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Overview:
History goes back 2500 years in
Istanbul, but is alive as never before! Built on 2 continents,
Istanbul (the former Byzantine Empire) today stands between two
worlds. It is the city belonging to both Europe and Asia. This is
why it offers so much more than mosques and muezzin calls at dawn.
There are ancient palaces, exotic markets, splendid museums, street
vendors, gold and silver boutiques and fantastic restaurants.
Day
1:
Fly directly from Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart, Nurnberg, Munich,
Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Berlin (Tegel), London (Heathrow),
Manchester, Brussels (National), Amsterdam (Schipphol) , Rome (Fiumicino) or Milan (Malpensa) to Istanbul. Upon arrival the
local representative gathers the group and leads the bus to the
hotel for check in. The hotel is located in downtown Istanbul. All
rooms are equipped with private facilities, phone, TV, mini bar, and
air conditioning. After checking in, there may be free time to
explore the city on your own, or relax and enjoy the hotel ambience.
Day
2:
After breakfast,
depart on the city sightseeing tour. Start sightseeing with the
Topkapi Palace, a city-like complex with buildings and annexes
dating back to 633 B.C. See the famous Imperial Treasury, and
most valuable collections of porcelain in the world, along with the
infamous harem of the Sultans. Continue on to Istanbul’s most famous
land mark, the Hagia Sophia. Built in 537 A.D., it is one of the
astounding architectural achievements in the world. It is an immense
structure consisting of domes, spires and a total of twelve
different varieties of marble forming the columns, galleries, nave
and other parts of the massively decorated building. Afterwards,
visit the Blue Mosque, whose name derives from the extensive
blue-tiled interior decoration. One key difference between this and
other mosques is that the Blue Mosque is a living place of worship,
continually functioning for the local population. In front of the
Blue Mosque is the site of the ancient Hippodrome – once the scene
of chariot races and the center of Byzantine civic life. After
having seen the antique ruins, stroll through the Grand Bazaar
before free time in the evening and hotel overnight.
Day
3:
After
breakfast, visit the Dolmabahace Palace on the Banks of the
Bosphorus. This museum was one of the last homes to
pre-democratic Turkish rulers. Afterwards, visit the
Süleymaniye Mosque, perhaps the most grand and superb example of
Ottoman architecture in Istanbul. It stands as a tribute not only to
the greatest ruler of the Ottoman Empire, but also to its finest
architect, Sinan. Built between 1550 and 1557, the second largest
mosque in Istanbul remains the crown jewel of Sinan's lifelong
service to Süleyman.
Visit a carpet center to learn how the famous Turkish rugs are made.
Experience the Spice Bazaar. Shopping centers in the city center are
also on the agenda for today. Visit the local jewelery
manufacturing. Free time for dinner and evening activities Hotel
overnight.
Day
4:
After
breakfast and hotel check out, transfer to the airport for the
return flight. |
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