General information
| Destination |
|---|
| Istanbul, Turkey |
Program details
Day 1
This 8 hours tour starts at Hippodrome Square and continues to the Blue Mosque one of the landmarks of the city. Then visit the St. Sophia Museum, one of the most magnificent Byzantine churches. Continue to Topkapi Palace, the imperial residence of the Great Ottoman Empire, today a museum holding a large collection of porcelains and displaying holy relics. Proceed to Little Hagia Sofia and the Grand Bazaar, tempting souvenir hunters with its rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewelry, and leather, where the tour ends.
Lunch in a local restaurant will be served during the tour.
Day 2
After your pick up from the hotel, the tour starts with a visit to the Egyptian Spice Bazaar which is full of the mystical aromas of various spices and colorful shops selling fruit, vegetables, flowers, fish, etc. Next, we board our boat for a cruise along the Bosphorus from/to Eminonu Pier, the waterway separating the two continents of Europe and Asia. As we travel, you will have the chance to see the European-style palaces of the Ottomans and the palaces of Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi, in striking contrast to some of the modern villas that line the shores.
Lunch will be served in a local fish Restaurant. After lunch, proceed on the tour with Dolmabahce Palace, a blend of various European architectural styles, which was built between 1843 - 1856 by Karabet Balyan, the court architect of Sultan Abdulmecid. The three-storied palace built on a symmetrical plan has 285 rooms and 43 halls. The palace has survived intact with its original decorations, furniture, silk carpets, and curtains. It surpasses all other palaces in the world in wealth and magnificence. At the end of the tour, transfer back to your hotel.
Italiano
