June 2 MONDAY
Highlights of Istanbul
The first stop on the tour will be the Hippodrome. Originally built to seat over 100,000 spectators, it was famous for its chariot races and dates back to the time of Holy Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Next, we will visit the Blue Mosque, one of the most impressive religious buildings in the world. Our tour will continue with a visit to Istanbul’s underground water cistern. An engineering marvel of its time, this immense chamber was built in the 6th century to supply water to the burgeoning city.
Lunch will follow at a local restaurant. Afterward, we will continue on to the Topkapi Palace, the primary imperial residence of the Ottoman dynasty. At the Palace, we will tour labyrinthine courtyards, visit superb collections of art and artefacts (including the fabulous wealth of the treasury and the Sultans’ wardrobes) and witness holy relics from the Prophet Muhammed. We will finish the day at the Grand Bazaar, where over 4,000 shops offer jewellery, pottery, leather goods, spices, carpets and more.
June 3 TUESDAY
Lunch Cruise on the Bosphorus
The tour will begin at the Hagia Sophia. Originally a church built as the centrepiece of the Byzantine Empire, the structure was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul in 1453. For centuries the Hagia Sofia was the largest domed structure on earth. Converted into a secular building in 1935, this fascinating building is well worth a visit.
We will then head to the Bosphorus river to board a cruise that will travel between Europe and Asia.Onboard you can enjoy magnificent vistas, where numerous palaces and mansions are located as well as the majestic Rumeli Fortress built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. Lunch will be served onboard.
The tour will conclude in the afternoon and participants will be returned to the hotel.