THE BEST OF ISTANBUL 

In a nutshell This unmissable itinerary takes us through the amazing city of Istanbul to admire its most representative buildings and locations and ends with a pleasant cruise on the Bosphorus.

Main stops

• Blue Mosque
• Basilica Cistern
• Hagia Sophia
• Handicraft shop
• Grand Bazaar
• Cruise

The programme

• Our itinerary around the ancient Turkish capital starts with the famous Blue Mosque whose official name is Sultan Ahmet camii, i.e. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque. We remain enchanted by the detail and mystical colours depicting its history.
• The itinerary continues with the Basilica Cistern, one of the great works commissioned by the Emperor Justinian in 532. The imposing building was used to store Istanbul's water in Byzantine times and later provided water to the Topkapi Palace.
• We then head to the famous majestic Hagia Sophia, one of Istanbul’s major monuments which was turned into a museum during the past century.
• After visiting this marvellous cathedral, our guide takes us to a handicraft shop where, after some free time, we also meet up to enjoy a spot of shopping in the Grand Bazaar.
• To finish our tour in style, we go on a magnificent cruise along the Bosphorus Strait to admire the two parts of the city from an exceptional viewpoint.

Good to know

• The Hagia Sophia Art Gallery is not included in the tour.
• The Blue Mosque may be closed to the public during the month of Ramadan. In this case, the excursion will include a visit to another historic Mosque.
• Dress code that is appropriate for the places of worship to be visited is recommended.
• To enter the mosque, it is mandatory to cover your shoulders and legs (down to the knees) and remove your shoes. Women must cover their heads with a scarf.
• On Sundays, we will visit the modern section of the Grand Bazaar instead of the covered section as it is closed and the programme will also include a visit to the Spice market.