Day 01
Full-Day Guided Istanbul Landmarks and Bosphorus Cruise
- Meet your tour guide and begin your Istanbul tour with a visit to the Blue Mosque, where you can admire its 20,000 blue İznik ceramic tiles and six towering minarets. Learn how it was built for Sultan Ahmet I and why it was the last great mosque of the Classical period.
- Continue to the Hippodrome, the sporting and social center of ancient Constantinople. See the German Fountain of Wilhelm II, the Bronze Serpentine Column, the Obelisk of Theodosius, and the Column of Constantine.
- Stop in front of Hagia Sophia and learn about this 6th-century monument, built by Emperor Justinian as a Greek Orthodox church. Hear how Hagia Sophia transformed over time and why it remained the largest church in the world for 1,000 years.
- Continue to the Basilica Cistern and avoid the hassle of waiting in long ticket lines as you uncover the wonders hidden beneath the enchanting streets of Istanbul. Admire its impressive architecture and encounter the legendary Medusa heads from Greek mythology.
- Enjoy shopping for memorable gifts at the store visited before reaching the Grand Bazaar, or take a short rest. Then stroll through the Grand Covered Bazaar, the world's oldest and biggest covered market, and wander its 65 streets lined with more than 4,000 shops.
- Spend your free time for lunch or as you wish.
- In the afternoon, board the coach for a scenic exploration of the Golden Horn by bus and see remnants of the Roman Wall as you travel through this captivating landscape.
- Ascend Pierre Loti Hill by bus and take photos of sweeping views over the Golden Horn.
- Marvel at the city views as you descend the hill by cable car.
- Visit the Eyup Sultan Mosque and see the Abu Ayyub al-Ansari Tomb. Abu Ayyub al-Ansari was Muhammad's standard bearer and companion.
- Take in Istanbul's sights from the sea on a Bosphorus cruise. Capture pictures of the Golden Horn, Topkapı Palace, Dolmabahçe Palace, Hagia Sophia Mosque, Maiden's Tower, Galata Tower, Blue Mosque, and Ortaköy Mosque, and gaze at the bridges connecting Europe and Asia.
- At the end of your tour, return to your pickup point by coach.
