Sholars called Istanbul “mother of the world”. Not wrong, because Istanbul is more than only the biggest city of Turkey, it is also the best and the most shimmering city. İts atmosphere and special style can’t be compared with any other metropole. The good-preserved buildings are the best example to show the glory of the city.
With the oriental fragrances, the busy businessthe colorful mixed people from different ethnicitiesthe oriental music and the fantastic Silhouett, Istanbul reaches its aim to get people in love with it.
DAY 1
Arrival in Istanbul, the only city, which is divided in two continents. Welcoming at the airport by our Gemini-team. Orientation-tour through Istanbul by bus Transfer to the hotel.
Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel
Departure from hotel and enjoy Bosphorus Cruise
Bosphorus Cruise; The Bosphorus also known as the Istanbul Strait, is a strait that forms the boundary between the European part (Thrace) of Turkey and its Asian part (Anatolia). The name comes from the Greek word Bosporos. As the only passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, the Bosporus has always been of great commercial and strategic importance. The Greek city-state of Athens in the 5th century BC, which was dependent on grain imports from Scythia, therefore maintained critical alliances with cities which controlled the straits, such as the Megarian colony Byzantium The strategic significance of the strait was one of the factors in the decision of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great to found there in 330 AD his new capital, Constantinople, which came to be known as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Beylerbeyi Palace; In the 19th century, Sultan Abdulaziz built the palace, a fantasy in white marble set amid magnolia-filled gardens on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. Used as the Sultan’s summer residence, it was offered to the most distinguished foreign disnitaries for their visits.
Camlıca Hill; The great Camlica Hill is the taller of the twin peak of Mount Bulgurlu, the highest point in the vicinity of Istanbul, 267 meters above sea level. It has a small teahouse in the midst of the pine grove which gives the peak its name. From here, there is an absolutely magnificent view, which makes it well worth the climb. In the morning when the sun is still easterly one has a panoramic sight of the whole city, the Bosphorus almost as far as the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea with the Princes Islands, and behind that, the great snow covered ridge of Uludag, the Bithynian Olympus. The Asian part of Istanbul is comparatively quiet being composed mainly of residential suburbs and not many sites of interest for the visitor.
Transfer to Kadıkoy;
Kadıköy; Kadıköy (ancient and Byzantine Chalcedon) is a large, populous, and cosmopolitan district of Istanbul, Turkey on the Asian side of the Sea of Marmar, facing the historic city centre on the European side of the Bosporus. Kadıköy it is also the name of the most prominent neighbourhood of the district, a residential and commercial area that, with its numerous bars, cinemas and bookshops, is the cultural centre of the Anatolian side. Kadıköy became a district in 1928 when it seceded from Üsküdar district. The neighbourhoods of Icerenköy, Bostanci and Suadiye were also separated from the district of Kartal in the same year, and eventually joined the newly formed district of Kadıköy.
Day 3
Breakfast at the hotel
Departure from hotel for visiting; Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia Museum, Yerebatan Sarnıcı ( Underground Cistern), Suleymaniye Mosque.
Topkapi Palace which was the first Ottoman palace to be built (1466-1478) in the newly conquered capital of the Empire by Mehmet II. Located on the spot where the foundations of the city were first laid in ancient times by Megarian Chief Byzas in the 7th century BC, the palace boasts one of the most beautiful views of Istanbul, incorporating the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn, the two shores and the sea of Marmara. Unlike the European palaces, Topkapi is not a single monumental structure but a more organic complex made up of various kiosks, gardens and areas spread over the tip of the historical peninsula at the entry of the Golden Horn. Topkapi Palace served as the residence of Ottoman sultans for about 400 years, until Abdulmecid built the Dolmabahce Palace. In its hey-days, there were between 8-10 thousand people living in the palace, mostly being the Janisseri. The most attractive exhibition halls of the palace are: treasury, Islamic holly relics, and costumes of the sultans, divan, harem, kitchens,Chinese porcelains and several kiosks such as the Baghdad, Revan, Sofa and Mecidiye.
Hagia Sofia Museum; St. Sophia, the magnificent of all Byzantine churches and one of the world’s finest and largest architectural work of art. It is built by Anthemius of Tralles and Isodorus of Miletus between 532 and 537 AD under the rule of Emperor Justinian. It is now a museum where early Christian mosaics and Islamic calligraphy live side-by-side. Hagia Sophia is the great cathedral that was once the former spiritual heart of the Byzantine Empire. Considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World, Hagia Sophia has an architecture which was way ahead of its time. The central dome has a half-dome at either side and seems to be suspended in space. In the 19th century, extensive work was done to make the church more resistant to earthquakes. The interior is rich with mosaic tiles and arranged in murals. This is one of Istanbul’s best know landmarks.
