Highlights of Istanbul

Today, please arrive in Istanbul by yourself as planned. Upon your arrival, our local representative will pick you up from the airport, holding a welcome board with your name on. Then you'll be escorted to the hotel by the representative and the driver. As for the rest time of the, you may enjoy it per your preference.

You may take a short sleep in the hotel to get over the jet lag, or go out to have a glimpse of the city on your own. Underground Cistern, aka Sunken Palace is a good place to go. In history, enemies often cut off the water to break the cities easily. To protect the city, many cisterns were built underground in Istanbul and this so-called Sunken Palace is the largest one, measuring 138 meters (151 yards) long and 64.6 meters (70.6 yards) wide. It is about 8 minutes’ walking away southeast to the hotel we select for you. 

Accommodation: Yasmak Sultan (4 stars) or similar

The old city area of Istanbul has been included into the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. Today, the guide will accompany you to visit some of the best preserved sites there. 

We'll firstly visit the Hagia Sophia Museum, a church initially built in 532 – 537 in the peak time of Byzantium period, so it can reflect the construction level of Byzantium to some extent. After the fall of Byzantium, it was changed into a mosque during the Ottoman period. Then we'll go to the Blue Mosque opposite the Hagia Sophia. This mosque with 6 minarets is even larger than the Great Mosque of Mecca, showing its prominent status. Its inner walls are paved with 21,043 Izhik tiles with white background and blue patterns, hence its name. We'll also visit the Hippodrome Square, one of the most important squares in the city, preserving many historical buildings, among which the most eye-catching is the obelisk. 

After lunch, continue to visit the Topkapi Palace, which is also known as the Old Royal Palace where 25 Ottoman Sultans ever worked and lived. The whole palace is surrounded by a 5-kilometer-long wall (3 miles). Inside, there are altogether 4 courtyards; among them the 2nd and 3rd courtyards are the most important while in the 4th courtyard, you can overlook Bosphorus Strait. Finally the guide will lead you to the Grand Bazaar, made up 61 indoor streets and over 4,000 stores, to enjoy shopping and local snacks joyfully. After, send you back to the hotel and our service of today will end here.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Yasmak Sultan (4 stars) or similar

Today’s first stop will be the Spice Bazaar also called Egypt Market. It is a good place to look into the locals’ life, as there are not only colorful and fragrant spices, but also local daily necessities and ingredients. Then you'll be guided to visit the New Palace - Dolmabahçe Palace also on the coast of the Bosphorus, but facing the Topkapi Old Palace across the strait. There are 56 columns and a huge crystal chandelier in the vast hall, with 750 bulbs weighing 4.5 tons. In one word, it is even more luxury than the old palace.

In the afternoon, the guide will help you embark a ship to enjoy an amazing cruise on the Bosphorus River, which will give you the best view point of the different landscapes of Europe and Asia. On the ship, you can witness the grand scale of the Dolmabahçe Palace, see churches and mosques in various styles, and catch sight of the Bosphorus Bridge across Eurasia. At the end of the day, you'll be sent back to the hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Yasmak Sultan (4 stars) or similar

We do not arrange guided sightseeing activities today. If your flight takes off early, our driver will transfer you from the hotel to the airport timely based on your flight time. If your flight leaves late, you can seize the time to explore more about the city by yourself. Just remember to check out from the hotel before 12:00 and inform us when to pick you up in advance.

For reference, you may check out after breakfast, leave the luggage at the front desk of the hotel, and go to visit several sites within the walking distance, like Cagaloglu Hamam- an ancient public bath with a history of over 300 years to the northeast of the hotel, Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts to the southeast, or Archaeological Museum of Istanbul also to the southeast. After at the agreed time, walk back to the hotel, retrieve your luggage and hop on our car to reach the airport. 

Meals: Breakfast