DAY 1

Arrival in Istanbul where our transfer from the airport to the hotel will be waiting for you.  The hotel is in the Sultanahmet Area which is close to all the famous sights. If your arrival time is early in the day we can take a walk in the Sultanahmet area and visit the Grand Bazar. In the evening we will have dinner in a roof top restaurant which boasts a stunning view of all of Istanbul lit up at night.

DAY 2

A full day, guided tour of the historical area taking in some of the most famous places in Istanbul. We will visit the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque), Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Hippodrome.  Our lunch stop is a local "esnaf lokantasi", a restaurant that serves homemade lunch to the local people, a real taste of culture and in the evening we will have dinner in a fish restaurant on the Galata Bridge all lit up with spectacular views of the sparkling skyline and a fantastic ambience.

DAY 3

We start the day in the Eminönü Area where we explore the Egyptian Bazar, known as the spice market, and the quaint narrow streets selling all kinds of local goods.  Continuing along to the harbour we take a boat trip on The Bosphorus getting off on the Asian side and taking a walk ‘off of the tourist track’ to the ‘local Istanbul’ to explore the culture here.  Back on the boat to ferry across to the European side we return to the hotel for a short rest before we visit the Taksim Area where you will find the Taksim square, Istiklal street and Galata Tower. We will have dinner in a local `meyhane’, the Turkish taverns where the locals meet for long meals, drinks and sometimes live folk music.  These restaurants are the best places to try the famous Turkish ‘meze’ (starters) and the Raki, the traditional local drink made from anise.

DAY 4

After breakfast there is free time for shopping or to visit another museum in the Sultanahmet area before your departure .If you have a late departure there is the possibility to visit the Princess Islands and take a short tour or alternatively more shopping!  Our guide will provide a transfer to the airport.

NOTES:

The program may vary based on flight times and arrival days per group (all museums are closed one day every week).Lunches, dinners and drinks are not included in the price as it is a collective choice by the group persons which restaurants we will visit, we have included some of the best restaurants in the program that we recommend however this can be changed. We have chosen the restaurants especially to show different aspects of the Turkish Cuisine and local culture.

PRICE: Ask us for price

NOTES
We will walk a lot so bring good shoes. Also bring clothes that are convenient for mosque visits (covered until under knees and elbows and headscarf for women).