Underground cistern; Yerebatan Saray Sarniçi, also called the Sunken Palace Cistern because of its size (70 x 140 meters, or 2.4 acres), its capacity (80,000 cubic meters–over 21 million US gallons) and its 336 marble columns. It was used as the water reservoir for the Byzantine Great Palace during the reign of Justinian in 532. Inside the huge building, there is a few feet of water but wooden walkways have been built for visitors. There are 336 columns supporting a cathedral ceiling and some of them were taken from torn-down temples. The interior of the building has special dim lighting and classical music is played to create an eerie atmosphere. It is used as a gallery during the International Istanbul Arts Biennial held September-October.
Day 4
Breakfast at the Hotel
Sultanahmet Mosque, Turkish Islamic Arts Museum, Grand Bazaar, Hamam;
Sultanahmet Mosque; Blue Mosque built between 1609 and 1616 by Mehmet Aga, a student of the Great Sinan with 260 windows and named for the beautiful Iznik tiles which give the mosque its interior colour. Blue Mosque is one of the world’s great buildings with its six slender minarets gracing the outside, while the interior is a sea of blue. The original seventh minaret was later presented to the mosque at Mecca for diplomatic reasons. The Blue Mosque, is an architectural masterpiece famed for its exquisite blue tiles and six elegant minarets. Built during the reign of Sultan Ahmet, it remains the centre of religious demonstrations in the Islamic religion. The nickname of “blue mosque” was given due to the numerous blue Iznik tiles in the interior, which is illuminated from the light of its windows. This is the only mosque in the world with six minarets and forms part of the city’s skyline. There are light shows held on summer evenings at the Eastern Side of the mosque.
Turkish Islamic Arts Museum; The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts in the palace of Ibrahim Pasha, grand vezir to Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent, houses exhibits from many eras, but is most famous for its collection of Ottoman carpets. The Palace of Ibrahim Pasa (16th century), situated on the west side of Sultan Ahmet Square, now functions as the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art.Built in 1524, it was once the residence of Ibrahim Pasa who was the Grand Vizier to Süleyman the Magnificent. It contains over 40,000 items and somedate back to the 17th century. Included in the collection are textiles, metalwork, calligraphy and woodwork. The feature of this museum is the carpet display that has some exhibits dating back to the 13th century.
Grand Bazaar; Grand Bazaar one of the largest and the oldest shopping malls in the world . The Bazaar initially consisted of two warehouses only, known as Inner Bedesten and Sandal Bedesten. Later on open streets were covered with doomed roofs, and separate buildings connected to each other. It is a mini city that sprawls accross 65 streets and 50 acres and includes some 4000 shops, tiny cafés, and restaurants – all surrounded by a wall, and entered through any of eleven gates. It offers a sea of choices that will tempt even the nonshoppers with its local curios and souvenirs: carpets,jewellery, icons, leather, meerschaum pipes, ceramics, bronze and copperware. Grand Bazaar is closed book… No matter how much you travel, not possible to see everything and understand… But to be in Istanbul and not to go and not to see is impossible.
Hamam; Famous Architect Sinan built Cemberlitas Hamam in 1584. The Çemberlitas Bath is located on Çemberlitas Square on Divanyolu Street situated in the midst of some of Istanbul’s greatest monuments. This building dates to Sinan’s last period, one in which his long experience and great skill allowed him to combine functionality, elegance and tranquility without abandoning his basic style that is devoid of overly decorated elements. The tradition of the Turkish bath extends far back, to a time before Turks had reached Anatolia. When the Turks arrived in Anatolia, they brought with them one bathing tradition, and were confronted with another, that of Romans and Byzantines, with certain local variants. The traditions merged, and with the addition of the Moslem concern for cleanliness and its concomitant respect for the uses of water, there arose an entirely new concept, that of the Turkish bath. In time it became an institution, with its system of ineradicable customs.
Çorlulu Ali Paşa; A break; Water pipe stop in Corlu Ali Pasa Medresesi . Corlulu Ali Pasa Medresesi is a well-known atmospheric water-pipe (nargile or hookah) place in Beyazit, Istanbul. Students from nearby Istanbul University and neighborhood tradesmen rest here along with tourists. The leafy courtyard of the Medrese contains an outdoor garden and gift shops. Indoors, small historical buildings stand side-by-side. Cafes serve various kinds of tea and soft drinks. The huka was introduced to Turkey from either India or Persia and provided centuries of enjoyment for Turkish smokers. In Ottoman Istanbul the water pipe or hubble-bubble pipe became an object d’art, with bottles of crystal, colored glass or even silver, finials in the form of silver flowers or fruits, gilded pipe bowls, and amber mouthpieces.
