5-Day Architecture and Heritage tour of Istanbul

Hagia Sophia

Highlights

See the Sea of Marmara with a stop at Buyukada

Enjoy some leisure time or participate in the activities mentioned in the itinerary

Istanbul

nature, architectural, sightseeing

Private Tour

5 Days

Easy

English

Description

Embark on this tour to learn about this city's historical and cultural aspects with stops at ancient monuments like Magic Ice Museum and TurkuaZoo. You can also opt to enjoy a cruise ride on the Bosphorus and see the Hagia Sophia museum - the epitome of Byzantine architecture. Also, choose to explore the Sea of Marmara with a stop at Büyükada.

Itinerary

Day 1- Istanbul - Arrival Day
- Get picked up at Istanbul Ataturk Airport and go to the hotel.
- Spend the rest of the day exploring Istanbul on your own.
- Visit Magic Ice Museum and TurkuaZoo, one of the biggest aquariums in Europe with 8000 square meters, that boasts 29 live exhibits, more than 10,000 sea creatures, 80 meter underwater tunnels and a 270-degree panoramic room with a Turkish tour guide. (Optional)
Day 2- Free Leisure Day
- Enjoy a free leisure day or go for an optional tour:
  - Meet your tour guide for a sightseeing tour and visit the Hippodrome, which was the scene of chariot races in the ancient days.
  - See the Obelisk of Theodosius, Serpent Column and Column of Constantine.
  - Explore the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. It is also known as the Blue Mosque due to its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles.
  - Stop at the Hagia Sophia, the ancient basilica built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century and is one of the architectural marvels of all time.
  - Go on an optional evening tour:
  - Enjoy an evening programme of Turkish Night.
  - See the show called 1001 Nights of Istanbul.
  - Eat a welcome dinner alongside live music and a dance show by belly dancers and the Anatolian folklore groups.
Day 3- Free Leisure Day or Optional Tour
- Enjoy a free leisure day or go for an optional tour with your guide.
- Visit the Spice Bazaar, where the air is filled with the aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice.
- Explore Bosphorus by a traditional excursion in a boat and see this waterway that separates Europe and Asia.
- Spot Dolmabahce Palace, the parks and the imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace.
- Explore Ciragan Palace, Ortakoy and Rumeli Fortress.
- Visit Beylerbeyi Palace, Bosphorus Bridge and Camlica Hill.
- Go on a shopping tour to see local handicrafts.
Day 4- Free of Leisure Day /Optional Request Tour
- Enjoy a free leisure day or go for an optional tour:
  - Go on a full-day Princes' Islands tour.
  - Do boat rides and cruises on the Sea of Marmara with a stop at Büyükada.
  - Continue the tour with horse carriage rides around this island and lunch at a seaside restaurant.
  - Enjoy the afternoon on the islands and return to the hotel.
Day 5: Istanbul - Departure Day
- Enjoy your day after breakfast.
- Depart for the Istanbul Ataturk Airport.

What's Included

Airport Arrival-Inbound Transfer (Istanbul Atatürk Airport/hotel) Transfer

Airport Departure-Outbound Transfer (hotel/Istanbul Atatürk Airport)

Professional (English or Arabic) speaking Turkish tour guide for the duration of the tour

Transportation in a fully air-conditioned, non-smoking vehicle

Tips (restaurants, hotels, boats, churches) except driver and guide

Meals as stated on the itinerary

Entrance fees to the sights and museums

Comprehensive sightseeing as itinerary

4 Nights/5 Days accommodation on a Bed and Breakfast basis

Travel insurance

Tours: Istanbul City Tour

Lunches during the Tours: 1X (without drinks)

Local taxes

Gratuities in (Restaurants, Hotels) (Waiters-Staffs)

What's Excluded

International flights

Domestic Flights/Tickets

Visa fee costs of passport or visa for Turkey (if required)

Travel insurance or medical expenses

Drinks during the meals

Beverages (lunch and dinner) are not mentioned in the programme

All services that are not specifically mentioned

All personal expenses such as beverages, laundry, phone calls at the hotel, etc

Gratuities (tips) to the guide, driver, restaurant and hotel staff

Portage at the airport

Optional excursion

Camera use fees (where applicable at specific tourist sites) for video or still cameras

Optional Tours: Bosphorus Tours, Islands Boat Cruise Tours Tickets: 2x

Optional: Phaeton Horse Car Round Tour on Island: 1x

Optional: Turkish Tea Relax and Black Tea Time in Camlica Hill

Suggested optional activities

Items of personal nature expenses

Tips gestures

Meals are not stated in the itinerary

Know Before You Go

Minimum Group Attendance: 8 Pax

The shore of Bosphorus is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages.

Rumeli Fortress was built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul. This fortress was completed in only four months to control and protect the infamous Bosphorus passage. It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world.

Beylerbeyi Palace was the summer residence of Ottoman sultans. It exists in its original renovated glory featuring original antique furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian side of Istanbul.

At Bosphorus Bridge, enjoy a unique chance to step from one continent (Asia) to another (Europe).

Camlica Hill is the highest point in Istanbul. At the top of it, you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosporus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional Turkish Ottoman style.

At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries.

On the shopping tour, experience the traditional silk weaving skills of Turkish women at the carpet weaving courses provided by The Ministry of National Education. You will get an opportunity to see jewellery, a handicrafts centre and a modern leatherwear show. Enjoy the experience of shopping whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen, with local escort full of knowledge about how to haggle the streets of Istanbul.