airport.
Special Features
Included
- Transportation in air-conditioned vehicles throughout as stated in the tours general features
- Escort by a professional guide-lecturer throughout
- Entrance fees to the museums stated in itinerary
- All meals mentioned in the program
- One small bottle of water (½ lt.) per person per meal.
- Arrival and departure transfers from Istanbul Ataturk Airport.
Not Included
- Visits and services not mentioned in program.
- Accommodation.
- Insurance
- Personal expenses and all beverages
- Tips
Visits:Blue Mosque - Topkapi Palace - Haghia Sophia - Savior in Chora - Bosporus - Dolmabahce Palace - Beylerbeyi Palace - Spice Market - Grand Bazaar