Transfer to Hotel
Day 5
Breakfast at the hotel
Transfer to Prince Island
Transfer to Big Island with Regular Boat
Big Island; Büyükada (meaning “Big Island” in Turkish; Greek: Πρίγκηπος or Πρίγκιπος, rendered Prinkipos or Prinkipo; and alternatively Πρίγκηψ or Πρίγκιψ meaning “Prince” or “Foremost”) is the largest of the nine so-called Princes’ Islands in the Sea of Marmara, near Istanbul. It is officially a neighbourhood in the Adalar district of Istanbul Province, Turkey. As on the other islands, motorized vehicles – except service vehicles – are forbidden, so visitors explore the island by foot, bicycle, in horse-drawn carriages, or by riding donkeys. convent on Büyükada was the place of exile for the Byzantine empresses Irene, Euphrosyne, Theophano, Zoe and Anna Dalssena. After his deportation from the Soviet Union in February 1929, Leon Trotsky also stayed for four years on Büyükada, his first station in exile. Princess Fahrelnissa Zeid was born in the island
Visit Aya Yorgi Church
Sightseeing with Phaeton
After Phaeton triptasting Waffeel and Turkish Caffee break
Transfer back to Karakoy with regular boat
Transfer back to Hotel
Day 6
Pera + Galata Walking; The area that is now known as Beyoğlu has been inhabited for millennia, and records show that a settlement existed on the northern shore of the Golden Horn since the time of Christ. In the Greek period, the hillside was covered with orchards and was named Sykai (The Fig Orchard), or Peran en Sykais (The Fig Field on the Other Side), referring to the “other side” of the Golden Horn. As the Byzantine Empire grew, so did Constantinople and its environs. This side of the Golden Horn was built up as a suburb of Byzantium as early as the 5th century. It was in this period that the area began to be called Galata, and a fortress was built by Emperor Theodosius II.. The name Galata (possibly derived from the Greek word Galaktos, meaning milk) was presumably given because the area was an important farmland for the city. Gallic people believe the name Galata is Celtic. In classical mythology Galata was the ancestress of the Gallic people. The Galata section of Istanbul carries a reminder of the Celts, as does the city of Galati in Romania.
Galata; The areas of Galata begins where there is a road that splits from Istiklal Street going down to Karakoy Port, one of the trade centers during the ottoman period. However above ground there are a number of cultural and historical structures including the well-known Galata Tower, an imposing remnant of the old Galata city walls. Galata is one of the oldest residential areas of Istanbul. The Genoese, who arrived in the early 13th century, preserved their presence in the area by keeping good relations with the empire during both the Byzantine and the Ottoman Period. Until the 19th century, Galata was dominated by the Genoese and the Venetians trading at the district. As Beyoglu developed and Bankalar Caddesi (Banks avenue) turned into a financial center, Galata began to ressemble its current status.
Rüstempaşa Mosque; The Rüstem Pasha Mosque was designed by Ottoman imperial architect Mimar Sinan for Grand Vizier Damat Rüstem Pasha (husband of one of the daughters of Suleiman the Magnificent, Princess Mihrimah). Its building took place from 1561 to 1563. The mosque was built on a high terrace over a complex of vaulted shops, whose rents were intended to financially support the mosque complex. Narrow, twisting interior flights of steps in the corners give access to a spacious courtyard. The mosque has a double porch with five domed bays, from which projects a deep and low roof supported by a row of columns. The Rüstem Pasha Mosque is famous for its large quantities of exquisite İznik tiles, set in a very wide variety of beautiful floral and geometric designs, which cover not only the façade of the porch but also the mihrab, minbar, walls, columns and on the façade of the porch outside. These tiles exhibit the use of a tomato-red color characteristic of the early Iznik period (1555-1620), and no other mosque in Istanbul makes such a lavish use of these tiles. The plan of the building is basically that of an octagon inscribed in a rectangle. The maindome rests on four semi-domes; not on the axes but in the diagonals of the building. The arches of the dome spring from four octagonal pillars- two on the north, two on the south- and from piers projecting from the east and west walls. To the north and south are galleries supported by pillars and by small marble columns between them.
Egyptian Bazaar; Istanbul’s Spice Market or Mısır Çarşısı was constructed in 1663 as a part of the adjacent Yeni Mosque complex in order to generate funds for the upkeep of the mosque. Mısır in Spice Bazaar(also known as the Egyptian Bazaar) (Turkish: Mısır Çarşısı) is one of the oldest bazaars in the city. Located in Eminönü, it is the second largest covered shopping complex after the Grand Bazaar. It is so named because varies from the Orient were offered here in the past, and the alternative name, ‘Egypian Bazaar’, was so named because the spices came via Egypt. The Spice Bazaar was projected by the chief court architect Koca Kasım Ağa, but completed by architect Mustafa in 1660
Transfer to Hotel
Day 7
Brakfast at the Hotel
Transfer to airport to catch your home back flight.
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.
Gemini Tur,
Golden Plaza 19 Mayıs Cad.
No: 3/3 34360
Sisli - Istanbul / Turkey
Phone: +90 212 231 30 80 (pbx)
Fax: +90 212 231 30 89
Email: info@geminiturkey.com
