4-Day History & Architecture Tour of Istanbul With Bosphorus Cruise

Hagia Sophia

Highlights

See fortresses and palaces on a luxury cruise ride in the Bosphorus Strait

Visit the Hagia Sophia Museum, considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World

See the world-famous exquisite blue Iznik tiles at the Blue Mosque

Explore Topkapı Palace, the residence of early and mid-era Ottoman Sultans

Istanbul

cultural, historical, Shore Excursion

Group Tour

4 Days

Easy

Arabic, English, German, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu

Description

WItness the wonderful Bosphorus Strait on a luxury cruise ride and see Istanbul's majestic fortresses and palaces on this 4-day tour. Pay your respects at the stunning Blue Mosque, marvel at the architecture of Topkapi Palace and offer your prayers at the sacred Hagia Sophia. Shop at the Grand Bazaar & Spice Bazaar and visit the magnificent Byzantine era sports complex, Sultanahmet Square.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival
- Meet your tour guide upon arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel.
- Spend the rest of the day at leisure. (Optional Dinner Cruise Tour can also be scheduled for another night in Istanbul)
Day 2: Full Day City Sightseeing
- Eat breakfast in the hotel and depart for a full day Imperial & Ottoman Splendours Tour, including lunch.
- Begin your tour with a visit to the Hagia Sophia Museum, considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World. It occupies a unique place in the history of architecture, one of the rare works of this size and age that still survives.
- Visit the Blue Mosque, which comes from the world-famous exquisite blue Iznik tiles decorating its interior. Also, it is the only imperial mosque in the world that was initially built with six minarets.
- Continue to the Hippodrome Square, old Byzantium's sporting and social center held 100,000 spectators. It featured objects from all corners of the empire, such as the Egyptian Obelisk and the Serpent Column.
- Explore the Grand Bazaar, the world's largest and oldest covered bazaar. It was the center of trade and commerce in Istanbul, with more than 4000 shops.
- After Grand Bazaar, have lunch.
- Head to Valide Mosque, also called New Mosque and completed in 1664, with your Istanbul tour guide. This was the last imperial mosque built in the classical style and is situated in one of the centres of the crowded city life, next to both land and sea traffic.
- Proceed to Topkapı Palace, the residence of early and mid-era Ottoman Sultans. It was the principal residence of the Ottoman Sultans and the center of administration of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th to 19th century. During your visit, you will see the fabulous Imperial Treasury, the Baghdad Kiosk, Holy Relics and the Kitchen Section, including one of the world’s finest collections of Chinese celadon ceramics. The Harem is also located inside the palace, forbidden to anyone except the Sultan.
- Drive to the hotel at the end of the tour.
Day 3: Sightseeing & Bosphorus Cruise
- Have breakfast in the hotel and depart for Half Day Bosphorus Cruise Tour.
- Visit Spice Bazaar, the second largest covered bazaar in Istanbul after Grand Bazaar. It is well-known for its herbalists; the Egyptian Bazaar offers traditional natural medicines, spices, flower seeds, roots and shells of rare plants, dried nuts and fruits, deli products and various Turkish Delights.
- After the Spice Bazaar, drive along the shore of Golden Horn, an inlet of the Bosphorus and is the natural harbour of Old Istanbul.
- Board a boat for an unforgettable cruise on the Bosphorus. The strait runs through the unique Istanbul that stands up on two different continents between Asia and Europe. During the cruise, you will have a chance to view the peerless sights ornamenting the Asian and European shores, such as 19th-century wooden mansions, Rumeli Fortress built only in 3 months by Mehmet the Conquerer, Anatolian Fortress, fanciful Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi palaces, and hunting lodges.
- Return to the hotel at the end of the tour.
- The rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 4: Departure
- Enjoy breakfast in the hotel and spend your day at leisure.
- Check-out and drive to the airport.

What's Included

Private Airport transfers

3 Nights Bed & Breakfast Hotel Accommodation in Istanbul

1 Full Day Group Tour incl. pick-up and drop off, guiding, transportation in A/C Vehicle, Museum Fees and lunch

1 Half Day Group Tour incl. pick-up and drop off, guiding, transportation in A/C Vehicle and Museum Fees

TURSAB travel insurance (covers the costs of services accepted and committed by the travel agency in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency and liquidation of the agency)

Local taxes

What's Excluded

Tips to staff, items of a personal nature

Drinks with meals (except the drinks served with breakfast)

International arrival & departure flight tickets

Entry visa

Know Before You Go

HOTELS:

ELYSIUM STYLES TAKSIM 5*: www.elysiumstyletaksim.com

LARES PARK HOTEL 4*: www.laresparkhotel.com

YASMAK SULTAN HOTEL 4*: www.hotelyasmaksultan.com

RENAISSANCE BOSPHORUS HOTEL 5*: www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/istbo-renaissanc-istanbul-polat-bosphorus-hotel/

RATES: (Valid for 2019, excluding Holidays & Special Dates)

For a minimum of 2 Persons Per Person 295 Euros in a Double Room

For a minimum of 4 Persons Per Person 270 Euros in a Double Room

For a minimum of 8 persons Per Person 245 Euros in a Double Room

Single Supplement 105 Euros

Remarks:

Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesday. Visit orders can be changed depending on the museum’s closed days.

Blue Mosque is reserved for prayer on Fridays until prayer time. On Fridays, Blue Mosque is visited from the exterior.

Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays; the area surrounding the bazaar will be visited instead on Sundays.

Optional Services:

Optional Dinner Cruise – Per Person 50 Euros with unlimited soft drinks / Per Person 60 Euros with unlimited local alcoholic drinks.

In the evening, pick up from the hotel for the Dinner Cruise on the Bosphorus Tour. We will embark on our boat to start our cruise on the Bosphorus. Our crew will show you your seat. The national delight “Lokum” will be presented to you before the dinner starts. The D.J. will play several slow musics from different countries and languages during the cruises. After dinner, enjoy watching several folk dances from different regions of Turkey. And, of course, no night out in Istanbul would be complete without belly dancers. At the end of the tour, return to the hotel.

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