THE MARGINAL ISTANBUL

ISTANBUL

ARE YOU THE WHO HAS BEEN TO ISTANBUL BEFORE, SEEN THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CITY, BUT STILL WANTS TO SEE MORE? SO YOU KNOW THAT CITIES LIKE ISTANBUL DO NOT INTEND TO GIVE THEMSELVES AWAY EASILY. FOR THE COMMON, THEY ALWAYS HAVE SOME “MUSTS” TO SEE. BUT WHEN YOU ARE DETERMINED TO HALF OPEN THE DOOR THAT LEADS TO THE HEART OF THE CITY, YOU IMMEDIATELY REALIZE THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO FACE THE MYSTERY OF A 3000 YEAR OLD EXPERIENCE THAT HAS BEEN FORMED WITH AN INCREDIBLE HISTORY, ARCHITECTURE AND THE SHADOW OF MILLION FACES OF THE PAST. HERE IS THE KEY THAT WILL WORK.

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL IN ISTANBUL
MEET AND ASSIST AT THE ISTANBUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (IST). TRANSFER TO THE HOTEL FOR DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

DAY 2 – ISTANBUL
BREAKFAST AND VISIT TO TEKFUR PALACE, THE IMPERIAL PALACE OF THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE; CHORA MUSEUM FAMOUS FOR ITS WELL PRESERVED MOSAICS AND FRESCOES; YEDIKULE DUNGEONS, THE FAMOUS OTTOMAN JAIL. IN THE AFTERNOON, WALKING TOUR ALONG THE DIRECTION OF TAKSIM SQUARE, ISTIKLAL STREET, FLOWER PASSAGE, FISH MARKET, GALATA TOWER AND GALATA BRIDGE. RETURN TO THE HOTEL BY BUS FOR DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

DAY 3 – ISTANBUL
BREAKFAST AND VISIT TO TURKISH AND ISLAMIC ARTS MUSEUM, THE ZERO POINT, AYNALIKAVAK PAVILION WHICH WAS THE HUNTING LODGE OF THE LATE OTTOMAN SULTANS AND THE HOUSE OF PIERRE LOTI WITH THE LOVELY TEA HOUSE NEARBY. PIERRE LOTI WAS A FAMOUS FRENCH NOVELIST WHO LIVED IN ISTANBUL FOR A LONG TIME AND WROTE ABOUT DAILY LIFE IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. IN THE AFTERNOON, START ANOTHER NICE WALKING TOUR ALONG CEMBERLITAS COLUMN, GRAND BAZAAR, COPPER MAKERSÍ BAZAAR, RUSTEM PASHA MOSQUE FAMOUS FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL BLUE TILE DECORATION AND SPICE BAZAAR WHERE YOU CAN FIND ALL KINDS OF SPICES AND TURKISH DELIGHT. RETURN TO THE HOTEL BY BUS FOR DINNER AND OVERNIGHT.

DAY 4 – ISTANBUL
HALF-DAY BOSPHORUS TOUR BY REGULAR BOAT GIVING US THE CHANCE TO SEE THE FISHING VILLAGES ALONG THE EUROPEAN AND ASIATIC SHORES OF THE BOSPHORUS. DISEMBARK AT SARIYER AND VISIT SADBERK HANIM MUSEUM. AFTERNOON IS FREE FOR SHOPPING AND LEISURE. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT AT THE HOTEL.

DAY 5 – DEPARTURE
BREAKFAST AND TRANSFER TO THE AIRPORT.