9. Istanbul: 1, 2 or 3-Day Private Tour with optional Transfer
Customize your own private full day tour of Istanbul for every second of it or select one of the suggested itineraries from a hand of experienced and professional guide not to miss a bit of it. You will allow yourself to choose any major attraction to add in your tour as long as it will fit together in a full day , either with transportation or without , steal time to do the most out of unique Istanbul for a life-time experience . Some of the world famous attractions as below Hagia Sophia, also called Church of the Holy Wisdom , an important Byzantine structure and one of the world’s great monuments. In subsequent centuries it became a mosque, a museum, and a mosque again. The building reflects the religious changes that have played out in the region over the centuries, with the minarets and inscriptions of Islam as well as the lavish mosaics of Christianity. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque, popularly known as the Blue Mosque, was completed in 1617 just prior to the untimely death of its then 27-year-old eponymous patron, Sultan Ahmet I. The mosque dominates Istanbul’s majestic skyline with its elegant composition of ascending domes and six slender soaring minarets. Topkapı Palace and Harem are likely to have more colourful stories than most of the world's museums put together. Libidinous sultans, ambitious courtiers, beautiful concubines and scheming eunuchs lived and worked here between the 15th and 19th centuries when it was the court of the Ottoman empire. A visit to the palace's opulent pavilions, jewel-filled Treasury and sprawling Harem gives a fascinating glimpse into their lives. The Basilica Cistern Museum is one of the most important cultural assets where we can trace the traces of glorious Istanbul history. This grand underground cistern, built by Eastern Roman Emperor Justinian I (527-565), is nicknamed “Yerebatan Sarayı” (Sunken Palace) among the public due to its numerous marble columns rising from the water . Grand Bazaar was first built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror and was expanded during the reign of Sultan Süleyman the Great (1520-1566). It extends over 65 streets, covering an area of 30.702 square meters. It contains a mosque, 21 inns, two vaulted bazaars, seven fountains, a well and 3300 shops. It possesses 18 gates. The Spice Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey is one of the largest bazaars in the city. Located in the Eminönü quarter of the Fatih district, it is the most famous covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. Bosphorus Strait is an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul in northwestern Turkey that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It forms part of the continental boundary between Asia and Europe, and divides Turkey by separating Anatolia from Thrace. Suggested combination of attractions ; 1. Hagia Sophia , Topkapi Palace Blue Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Basilica Cistern , Hippodrome 2. Bosphorus Cruise ,Spice Market, Galata Tower ,Dolmabahce Palace, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street