5 DAYS ISTANBUL TOUR!
The conquering armies of ancient times tended to ransack the city rather than endow it with artistic treasures, but all that changed with the Byzantines, who adorned their churches and palaces with mosaics and frescoes. Miraculously, many of these remain. Their successors, the Ottomans, were quick to launch an ambitious building program and the magnificently decorated imperial mosques that resulted are architectural triumphs that together form one of the world’s great skylines. In recent years, local banks and business dynasties have reprised the Ottomans’ grand ambitions and endowed an impressive array of galleries, museums and festivals for all to enjoy.
Below is a fully customizable itinerary of your trip.
Day 1 – Istanbul – Arrival Day
Welcome to Turkey Istanbul Airport. Meet with Abana Safaris representative and transfer to your hotel, Transfer from airport & check in to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 2 – Istanbul City Tour
Pick up at 08:30am from your hotel for the day tour of old Istanbul city. Visit to St. Sophia. This ancient basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time. Topkapi Palace is the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed. Sultanhmet Imperial Mosque across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. The Ancient Hippodrome, is the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3 – Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Shopping Tour
Pick up at 08:30am from the hotel and depart for the Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Shopping Tour. Visit the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice.
Bosphorus by Boat is a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion you will see the magnificent sights of the following attractions from your boat. See Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace. On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries. Shopping Tour (after cruise) Experience the traditional silk weaving skills of Turkish women at the carpet weaving courses provided by The Ministry of National Education. You will get the opportunity to see jewellery, handcrafts centre and a modern leatherwear show. Enjoy the experience of shopping whilst gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen, with Murti’s Tour’s local escort full of knowledge about how to haggle the streets of Istanbul. The rest of the evening is yours to explore Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 4 – Istanbul Free Day
The day is yours at leisure to explore .Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 5 – Nairobi
After breakfast check out from the hotel. We hope you had a memorable trip in Turkey, say goodbye and depart to Nairobi.