Taste of Istanbul

Upon arrival, meet your driver for a private transfer to your selected hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore this enchanting city.

Today, choose between private and small group sightseeing options and explore Istanbul’s Ottoman Heritage. During its 500-year presence in Istanbul, the formidable Ottoman Empire constructed magnificent mosques and palaces, many of which still stand today. Explore Topkapi Palace and its Harem, with imperial family quarters as well as government sections. Visit the Blue Mosque to witness the elegant tile work, and the Museum of Islamic Arts, which was once home to the Grand Ottoman Vizier in the 16th century. You may also want to visit the Underground Cistern, St. Sophia and shop in the Grand or Spice Bazaars.

Weather permitting, we recommend taking a Bosphorus cruise today. Cruise along the Bosphorus waterway and view the dramatic sights lining the Bosphorus' wooded shores: mosques, mansions of the Ottoman elite, the Sultan's fanciful gingerbread palaces and hunting lodges, and a fortress built by Fatih the Conqueror. In the evening, you may want to enjoy an optional Turkish dinner including a belly dancing show and an Anatolian cultural performance.

You will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the airport to continue on to your next destination.