2 Days Istanbul City Tour from Ankara

(Lunch and dinner included) Pick up between 05:00 am – 06:00 am (depending on the flight time) from your hotel in Ankara City Center transfer to Ankara Airport. Please note that and you need to do self check-in for your domestic flight to Istanbul. Our representative will meet you in Istanbul Airport with a name placard which has your name on it. After that we will drive to worldwide famous Sultan Ahmet Area, THE OLD CITY. Istanbul was the capital city of Byzantine Empire and after it was conquered by Ottomans in 1453 it became the capital city of Ottoman Empire. In Sultan Ahmet Square you will see where the old HIPPODROME AREA where you will also see the CONSTANTINE OBELISK, SERPENTINE COLUMN and the OBELISK OF THEODOSIUS and THE GERMAN FOUNTAIN. Next stop is beautiful SULTAN AHMET MOSQUE from 17th cent. The place is also known as BLUE MOSQUE as the name was inspired by tourists from the “blue tiles” used inside the mosque for decoration. You will also see St.Sophia (from outside) right across Blue Mosque. After a short walk through Sultan Ahmet Square we will visit famous TOPKAPI PALACE from 15 th cent. After Istanbul was conquered by Sultan Mehmet The Conqueror, he ordered the palace to be built. The palace hosted The Ottoman Dynasty for more than 400 years. Then we will have a lunch break. After lunch we will walk to world famous GRAND COVERED BAZAAR. In this its labyrinth of streets and passages there are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths'' street, the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand- honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx- ware and meerschaum pipes. After the tour, transfer to your hotel in Istanbul and check in. The rest of time is yours. Overnight in Istanbul. Please note: Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays and The Grand Covered Bazaaar is closed on Sundays.

(Breakfast and lunch included) Pick up from the hotel and depart for a magical Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Shopping Tour. We will visit THE GRAND SPICE BAZAAR. The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice. Then we will head for BOAT CRUISE on BHOSPHORUS STRAIGHT, a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages on Bhosphorus. During the cruise you will see (from outside, from a distance) the following lovely places as well as many others; DOLMABAHCE PALACE MUSEUM and its impressive marble facede which was the latest palace for Ottoman Dynasty, CIRAGAN PALACE which is a hotel at present, ORTAKOY MOSQUE with its beautiful neo-classic architecture style, RUMELI FORTRESS Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul, BEYLERBEYI PALACE, the summer residence of Ottoman Sultans, BOSPHORUS BRIDGE one of the three bridges connecting Europe and Asia, CAMLICA HILL the highest point in Istanbul. Next we will have lunch and head for SHOPPING TOUR (after cruise) Experience the traditional silk weaving skills of Turkish women at the carpet weaving courses provided by The Ministry of National Education. You will get the opportunity to see jewellery, handcrafts centre and a modern leatherwear show. After the tour we will transfer you to the airport for your flight back to Ankara. Once you arrive to Ankara, we will pick you up from Airport and transfer to your hotel. We hope your tour was a memorable one and we look forward to seeing you in the future on another TravelShop Booking Tour. Thank you for choosing TravelShop Booking.