Itinerary

1. Dolmabahce Palace & Bosphorus Cruise Tour

   • Connect with the tour guide and start the tour by exploring the Dolmabahce Palace, a blend of various European architectural styles, built between 1843 and 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, and silk carpets and curtains. It surpasses all other palaces in the world in wealth and magnificence. (Harem is not included)
   • Then, go shopping as Turkey is one of the best later producing countries in the world. Watch a fashion show in an outlet center which produces and manufactures different great quality leatherware. So it’s a good opportunity to have a look at the reasonable priced good quality leather accessories. (Optional due to high traffic jams and long lines for the Palace)
   • Next, head to the City Walls, the first breached of the walls by the Fourth Crusade in 1204, the second by the cannons and troops of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453.
   • Transfer by bus to Golden Horn as a natural and extremely secure harbour. The Golden Horn has played an important role in the development of İstanbul. The inlet separates the Europen shore into two. It is approximately 8km long, and the widest part is the entrance from the Bosphorus. Two streams drain into this inlet at its far end.
   • Now, go for a boat trip to Bosphorus, an amazing cruise between the two continents, Europe and Asia, along the Bosphorus by the Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi Palaces, wooden villas and mansions up to the Rumeli Fortress.
   • Afterwards, proceed to the Rumeli Fortress. (NO interior visit) İstanbul had been besieged many times before Mehmet the Conqueror took the city in 1453, but it managed to defend itself with the help of the Roman city walls.