DAY 1 : HISTORIC CENTER
DAY 2 : BOSPHORUS AND ASIAN SIDE
DAY 3 : GOLDEN HORN AND MODERN CENTER

Mosque of Suleyman : Most magnificent mosque in Istanbul and is considered one of the architect Sinan’s masterpieces which was built between 1550 and 1557 and dedicated to Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent. The mosque complex still includes a hospital, library, hamam, several schools, and other charitable institutions that mosques traditionally operate, so take a stroll around the beautiful grounds and the wonderful views of the Golden Horn.

City Walls : Greatest fortifications of the medieval age the walls were built in the 5th century after the city outgrew the walls built by Constantine, and they stretched 6.5 km from the Marmara Sea to the Golden Horn.

Kariye Museum or Church of the Holy Savior in Chora : “Chora” comes from the Greek word for countryside; the original church here was outside the city walls that were built by Constantine, but at the beginning of the 5th century Theodosius built new fortifications to expand the growing city, which brought the church inside the walls. The current edifice is believed to have been built in the 12th century. The mosaics and frescoes in the Church of the Holy Savior in Chora are considered to be among the finest Byzantine artworks in the world. Most of the mosaics, depict scenes from the New Testament and date from the 14th century.

Eyup Sultan Tomb and Mosque : Western district of the city, Eyup is a historically important area, especially for Turkey’s Muslims because of the tomb of Ayyub al-Ansari -a companion of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed during the first Arab siege of Constantinople (AD 674-78). After the conquest of Constantinople, Sultan Mehmet II monumentalized the tomb and built a mosque, where investiture ceremonies were held for successive sultans.

‘Pierre Loti Hill’ : The hill with a beautiful panoramic view of the Golden Horn and the historical peninsula is still called as Pierre Loti, French novelist who became a regular visitor to the city in the early 20th century. During his visits, he was staying at Eyup district along the Golden Horn.

Galata Tower : The Galata area was a thriving Italian settlement both before and after the fall of Constantinople, and the Genoese built this tower as part of their fortifications in 1349, when they controlled the northern shore of the Golden Horn. The viewing gallery, which offers fabulous panoramic views of the city and across the Golden Horn and Sea of Marmara, is accessible by elevator and open during the day.

Istiklal Caddesi (Independence Avenue) : Istiklal Caddesi is the heart of modern Istanbul. The street was once known as “La Grande Rue de Péra,” and it was used because the area was on the other side of the Golden Horn from the city proper. In the 19th century, palatial European embassies were built here. The area was traditionally non-Muslim, and the Greek, Armenian, Catholic, and Protestant churches here are more prominent than the mosques. Today Istiklal is a pedestrian area, full of shops (many of them international chains), restaurants, cafés, taverns, night clubs. This is the Istanbul that never sleeps.

All tours have been posted by TURSAB(Turkish Society of Travel Agencies) licensed travel agencies and tour operators who have replied to the formal TURSAB call of 08.07.2013 for publishing their tours on this website.

Peninsula Turizm,

Adres: Turgut Özal Bulvarı No:35 Kusadasi Aydin / Turkey

Telephone: +90 256 613 1100

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