Istanbul City Break

Our full day included excursion begins with a drive to Sultanahmet Square, in the heart of the Old City. We will also visit the Theodosius Obelisk in the Hippodrome and the civic centre where emperors once celebrated their victories and the Romans raced chariots in the arena.

We continue to the Blue Mosque, famous for its 21,000 blue ceramic tiles, and Hagia Sophia, built as a Christian church in the 6th century, which became a mosque, and is now a museum.

After an included lunch at a typical Turkish restaurant, it’s on to the Roman Underground Cistern, before reaching the covered Grand Bazaar to bargain for gold, gem stones and carpets.

Our excursion starts with a morning trip to explore the hidden gardens and courtyards in the Topkapi Palace, where the Ottoman Sultans kept their overflowing treasure chests and overcrowded harems. This is followed by a visit to Rumeli Fortress, a museum displaying canons used during the conquest of Istanbul. In the afternoon we take a boat trip along the Bosphorus to Beylerbeyi, then disembark and drive on to Çamlica, the highest point of Istanbul. We admire the wonderful views of the city whilst enjoying a Turkish tea or coffee, before crossing the Bosphorus Bridge back into Europe.

Our morning excursion begins with a visit to the Egyptian spice bazaar, before driving along the Golden Horn and city walls to the Monastery of Chora to admire the beautiful Byzantine mosaics and frescoes in the Kariye Camii church. Next stop is the Eyüp Sultan Mosque, before driving on to the Pierre Loti Café with a fascinating view of the Golden Horn and returning to the hotel around midday.

Enjoy a drive through the illuminated streets followed by dinner and a Turkish Floor Show featuring folk dancers, belly dancers and singers.