Destinations & Itinerary

After pick up from hotel or Istanbul cruise port, we will start the full day guided tour of Istanbul, for the visits to:

Boat Cruise on Golden Horn and Bosphorus: The Bosphorus -the waterway between two continents- is beautiful at any time, day or night in any season. On the way to Black Sea, you can see the finest and richest examples of the Ottoman houses and palaces on the Bosphorus shores.
Rumeli Fortress(from the Sea): In 1452, Mehmet II prepared to besiege Constantinople by constructing a fortress at Rumeli Hisari. It took less than four months to build, thanks to 3000 laborers and master masons assigned to the task. Its crenellated walls and round towers are popular with photgraphers and what you see from the top of the walls is one of the nicest view of the Bosphorus.
Dolmabahce Palace: This area was originally the bay where the navy anchored in the early periods when the Ottomans conquered Istanbul. Between 1611-1614, this bay had been filled in and a timber building with a large garden called "the Besiktas Palace" had been built with the order of Sultan Ahmet I. The land of the Besiktas Palace, which had become completely useless due to a fire, was chosen as teh site of the new palace by Sultan Abdulmecit I, since it was by the sea side and close to the city center.
Bosphorus Bridge: Unique chance to step from one continent (Europe) to another (Asia) within few minutes. The Ataturk Bridge carries 200.000 vehicles and 600.000 people a day. It is the 4th lngest suspension bridges in the Europe and 7th in the world.
Camlica Hil: Camlica Hill is one of the highest point of the Bosphorus and Istanbul. The Çamlica Hill has a wonderful panorama including the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus, Historical Peninsula and islands. .
Cable Car to Pierre Loti: Pierre Loti is the pen name of French author Julien Viaud who lived in Istanbul in late 19th. century. He soon adopted Ottoman life style and very much liked spending time at cafes on Goldern Horn. He wrote his first novel "Aziyade" in Istanbul (1876). Turkish people liked this love story very much and the name of its hero is given to a cafe at Eyup. The name "Pierre Loti" is also given to his favourite cafe. Now, all district on the hill where the cafe is siutated is known as Pierre Loti. This place is a very popular among tourists. It has a lovely view of Golden Horn. New cafes, small hotels are built around Piere Loti in last years. Very recently (November 2005), a cable-car started to work between Eyup and Pierre Loti. It is very good idea to visit Eyup Sultan Mosque and then take the cable car and have a rest in Piere Loti. If you don't want to take the cable car, you can climb the hill passing through the famous Eyup cemetery. You may also have a great meal at Aziyade restaurant. They have very good service.
City Walls (from away): The Walls of Constantinople are also known as the Theodosian walls or Bizantian walls. You can see the ruins here and there. It is amazing that so much of them had left after all these centuries.
It was the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II (408-450) who expanded the area of his imperial capital of Constantinople by building these great land walls farther out into the country. When finished, the Theodosian Walls were almost 7 km (over 4 miles) in length. With periodic repairs, they defended the city effectively until the late 19th century.
They were breached only twice: in 1204 by the armies of the Fourth Crusade, and in 1453--a thousand years after they were built!--by the gigantic cannon of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, after which Constantinople became Istanbul.
In 1894 a disastrous earthquake toppled parts of the walls, which had been mostly superceded by modern armaments in any case.
What I find interesting is that the local people do accept them like a natural part of the surrounding area and use them for various purposes like drying their clothes or parking their cars inside of the towers of the walls.

After the tour, you will be transferred back to the hotel or Istanbul cruise port.

Please take note of the following:
* 30% discount for children below the age 7, free for the ages 0-2
* Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Monday and Thursday, replaced with Kariye (St. Savior in Chora) Museum
* The order of visiting sights, may vary slightly from time to time
* You are kindly requested to present your self at the pick up point 15 minutes prior the pre advised pick up time
* Smoking is not permitted but all tours make frequent stops


What's Included: 
* Pick up and drop off at your Hotel or Cruise Port
* Transportation by air-conditioned non-smoking tour coaches
* Professional Guide licensed by the Ministry of Tourism
* All entrance fees to the archaeological sites and museums, parking and road tolls
* Lunch at local restaurant (drinks extra)
* Local taxes