5 Days in Istanbul
Turkey Discovered is a 5 days group tour in Turkey. Discover Turkish treasures on a trip through Ottoman Istanbul, ancient ruins, Gallipoli, beautiful beaches, all services are perfectly provided by Tumtour
5 Days in Istanbul
Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul Ataturk Airport and Private Transfer to your hotel
Day 2: “Walking Tour in Istanbul”, Full Day Tour
The old city of Constantine, Istanbul sightseeing tour in the morning begins with Hippodrome Square where chariot races were once held in Roman Era and today one can see the Fountain of Wilhelm II and the Colossus, the Obelisk from Egypt, Serpentine Column from Delphi and the marvelous Underground Cistern built in order to solve water supply problem nearby. Followed by a visit to the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture St. Sophia operates as museum today. The enormity of its architectural proportions, the splendor of the interior decoration being unusual for a church and the most important of all, the height of its central dome has amazed everyone since it was first constructed. Then only a short walk away, Sultanahmed Mosque can be reached which is the only mosque with six minarets in Istanbul. Because of the dominant color of more than 20.000 Iznik tiles decorating the spacious interior called as blue mosque by foreigners. The Blue Mosque is regarded as the top success of Ottoman architecture. Visit the magnificent Topkapi Palace, with the highlights of the afternoon, which is the only palace remaining from the Ottomans reflecting the magnificence of the once vigorous empire.
Day 3: “Magnificences of Istanbul”, Full Day Tour
Visit the grandiose and colorful Spice Market which was the biggest spice mall of the middle east when the silk road was still functioning before the route below Africa and the Suez channel invented by the Portuguese… Tour includes a short Bosporus cruise for an hour approximately giving us a chance to see the old houses reflecting us the late Ottoman era architecture and beautiful Bosporus mansions. After the cruise, we are going to experience the world’s second oldest subway; Tunel which literally means Tunnel that will take us to modern Istanbul; Beyoglu region. We will have the opportunity to see todays Istanbul and lunch can be held at one of the restaurants along the way with a gentle walk up to the Taksim Square. After lunch, walk down to the Galata tower, built by the Genoese in 1348. The Old Pera was donated to them by the Ottoman Empire because of their help in defeating a Crusade. After a short gentle walk again we will arrive to Karakoy district to meet our driver to take us back home.
Day 4: ‘Deeper Istanbul’ Full Day Tour
Our day will begin with visiting the Chora church, Church of St. Saviour in the skirts of the Old City Constantinople. Late mosaics of the marvelous churh will take us to a journey to the welfare of Christianity in Anatolia and late era of Byzantium. Our minivan will deliver us to Grand Bazaar where we will stroll in the hundreds of streets of the Grand Bazaar, have our lunch there, get lost between the 4000 shops of the huge bazaar and enjoy Turkish bargaining, see handcrafts from all over the country, several artisans still working in their small shops and designing their own dreams. If time allows we will visit The Suleymaniye Mosque as next visit. This mosque complex is Architect Sinan’s most sumptuous work, built at the peak of the Ottoman Empire. In the work called the Biography of the Construction, architect Sinan recounts the opening of the Mosque, and how the Sultan asked him to be the one to unlock its doors. Suleymaniye is not an ostentatiously decorated building, only a bare amount of tiles decorate its walls. It is said that 4 minarets and the 10 balconies of the Mosque represent Suleyman the Magnificent being the 4th Sultan to reign in Istanbul and the 10th Ottoman Sultan. Our minivan will take us back to the hotel.
Day 5: Flight to Bodrum and Dalaman airports are availalbe for your cruise