DAY 1 ISTANBUL
Arrive in Istanbul, and transfer to your hotel. After a short tour briefing, the rest of the day is free to rest, relax or walk around to explore the city. Welcome dinner and overnight at your Hotel ( ISTANBUL ). [ D ]
DAY 2 ISTANBUL
We spend the full day visiting the sights of Old Istanbul. We will begin at the ancient Hippodrome which was the center of the civil activities back in the Hellenistic and Roman times. At the Hippodrome the chariot and horse races and athletic runs took place for the entertainment of the people of Constantinople. We walk to the nearby Ibrahim Pasha Palace which houses the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art where we will see an impressive exhibit from the various periods of Turkish and Islamic art, ranging in date from the 7th C. to the 19th. Then we proceed to the Blue Mosque, famous for its blue tiles covering its interior walls and also for its six minarets which is a unique feature of this mosque. Nearby is Hagia Sophia Museum, the former Cathedral of Constantinople, considered as the masterpiece of the early Byzantine architecture. Hagia Sophia is renowned for its superb mosaic decoration as well as its architectural style. Back in Byzantine Empire, most emperors were crowned in this cathedral after a special ceremony. After lunch we will visit the Topkapi Palace, residence and administrative center of the Ottoman Sultans. In the grounds of the Topkapi Palace are many courtyards surrounded by old buildings each housing small museums with exhibits of jewelry, costumes, calligraphy and various objects that belonged to the Imperial treasury of the Ottoman Sultans. Dinner and overnight at your Hotel ( ISTANBUL ). [ B L D ]
DAY 3 ISTANBUL
This morning, we will cruise up the Bosphorus with private boat, sit on the deck and enjoy the nice traditional water-front houses built by the Ottomans in the last or in the turn of this century. We will disembark near the Spice bazaar, and have free time for shopping in the Spice Market where you will find hundreds of spices and herbs. Spice market was built by the Ottomans in the 16th C., and has been used as the main market of spices and herbs since then. We head for the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, where will have time for shopping. In the grand bazaar which is an old ottoman bedesten built in the 15th. C., and said to have about 3,500 shops under its roof, you will find almost anything from souvenirs to jewelry, from textiles to Turkish ethnographic items. In the afternoon visit the Asian side of the city, Beylerbeyi Palace built for the Sultans in the 18th C., and the Camlica Hill with panoramic view of the city from the top. Dinner and overnight at your hotel ( ISTANBUL ). [ B L D ]
DAY 4 TRANSFER TO AIRPORT
Check-out and transfer to the airport for our morning flight back home. [ B ]
[ B ] : Breakfast
[ L ] : Lunch
[ D ] : Dinner |
