Classical Constantinople

Turkey

Culture | Silk Road

Discover the exotic charms of this eternal city

4 days Ask us for pricing This is the price per person for a private tour (based on 2 people travelling) excluding international flights. Contact us for pricing for other group sizes including individuals.
Intro, Dates & Prices

Intro


"If one had but a single glance to give the world, one should gaze on Istanbul."
- Alphonse de Lamartine

Call it Constantinople, Istanbul or Byzantium. Whatever way, discover the ancient history and traditions of this proud city that for thousands of years has straddled the East-West divide. Marvel at the stunning Blue Mosque and the incredible Hagha Sophia. Take time to learn about life under the Ottoman sultans rule in Topkapi Palace, and join the hustle and bustle in the world`s ultimate market, the Grand Bazaar. Don`t forget to reward your palate with wonderful kebabs, hummus, olives and much more.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • Admire the stunning Blue Mosque
  • Learn about life in Ottoman times in Topkapi Palace
  • Appreciate the genius in the design of Hagha Sophia
  • Experience the Grand Bazaar, the most colourful of markets
  • Enjoy world class cuisine in this foodie heaven

Places Visited

Istanbul

What's Included

International return flight (where indicated)
Airport pick-up & drop-off
Accommodation and breakfasts
Entrance fees to sites
90 minute boat ride on the Bosphorus
English-speaking guide

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Itinerary
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Day 1 : Istanbul

Arrival & transfer to hotel. Rest of the day free to explore. Overnight in hotel in Istanbul.

Overnight in Turkoman Hotel, Istanbul

Meal plan: n/a

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Day 2 : Istanbul

Full day walking tour of Sultan Ahmet. Return back to the hotel. Evening free. Overnight in hotel in Istanbul. 

Overnight in Turkoman Hotel, Istanbul

Meal plan: Breakfast

The tour will start with Sultan Ahmed Square and the Hippodrome. You will visit Sultan Ahmet Mosque, also known as “the Blue Mosque” famous for its striking blue Iznik tiles and 6 minarets. On the opposite side of the Sultan Ahmet Square you will visit Hagha Sophia; once the grandest church of its era and a work of engineering genius, Hagia Sophia also has one of the most highly regarded mosaics of Christ and the Mother Mary. After Hagia Sophia, you will visit Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman Sultans for hundreds of years. With its extensive collection of Ottoman artefacts and an incredible jewellery collection you will get an insight into the lives of the Ottoman sultans. The Palace also commands an outstanding location overlooking the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn so that you can look across to Asia. After visiting Topkapi Palace you will be taken to Grand Bazaar to see one of the oldest and most colourful souks of our time.

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Day 3 : Istanbul

Full day sightseeing tour of Istanbul starting with the Spice Market and Rustem Pasha Mosque, followed by a 90 minute boat ride in the famous Bosphorous river. Have a lunch in Ortakoy Village on the banks of the Bosphorous. After lunch visit the stunning Dolmabahce Palace. Evening is free to explore further or simply relax. Overnight in Istanbul.

Overnight in Turkoman Hotel, Istanbul

Meal plan: Breakfast

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Day 4 : Istanbul

Morning free. Transfer back to the airport.

Meal plan: Breakfast

Accommodation

Accommodation

All accommodation subject to availability. Final accommodation choices will be confirmed after booking.

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Turkoman Hotel

Istanbul (3 nights)

Overlooking the ancient Roman Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque and the Sea of Marmara, Turkoman Hotel is situated in an ideal central location with an outdoor terrace to enjoy the views of Istanbul's famous sites. All rooms feature air conditioning, TV, minibar, and a safety boxe (available at reception). Wi-Fi access is available in public areas of the hotel. 

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Reviews

I went on this trip rather than all the other interesting possibilities in the world because I wanted to go to Gobekli Tepe. Being there was all I could have hoped for. It was a stunning experience and I was moved to tears. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Regarding the food, the olives were the best I`ve ever tasted. And the yoghurt is fabulous. Also the cheese and pistachios and apricots. Oh yes, and the watermelon : ) Thanks to David too for being so patient with my endless questions

Cynthia Bishop , Eastern Turkey Explorer, Turkey

Travel the Unknown were very responsive to my personal wishes, and flexible enough to make this a fantastic tour- we covered a lot in a limited time. Guides were pleasant and informative, and the transport was excellent.

