2. Istanbul: Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, and Bosphorus Cruise
Explore Istanbul on this coach tour of the Old City. See sights like the Eyup Sultan Mosque and the Hippodrome. Learn about Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque on a guided tour. Sit down to a tasty lunch and sail on the Bosporus. Soak up the views from Pierre Loti Hill and ride a cable car.
Enjoy the convenience of being picked up from centrally-located hotels in Istanbul. Sit back and relax in an airconditioned coach with plenty of space on your way to the departure point. Meet your local guide and head to the Old City to visit the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque.
Learn about this 6th century building that was constructed by the emperor Justinian as a Greek Orthodox Church. Hear about how the the Hagia Sophia has transformed over time and how it was the largest church in the world for a 1,000 years.
Continue to the Blue Mosque to admire its 20,000 blue Iznık ceramic tiles and its 6 towering minarets. Find out how it was built for Sultan Ahmet I and how it was the last great mosque of the Classical period.
Make your way to the the sporting and social center of ancient Constantinople at the Hippodrome. View the German Fountain of Wilhelm II, the Bronze Serpentine Column, the Obelisk of Theodosius, and the Column of Constantine.
Discover the Tombs of Sultans, the final resting place of 5 Sultans and 142 members of the Ottoman dynasty. Visit the fountain of Sultan Ahmet III which is in front of the Imperial Gate of the Topkapı Palace.
See the Perayton, an older Byzantine fountain with a Turkish rococo structure. Take as stroll through the Grand Covered Bazaar, the oldest and biggest covered market in the world. Get lost in 65 streets with more than 4000 shops. Have some free time to haggle before sitting down to a delicious lunch.
Take in the city sights from the sea on a Bosphorus cruise. Capture pictures of of the Golden Horn, the Topkapı palace, the Dolma Bahçe palace, the Hagia Sophia Mosque, the Maiden’s tower, Galata tower, the Blue mosque, Ortakoy mosque. Gaze out at the bridges connecting Europe and Asia.
Board the coach and pass by historical wooden houses, churches, synagogues, mosques, and the remains of the Roman Wall. Visit the Eyup Sultan Mosque and see the Abu Eyup Alansari Tomb (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari was the standard bearer and companion of Muhammad).
Ascend the Pierre Loti Hill by bus and snap some photos of sweeping views of the Golden Horn. Marvel at city views as you descend the hill on a cable car ride. Return to your accommodation by coach at the end of your tour.