5-Day Istanbul City Tour with Bosphorus Cruise and Kadikoy Food Tour

Welcome to Turkey! Meet and assist at the airport, then proceed to the city centre. An optional Bosphorus Dinner Cruise is available for EUR 40.00 per person. The welcome dinner will be on the Bosphorus Cruise. At 7 p.m., your guide will meet you at the reception and drive you to the shore. Overnight in Istanbul.

Show Program:

• Katibim Show (a traditional Turkish musical performance)
• Asuk Masuk (an imitation play of dwarfs from the Taseli district of Silifke, performed by two male dancers)
• Traditional Mixed Folk Dance
• Belly Dancer
• Caucasian Folk Dance
• 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
• Turkish coffee
• Drop-off at the hotel at the end of the tour

• Depart at 08:30 for the Istanbul city tour. First, visit Topkapı Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. It houses an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, and the Holy Mantle, enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.
• Visit the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque. Across from St. Sophia, this mosque was built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet and is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles.
• Continue to the Hippodrome, the ancient scene of chariot races, with its three monuments: the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
• After a lunch break, visit the Grand Spice Bazaar, where you can shop for exotic spices and herbs, Turkish baklava, Turkish delights, Turkish coffee, nuts and fruits, and small souvenirs such as ceramic handicrafts, Evil Eye totems, all-natural olive oil, soaps, and many other goods in souvenir shops and stores.

Please note: Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays. If your tour falls on one of these days, a visit to the Underground Cistern will be offered instead of the Topkapı Palace Museum.

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

(Open buffet breakfast included.)

• Discover the iconic residence of the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire today. See the City Walls, the Golden Horn, and the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar). Enjoy a boat trip on the Bosporus, a unique cruise between the two continents, Europe and Asia, passing Dolmabahçe and Beylerbeyi Palaces, wooden villas, mansions, and the Rumeli Fortress.
• In the afternoon, visit the Bosphorus Bridge, allowing you to step from one continent, Asia, to another, Europe. Explore Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of Ottoman sultans, with its original furniture and magnificent gardens on the Asian side.
• Then proceed to Camlica Hill, one of the highest points in Istanbul, where you can admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosphorus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in a traditional style, as you sip your drinks in a cafeteria.

Important notice: This tour does not operate on Mondays.

(Breakfast included)

• Today, explore the vibrant streets of Kadikoy Market, home to some of the best local restaurants in Istanbul. Sample freshly brewed Turkish coffee and indulge in locally made crispy golden baklava. Savour the delicious tastes of popular street foods like dolma, tantuni, and kokorec, as well as pickles and other local favourites. Enjoy the seasonal flavours of traditional Turkish homestyle dishes. At the end of the tour, transfer to the airport.

(Open buffet breakfast included.)

• After breakfast, check out of the hotel. Board the ferry for a scenic journey across the Bosphorus to Kadikoy on the Asian side.