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

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) is a UNESCO-listed museum that contains Ottoman and Byzantine works. From golden age of Byzantine, this once Christian church is one of the most extraordinary buildings in the history of architecture. Listen the history and examine the architecture displays with your professional guide.

Next stop is Topkapi Palace , the largest and oldest palace in the world to survive to our day and also was the primary residence of the Ottoman sultans for approximately 400years. Topkapi Palace was more than just the private residence of the Sultan and his court. It was centre of the supreme executive and judiciary council, the Divan and the training school. The best artist and craftsman’s produced some of the finest work in the whole empire.

Then, make a visit to the Blue Mosque with six minarets, was built at the bequest of Sultan Ahmet I and one of the best preserved and most significant examples of Ottoman architecture.

Continue to Istanbul Hippodrome where chariot races were held and also the centre of Byzantium’s life for 1000 years and of Ottoman life for another 400 years and has been the scene of countless political dramas.

Stop by Caferaga Medresesi, of foundation for serving Turkish Culture, also organises various workshop about handicrafts and music.

Then give a little break for lunch in a local restaurant with typical Turkish cuisine.
The next stop is the Grand Bazaar, one of the most famous bazaar around the world. Discover the bazaar with your guide and make some shopping. It is full with jewellery, leather and spices shops.

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Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) was built between 1597 and 1664, also it is the second oldest covered bazaar in the city. You can find exotic aromas and various spices. It contains fruit vegetable, flower and fish shops inside.

Rüstem Pasha Mosque, for a tour. It was built by a famous Bosnian, Rüstem Pasha and designed by -one the most famous architect in history- Mimar Sinan. One of the most famous mosque in Istanbul for her interior design.

Dolmabahce Palace, was the first European style palace. It was built by Ottoman Sultans between 1843 and 1846.This is the last residence for Ottoman Sultans with 365 rooms and 22 saloons. Also famous with the great collection of European antiquity. Ataturk lived the final part of his life in the palace and died there.

Bosphorus Strait connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara and splits the European and Asian sides of Turkey. Bosphorus Bridge, pass through the bridge and watch the beautiful view. It is 1704m long and was the 4th longest bridge around the world. Don’t miss this unique chance to pass from one continent (Europe) to another (Asia) in 2 minutes.

Camlica Hill, the highest point in Istanbul, exposing a panoramic view of Istanbul city and Bosphorus.

Give a little break for lunch here and enjoy the view while you are eating your tasty meal.

Ortaköy, is a cosmopolitan area, bordering waters of the Bosphorus. Turks, Greeks, Armenians and Jews are leaving here. The neighbourhood hosts many different religious. It is also a popular spot for locals with art galleries, night clubs, and restaurants.

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An hour’s boat ride from city centre, this group of island take their name from Byzantine times when the princesses where sent there on exile. There are nine island, five small and four relatively large. No motor vehicle is permitted, transport being provided by horse-drawn carriages. On the Island there are many glorious 19th century mansions with characteristic overhanging balconies, most of which are inhabited only during the summer.

The tour starts with a drive to the pier. Cruise on the Marmara sea to go Heybeliada for  electric car carriages take the guests on a tour of the island through the pine forest, riding next to picturesque bays and along the old villas and after that we take a ferry to go for largest of the islands, Büyük Ada,. Lunch is served at a seaside restaurant. Time is left to enjoy the cheerful local life on the village square.

During the Byzantine period, princesses and other royalty where exiled on the islands and later members of the Ottoman Sultans family were exiled there too, giving the island their present name. They were taken by the Ottoman fleet during the siege of Constantinople in 1453. During the nineteenth century, the islands became a popular resort for Istanbul’s wealthy, and Victorian-era cottages and houses are still preserved on the largest of the Princess Islands.

The islands are an interesting destination because they allow insight into a multicultural society in modern Turkey, possibly alike to the multicultural society that once existed during the Ottoman Empire in places such as nearby Istanbul.

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