Istanbul Tour Package – 5 Days

Welcome to Turkey. Your assigned guide meets you at the airport exit and takes you to your hotel, helps with check-in and makes sure you are settled in. On the way, the guide introduces the upcoming activities and Istanbul's culture, traditions and historic monuments, with their stories and legends.

After breakfast, your guide picks you up from the hotel at the agreed time. Start at Sultanahmet Square and visit the Blue Mosque, Hippodrome of Constantinople, Hagia Sophia, Topkapı Palace and Grand Bazaar.

Blue Mosque: Also known as Sultanahmet Mosque, this Ottoman monument was built between 1609 and 1616. Its six minarets and approximately 21,000 blue tiles make it distinctive. Floral designs, especially tulips associated with the Ottoman Empire, decorate the interior. Discover a beautiful example of classical Ottoman mosque architecture.

Hippodrome of Constantinople: The Roman Empire used this great racecourse for chariot racing and public entertainment for centuries. Although the complete structure no longer survives, its Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column, Column of Constantine and German Fountain remain as witnesses to its history.

Hagia Sophia: Ayasofya, meaning Holy Wisdom, is a major Byzantine monument and an outstanding achievement of art and architecture. Built in five years between 532 and 537 under Emperor Justinian, it served successively as a church and a mosque, then as a museum from 1935 to 2020, before reopening as a mosque. It was regarded as the world's largest cathedral until the sixteenth century and combines Byzantine and Ottoman art.

Topkapı Palace: Built for Fatih Sultan Mehmet between 1460 and 1478 after the Ottoman conquest of Istanbul, the palace was home to 24 sultans, including Süleyman the Magnificent and Sultan Ahmet. Its name means Cannon Gate. Walk through its courtyards to see Ottoman treasures, weapons, council rooms, clocks, sacred relics and ceramic collections, and imagine the world of the sultans.

Sultans' tombs: Part of the Hagia Sophia complex, these less well-known tombs contain fine examples of Ottoman tilework and calligraphy. Sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Ottoman sultans are buried here.

Lunch: Included at a typical restaurant near Sultanahmet Square.

Grand Bazaar: Enjoy free time to explore its long passages and shop. Open since 1461, it is one of the world's oldest shopping complexes, with traditional and modern products and souvenirs for different tastes.

Return to your hotel after the tour. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, continue to Eminönü's old trading quarter.

Spice Bazaar: Opened in 1664, this market offers Turkish delight, spices, saffron, Turkish coffee, tea and many other products. Enjoy free time to shop and experience its historic atmosphere.

Bosphorus cruise: Sail along the natural strait between Asia and Europe. See both shores, Dolmabahçe Palace, Ortaköy and waterfront villas. The boat also passes beneath the suspension bridge built in 1973 to connect the continents.

Bosphorus Bridge: Cross from one continent to another over the bridge that first connected Asia and Europe in 1973.

Lunch: Included in the tour.

Beylerbeyi Palace: Built in 1865 as a summer residence for the Ottoman sultans, it stands on the Asian shore near the Bosphorus Bridge. View the bridge while walking through the garden, then see the palace's patterns, paintings, chandeliers, original furniture and handmade carpets.

Çamlıca Hill — Lovers' Hill: From an altitude of 260 metres, discover Istanbul's geography and both continents. Enjoy views of the Sea of Marmara, the historic peninsula, the Bosphorus and its two suspension bridges.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Süleymaniye Mosque: Süleyman the Magnificent commissioned Mimar Sinan to build this architectural masterpiece between 1551 and 1557. Visit the mosque and the important parts of the complex, including the tombs of Süleyman, his wife Hürrem Sultan and the architect Sinan.

Panorama 1453 Museum: Discover the story of the battle between the Byzantines and the Ottomans during the conquest of Istanbul in 1453 through the panoramic presentation.

City walls: Built to protect the city in the Roman period, some sections remain in good condition. Drive alongside them on the way to the next stop.

Pierre Loti Hill: Reach the historic café named after the French writer Pierre Loti, whose real name was Julien Viaud. He lived in Istanbul for many years and is said to have visited the café frequently. The hill provides a beautiful view over the Golden Horn.

Miniatürk: This open-air museum presents miniature models of Turkey's important places, including Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, the Bosphorus Bridge and Istanbul Atatürk Airport.

Overnight in Istanbul.

Your tour ends with the transfer to the airport. We look forward to welcoming you on another Colorido Tours Turkey journey.

Additional visits can be arranged on request, depending on your flight arrival and departure times.