Tour of “Sultan Ahmet Center”, the heart of the “old City” from where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled.

Hagia (St) Sophia, one of the greatest marvels of architecture, constructed as a basilica in the 6^th century by Emperor Justinian.

Blue Mosque, facing Hagia Sophia, famous with the blue Iznik tiles and unique with 6 minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet.

Hippodrome, center of sportive events (chariot races, athletics) and political activities of the old city. Serpentine Column, Obelisk of Theodosius and German Fountain of Wilhelm II are the monuments decorating the Hippodrome.

Grand Covered Bazaar, most attractive shopping center and the biggest “souk” in the world with nearly 4000 shops selling antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets, leather ware and souvenirs.

Visit to the fabulous Topkapi Palace, once the nerve center of the Ottoman Empire. The Palace exhibits the imperial treasury, Chinese Ming Dynasty porcelains and exquisite displays of clothing, paintings, armoury, sacred relics and many other items.Harem Section is not included. Next visit is to Rustem Pasha Mosque designed by the court architect Sinan for the Grand Vizier of Suleyman the Magnificent. A typical sample of Islamic architecture amidst the rows of shops near the Spice Bazaar, famed with its exquisite and colorful tiles set in floral and geometric designs.

Dolmabahce Palace , recent residence for Ottoman Sultans built by two Ottoman architects Karabet and Nikogos Balyan on a 110.000 m2 area composed of three sections: Selamlik allocated for state issues, Harem (Seraglio) for private life of the sultan and his family, and Parade Hall, study and bedroom of Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic is also here.

Famous with great collection of European antiquity, furniture and 4.5 tons of chandelier, the palace has 285 rooms and 46 halls.

Bosphorus Bridge, unique chance to step from one continent (Europe) to another (Asia) in 2 minutes.

Camlica Hill or Yeditepe, exposing a panoramic view of Istanbul and Bosphorus from the best point of view.

This half-day tour will start with a visit to the Istanbul Archaeological Museum, which is a complex of three museums: the Museum of Oriental Antiquities, the Archaeological Museum and the Tiled Pavillion. They contain one of the world's richest collection of classical artifacts and pre-classical treasures. There are sixty-thousand archaeological treasures, seven-hundred-sixty thousand coins and medallions, and seventy-five thousand clay tablets in these three museums.

The next visit is to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art where a superb collection of ceramics, metalwork, miniatures, textiles, woodwork and some of the oldest carpets in the world are displayed.

(minimum 8 participants)

Mısır Carsısı or Spice Bazaar, a giant “T” shaped covered market of simple Ottoman design is a mystical eastern fantasy. For centuries, Istanbulites and visitors have been visiting this center of herbs and spices providing cure, instead of the doctors. The spice section of the market is filled with barrels of colorful spices and a potpourri of different smells.

After the Spice Bazaar visit, the Grand Covered Bazaar will be visited. The Bazaar was originally built as horse-stables to the Ottoman cavalry. After two centuries, she is now a " Hyper-Market" style shopping mall with more than 4000 shops and workshops, housing jewelers, silversmiths, furniture shops, leather boutiques, shoe shops, garment and cloth shops and a 1001 other trades.

Visits to the Quincentennial Jewish Heritage Museum (a former historical Jewish Synagogue), the famous Rüstem Pacha Mosque built during mid 16th century and famous for its İznik tiles and the Kariye Museum, former 11th century Byzantine Monastry of St. Saviour in the Chora where the best Byzantine frescoes and golden mosaics are displayed on the walls and ceilings.

(Minimum 8 participants)

Golden Horn, the arm of the Bosphorus and a natural harbour of the historical peninsula separating the old and the new port of Istanbul where the first colonies settled during the Byzantines. The residential area for Byzantine Jews, Italian traders and other non-Muslim minorities. Drive along the traces of history of Balat viewing Metal Church of St. Stephen the Bulgarian and 27 kms, long City walls, the strongest fortification of the middle age. (from the bus)

Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar), a colorful place with mystical smells of different aromas of various spices, shops selling fruit, vegetable, fish, flowers etc.

Bosphorus Cruise, through the waterway separating the two continents, Europe and Asia, with a possibility to take photographs of marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residential and luxurious apartments.

Rumeli Fortress, historical armament built by the Conqueror to control and protect Bosphorus. A unique example of military architecture. – from the boat-

In the afternoon Spice Bazaar may be substituted with Zindan Han, built during the Byzantine Empire and it was used as the first Women Prison in the world by the Ottomans. Restored back to the original style, today it is the Jewellery Center by Storks exhibiting the unique collections of famed products.

You will go by taxi to one of the oldest Turkish Baths "Hamam" in the old city. The ritual begins in the apodyterium where you get undressed and cover yourself with large towel: next move into the tepidarium, the warm room where the temperature is only 30⁰C where there are showers and seats; lastly you enter to the caldarium, where you stay from 10 to 30 minutes to perspire and have a massage from the tellak with a special glove-like cloth called the kese. When it is long enough in the hot section, you return to the warm room and receive new towels and tea. Here you relax before getting dressed again. You will enjoy being rubbed, massaged and washed by "tellaks" in the old Turkish traditional style.

The Patriarchate at Fener, by the Golden Horn, is the heart of Orthodox Christianity. After Constantine the Great’s declaration of Christianity as the reliigion of Roman Empire, the capital was moved from Rome to Byzantium. With the conquest (1453) of Ottoman Empire, the seat of Patriarchate remained in Istanbul.

Church of Panagia of Bachemae, the best known and most celebrated shrine of the Holy Virgin located near Golden Horn, famed with the hagiasma (fountain of holy water), good to cure health problems, and the Hagion Lousma (sacred bath) good to clean the soul where the emperor also came to purify himself.

St. Savior in Chora (Kariye), originally a Byzantine monastery, dedicated to Jesus Christ the Savior, survivied with fantastic mosaics and frescoes, portraying scenes from the Bible, the life and miracles of Jesus.

Pantocrator (Zeyrek), the monastic complex was one of the largest and best organized of the Byzantine period, comprising two churches and a funeray chapel, baths, a hospice for the aged, a hospital and a medical school, a hostel for travellers and a library. - from outside –

Church of St. Mary Pammacaristos (Fethiye), built in the XI. Centry by John Comnenus, displaying the aesthetic refinement attained to Paleologan age, originally belonged to a convent of nuns. Housed the Patriarchate for a while after the conquest

Zoodochos Pege at Balikli, dedicated to the Mother of God at Pege, with an underground cistern, full of gold fish related to a well-known miracle, and the fountain of holy water.

St. Sergius & Bacchus, a landmark in Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture. Today it is known as the “Little Hagia Sophia” . – from outside –

Hagia Eirene, the old patriarchal church with its impressive size stands next to Hagia Sophia. – from outside –

Hagia Sophia, for many centuries was the largest church of Christendom, dedicated to Divine Wisdom, an attribute of Christ. Hagia Sophia played an important role as emperor were crowned and many victories were celebrated in this remarkable building.

(Minimum 8 pax)