John Colligan , Eastern Turkey Snapshot & archaeology extension

This tour comprehensively covered many of the most important ancient archaeological sites in Anatolia, starting with the chronologically earliest Göbekli Tepe, Çatalhöyük, the Hittite capital Hattusha, Harran, Gordion and Mount Nemrut. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Travel the Unknown and its representatives in Turkey.

Eric , Ancient Anatolia & Eastern Turkey

We’ve been doing a few small group tours in recent years and this was the first trip we’ve taken with Travel the Unknown, and it did not disappoint. We chose this tour as it included all the sites that we wanted to see for year that were hard to find elsewhere, including Gobekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, Mount Nemrut, Hattusa and Catalhoyuk. The entire experience was well organized and planned to near perfection. Our guide, Hasan Tekdal, was just amazing at pulling together thousands of years of history along with the culture and peoples of the region to create a once in a lifetime experience.

Rod & Ellen , Ancient Anatolia & Eastern Turkey

Travel the Unknown was able to take an abundance of ideas from three experienced travels in my group and synthesize them into a perfect, custom-made adventure, with a wide variety of activities and experiences, led by personable local guides with incredible expertise.

Wendy , Tailormade Turkey

We were fortunate to book a private trip to Turkey with Travel the Unknown. All aspects exceeded our expectations: booking the trip, the guides and personalized tours, transport, accommodation and the food! Our tour operator on the ground was the best! She went out of her way to ensure a wonderful and special experience of Turkey and the private gulet cruise.

Johanna, Shiree, & Madelein , Tailormade Turkey

Travel the Unknown is an excellent company to chose for a real travel experience. It was a fabulous holiday where we felt we saw a different side to Turkey and saw sights and had experiences that were once in a lifetime events. I would certainly recommend them to anyone wanting to have new experiences and see the true side of a country.

Neil , Ancient Anatolia & Eastern Turkey

This was my third trip with Travel the Unknown and I was just as fully satisfied as on our previous trips. Rahul and his staff are extremely responsive and knowledgeable. Our original itinerary involved areas that were affected by the recent earthquake in Turkey, so the itinerary had to be modified. Rahul accomplished this in a seamless fashion and created a trip that was as interesting, and more varied, than the original one. Kudos for that.

Stephen Kamin , Eastern Turkey Explorer

As a worldwide traveller, explorer & author travelling through COVID times, my trip with Travel The Unknown was a perfect choice for my adventure in Turkey. As a solo booking , I didn’t need the usual tourist bling. I knew what I wanted to see and the company chose the best guide I could have wished for. No fuss. Dealing with my preferences. This company know exactly what they are doing with complete knowledge of their guests, countries and Travel passage. I highly recommend Travel the Unknown.

Tessa Skola , Tailormade Eastern Turkey

This trip was an amazing and very exhilarating experience. We had high hopes of Gobekli Tepe, which were totally fulfilled- it is utterly amazing, but we had not anticipated some of the other gems to be so exceptional as well. We were a small group, which made the trip very personal. Altogether it was a marvellous week, helped by having a caring guide and an excellent driver.

Joy Lawley , Eastern Turkey Snapshot, Turkey

I had a lovely time in Turkey. Both of the tours that were part of the package were fabulous, both tour guides were very knowledgeable and made the trips very interesting providing plenty of information, and the places where we went for lunches as part of the trip were superb. David McGuinness is a credit to Travel the Unknown, he goes that `extra mile` to keep customer happy. I`d like to say a huge `thank you` for all the help you gave me organising and planning my trip. I certainly will recommend anyone to use you for planning their `unknown` destination holiday. The emails, telephone calls were all spot on, well done :-) :-)

Jane Kimberley , The Magic of Cappadocia, Turkey

A great way to travel to some of the more remote and interesting places in the world. It was a very interesting area and we saw a lot that we would never have managed on our own. I would recommend the holiday to others.

Marion McCallum , Eastern Turkey Snapshot, Turkey
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