Turkey · Architecture

4-Day Istanbul History and Architecture Tour with Bosphorus Cruise

4 Days Round trip from İstanbul Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 See Istanbul's fortresses and palaces on a luxury Bosphorus cruise
02 Visit Hagia Sophia, considered one of the Eight Wonders of the World
03 Admire the world-famous blue Iznik tiles inside the Blue Mosque
04 Explore Topkapı Palace, home of the early and mid-era Ottoman Sultans

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 Topkapı Palace, and offer your prayers at the sacred Hagia Sophia. Shop at the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, and visit the magnificent Byzantine-era sporting and social centre of the Hippodrome of Constantinople.

Witness the wonderful Bosphorus Strait on a luxury cruise ride and see Istanbul's majestic fortresses and palaces on this 4-day tour.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 4 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

City Istanbul

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

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival in Istanbul

Meet your tour guide upon arrival at the airport and transfer to the hotel.
Spend the rest of the day at leisure. An optional Dinner Cruise Tour can also be scheduled for another night in Istanbul.

Day 02

Imperial and Ottoman Splendours of Istanbul

Enjoy breakfast at 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 and is one of the rare works of this size and age that still survives.
Visit the Blue Mosque, world-famous for the exquisite blue Iznik tiles decorating its interior. It is also the only imperial mosque in the world that was originally built with six minarets.
Continue to the Hippodrome Square, old Byzantium's sporting and social centre, which once 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 centre of trade and commerce in Istanbul, with more than 4,000 shops.
After the Grand Bazaar, have lunch.
Head to Valide Mosque, also called New Mosque, completed in 1664. This was the last imperial mosque built in the classical style and is situated in one of the centres of the city's crowded daily life, next to both land and sea traffic.
Proceed to Topkapı Palace, the residence of the early and mid-era Ottoman Sultans. It was the principal residence of the Ottoman Sultans and the centre of administration of the Ottoman Empire from the 15th to the 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 back to the hotel at the end of the tour.

Day 03

Spice Bazaar and Bosphorus Cruise

Have breakfast at the hotel and depart for a half-day Bosphorus Cruise Tour.
Visit the Spice Bazaar, the second largest covered bazaar in Istanbul after the 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 the Golden Horn, an inlet of the Bosphorus and the natural harbour of Old Istanbul.
Board a boat for an unforgettable cruise on the Bosphorus. The strait runs through the unique city of Istanbul, which stands 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 in only 3 months by Mehmet the Conqueror, Anatolian Fortress, the fanciful Dolmabahçe 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 04

Departure from Istanbul

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and spend your day at leisure.
Check out and drive to the airport.

Where this trip takes you

Bosphorus Strait, Dolmabahçe Palace, Topkapı Palace, Rumelian Fortress

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from İstanbul 1 city · 4 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Private airport transfers
3 nights' bed and breakfast hotel accommodation in Istanbul
1 full-day group tour including pick-up and drop-off, guiding, transportation in an A/C vehicle, museum fees, and lunch
1 half-day group tour including pick-up and drop-off, guiding, transportation in an 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 Not Included

Tips to staff and items of a personal nature
Drinks with meals, except the drinks served with breakfast
International arrival and departure flight tickets
Entry visa

Know before you go

Hotels:
ELYSIUM STYLES TAKSIM 5*
LARES PARK HOTEL 4*
YASMAK SULTAN HOTEL 4*
RENAISSANCE BOSPHORUS HOTEL 5*
Rates: Valid for 2019, excluding holidays and special dates.
For a minimum of 2 persons: EUR 295 per person in a double room.
For a minimum of 4 persons: EUR 270 per person in a double room.
For a minimum of 8 persons: EUR 245 per person in a double room.
Single supplement: EUR 105.
Remarks:
Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays. Visit order can be changed depending on the museums' closing days.
Blue Mosque is reserved for prayer on Fridays until prayer time. On Fridays, the Blue Mosque is visited from the exterior.
Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays; the area surrounding the bazaar will be visited instead.
Optional services:
Optional Dinner Cruise - EUR 50 per person with unlimited soft drinks, or EUR 60 per person with unlimited local alcoholic drinks. In the evening, pick-up from the hotel for the Dinner Cruise on the Bosphorus Tour. You will embark on the boat to start your cruise on the Bosphorus, and the crew will show you your seat. The national delight "Lokum" will be presented before dinner starts. The DJ will play slow music from different countries and languages during the cruise. After dinner, enjoy watching several folk dances from different regions of Turkey. 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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