Byzantium and Ottoman relics

Informazioni generali

Destinazione	Categoria
Istanbul, Turchia	Attrazioni/Intrattenimento

Il programma nel dettaglio

This comprehensive one day sightseeing tour of Istanbul provides the perfect introduction to this magical city straddling Asia and Europe. You will see some of the main sights as you learn the fascinating history of this eternal city, in a tour covering almost 2000 years of history.

After being picked up from your hotel between 08.00 and 08.30 our first stop will be the Hippodrome, a circus dating from Roman times that was to become the social and cultural heart of Constantinople, Next we'll visit the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque, sumptuously decorated with more than 20,000 blue Iznik tiles. The mosque is just a stone's throw from the sublime Basilica of Hagia Sophia, built in the 6th century by the Emperor Justinian. After the Ottoman conquest, it was converted to a mosque and is today considered one of the most magnificent buildings in the world.

We'll then visit the Grand Bazaar, one of the world's largest covered markets, renowned for its jewellery, leather, pottery, spices and carpets. Next stop is the Mosque of Little Hagia Sophia, one the oldest early Byzantine buildings in Istanbul that is believed to have served as a model for the Basilica of Hagia Sophia. Our next visit will be to the impressive Topkapi Palce, residence of the Ottoman sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries, housing an exquisite art collection.


Meeting/pick-up point: Hotel.

Others: As mosques are closed on Fridays, there will only be external visits on that day.