Discover Istanbul – (The Main Sights)
The classical itinerary is just a starter to discover the essence of the city. We will head directly into the heart of the historical and cultural wonders that make the city unique.
Highlights of the trip:
-The Founding Legend:“You will know…it is opposite the land of the blind.”…so said the oracle in Delphi.
-The city with many names: How did Constantinople become Istanbul?
-Hippodrome: The arena that hosted riots,killings,weddings,celebrations, circumcision of princes…always colorful,busy and still the heart of social life.
Blue Mosque: Sultan Ahmet Mosque. Only called so in guide books…
Hagia Sophia: Witness how Emperor Justinian has outdone Solomon and things you should do to convert a church into a mosque.
Topkapi Palace: The Life of the Ottoman Sultans in the Seraglio. Built by the “ Grand Turk “ who spoke 6 languages. The exotic Harem where the women ruled and their jewels hidden away in the Treasury.
Grand Bazaar:The ultimate medieval shopping center is a monstrous hive of little shops all under one roof and cut up into labyrinthal alleys arched overhead.
Byzantine Hippodrome
Heart of Constantinople’s political and sporting life, and the scene of games and riots through 500 years of Ottoman history as well.
Monuments decorating the Hippodrome include the 3500 year old Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius and the spiral bronze base of a three headed serpent sculpture brought from Delphi in Greece. They stand in contrast with the Fountain of Kaiser Wilhelm II erected in 20th century as a gift to the Ottoman sultan.
Blue Mosque
The world famous Blue Mosque is one of Istanbul’s premier sights. Istanbul’s imperial mosque is still a working mosque with fascinating blue tile work. With its 6 minarets and great cascades of domes, it is still under the shade of the Hagia Sofia—our next stop.
Hagia Sophia
The church of the Divine Wisdom is eternally impressive and important. Its dome was a daring engineering feat in the 6th century and engineers still marvel at the building’s many innovations.
Topkapı Palace
Witness the glory of the Ottomans. The palace was the home of the Ottomans for nearly 400 years. The heart of the great Ottoman Empire, ruled by the monarch who lived in Topkapı’s hundreds of rooms with a huge family and servants. Today Topkapı is a romantic scene with the views of the Bosphorus .
Süleymaniye Mosque
We will meet our guide and driver in the morning and drive to Suleymaniye .
This mosque crowns one of İstanbul’s seven hills and dominates the Golden Horn, providing a landmark for the entire city. Though it’s not the largest of the Ottoman mosques, it is certainly one of the grandest and most beautiful. Commissioned by Süleyman I, known as ‘The Magnificent’, the Süleymaniye was the fourth imperial mosque built in İstanbul and it certainly lives up to its patron’s nickname. The mosque and its surrounding buildings were designed by Mimar Sinan, the most famous and talented of all imperial architects.
Spice Market ( Egyptian Market )
Constructed in 1663 as a part of the adjacent Yeni Mosque complex in order to generate funds for the upkeep of the mosque. Misir in Turkish means “Egypt” and it is called The Egyptian Bazaar due to the fact that the spices came from India and South-East Asia to Egypt and from there to Istanbul via the Mediterranean Sea. Thus Istanbul marks the last stop along the legendary Silk Road. It was the final destination for Asian goods, which were then distributed to Europe. In fact, Istanbul had developed a spice trade with the Venetians as early as the 13th century.
Grand Bazaar
Turkey’s largest and oldest covered market offers excellent shopping: beautiful Turkish carpets, glazed tiles and pottery, copper and brassware, apparel made of leather, cotton and wool…and all sorts of other things. Walk around all these marvels stopping at local shops and trying Turkish coffee and sweets.
Bosphorus Cruise
One of the most beautiful sights in the world, Bosphorus is a strategic waterway connecting the Black sea to the Mediterranean, and dividing Istanbul in two continents. As the boat zigzags between Asia and Europe, you will admire the old Ottoman wooden houses, 6 Ottoman palaces,2 suspended bridges and 2 medieval castles.
