5-Day Istanbul Heritage Tour with Two Continents and Grand Bazaar

• Meet your tour guide upon arrival in Istanbul, the capital city of Byzantium, the Roman Empire, and the Ottoman State. It is a fascinating city that actually stretches across two continents, Europe and Asia. It is a city of museums, bazaars, minarets, mosques, churches, palaces, and restaurants catering to everyone's taste, customs, and its fifteen million people.
• Transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Istanbul.

• Meet at the hotel reception at 09:00 am. Today, we have Istanbul's old city tour.
• Start with the Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, and see its three monuments: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
• Visit Hagia Sophia Mosque, previously known as the Church of Divine Wisdom, which is simply the best of its kind. Hagia Sophia Mosque is the greatest surviving example of Byzantine architecture. For 1,000 years, it was once the largest church in the world, decorated with stunning 6th-century golden mosaics.
• Then go to Sultanahmet Mosque, across from Hagia Sophia, built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet. It is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Today, it is a mosque.
• Head to the Grand Bazaar, which has a unique atmosphere with 66 streets and over 4,000 shops. There are different sections for items including gold, silver, leather, and carpets.
• (Optional tour) - Topkapı Palace (per person 30 Euro). The great palace of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries houses an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes of the sultans and their families, and the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury. One of them is Kasikci Elmasi, considered one of the 22 most famous diamonds in the world. It is an 86-carat diamond with a flat rose-cut on one face, studded with 49 diamonds. See the miniatures, the Holy Mantle, and the enshrined relics of the Prophet Mohammed.

Please do not forget to carry a scarf with you because of visiting Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia Mosque.

Please note: Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays. If your tour is on one of these days, we will offer you a visit to the Spice Bazaar instead of the Grand Bazaar.

• Visit the largest miniature park in the world, Miniatürk. It was opened on May 2, 2003. Miniatürk covers a total area of 60,000 m2. It is the world's largest miniature park with its 15,000 m2 model area. Miniatürk has 40,000 m2 of open space, 3,500 m2 of covered area, 2,000 m2 of pools and waterways, and a parking lot with a capacity of 500 vehicles. The park contains 105 models done on a 1/25th scale. Forty-five of the structures are from Istanbul, 45 are from Anatolia, and 15 are from the Ottoman territories that today lie outside Turkey. Also featured are historic structures like the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus and the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, now Bodrum. Additional space was reserved for potential future models.
• Proceed to Pierre Loti. At the top of Eyup Sultan Cemetery, you can find one of the best places to look at the famous Golden Horn of Istanbul. This place, called Pierre Loti, is a memorial to the writer Pierre Loti, a regular at the cafe, and is mainly known for the views.
• Go to the Eyup Sultan Mosque, the first grand mosque built in the city in 1458. Next to Eyup Sultan Mosque, we will visit the tombs of the Sahabe, which are very famous in Turkey, being the first generation of Muslims who had come as far as Istanbul and besieged the city. The small Sahabe Cemetery just outside Egrikapi Gate may seem like a standard Muslim cemetery.
• Head to the Süleymaniye Mosque. It becomes most meaningful when understood in its historical and cultural context. It was built during the latter part of Süleyman's long and prosperous reign, which stretched from 1520 to 1566. Istanbul has been the center of religion for centuries. After the Ottoman period, Islamic religion spread throughout the city. The first mosque in Istanbul was built in Kadikoy on the Asian side of the city. The first mosque on the European side of Istanbul was built inside Rumeli Castle in 1452.
• Optional dinner cruise (per person 45 Euro):
  • Around 7 pm, transfer to the port from your hotel for dinner on the Bosphorus dinner cruise. Enjoy delicious gourmet foods while you dance with the panoramic view of the Bosphorus that separates the two continents, Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, marble palaces, fortresses, and small fishing villages. You will see historical places like Dolmabahçe Palace, Rumeli Fortress, Beylerbeyi Palace, and Maiden's Tower.
  • Cultural shows: Katibim Show, a traditional Turkish melody musical performance; Asuk Masuk, an imitation play of dwarfs that belongs to the Taseli district of Silifke and is performed by two male dancers; traditional mixed folk dance, belly dancer, Caucasian folk dance, and professional DJ performance.
  • Dinner menu: open buffet or fixed menu. Unlimited local alcoholic drinks, including a selection of local wines, beers, raki, vodka, gin, and soft drinks, as well as Turkish coffee.
• Drop off at the hotel at the end of the tour.

Overnight in Istanbul.

• Discover the iconic residence of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. Pick-up time is 9 am; meet your guide at the hotel reception.
• Pass by the Bosphorus Bridge, a unique chance to step from one continent to another, from Asia to Europe, then reach Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans, with its original furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian side.
• Proceed to Camlica Hill, one of the highest points in Istanbul. At the top, you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosphorus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional style.
• After the tour, transfer to the hotel.

Overnight in Istanbul.

• Transfer to the airport, depending on your flight time.