Istanbul Short Package

On arrival in Istanbul you will be transferred to your hotel in which you will be staying for the next three nights. This is your first chance to get to know this fascinating city built on two continents, as the Bosphorus River marks the line between Europe and Asia. The afternoon is free for you to do as you please. The hotel will be able to make restaurant recommendations for your evening meal. There is plenty to do in the centre of town, from a visit to the Grand Bazaar, to a visit to a Turkish bath or just get a feel for this remarkable ancient city.

After breakfast, you will be picked up for your full day Historical Istanbul Tour. The morning starts with a visit to the Hagia Sophia Church, which was originally built in the 6th century. Istanbul was once a centre for Christianity and the Hagia Sophia was the biggest Christian Church in the world. Following this is a tour of the Topkapi Palace, the Imperial Residence of Ottoman Sultans, with displays of priceless world-class collections of artefacts, jewellery and rare porcelain. The Blue Mosque, possibly the highlight of the days sightseeing, with its unique with its six minarets, and famous for its blue Iznik tiles will take your breath away. After the Blue Mosque it's off to the Hippodrome Square where ancient chariot races were held. The tour finishes at the world famous Grand Bazaar where you will be shown around and let loose to shop. Make sure you bring your haggling skills as the leather goods and carpets are exquisite. At the end of the tour you will be returned to your hotel and the evening is free for you to enjoy. Your guide will make restaurant recommendations for you lunch and dinner.

After the previous day's touring seeing the ancient and cultural sights of Istanbul, today's excursions will give you a view of life on the Bosphorus and of the people of this amazing town. Your full day tour, known as the Bosphorus & Asia Tour will start after breakfast with a visit to the Egyptian Spice Market. After this you will board a boat and be shown the beauty of the European and Asian shorelines on either side. After lunch at a local fish restaurant, you will be taken across to the Asian side of the Bosphorus to visit the Camlica Hill and tour the stunning Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans with its magnificent gardens. After the tour you will be returned to the hotel for you final night in Istanbul.

The day morning of your mini tour is yours to do as you please. Maybe this could entail a final visit to a Turkish bath, having a coffee in a caf? or a last visit to the bazaar. Breakfast is included this morning. In the afternoon after check out, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home.

PS. / There is the option to extend this trip with a trip to Greece. You may select one of our Greece vacation packages and we will customized it for you according to your interests.