Half day Bosporus Cruise Tour

This half day tour is one of the most enjoyable tours we offer in Turkey which is always included in the itinerary of any traveler visiting Turkey. The Turkish people say you have never visited Turkey until you go on a ride in the Bosporus.

All the members of the family, especially the children who love going on boats, will have a wonderful time in this exciting trip.

Istanbul is among the very few cities in the world which is located in the lands of two continents; Europe to the West, Asia to the East, and the Bosporus Strait in the middle dividing the city. Imagine riding in a wonderful boat with Europe to your left and Asia to your right!

Now it's time for the Bosporus Cruise. Get ready for a splendid ride full of enjoyment viewing many of the highlights of Istanbul while you are riding your boat like the Romeli Fortress, the two wonderful high bridges connecting Europe with Asia, and the Maiden's Tower.

This cruise is a marvelous demonstration of the architectural development of Istanbul since Ottoman times and until today. The guest will view the monumental ottoman structure just beside modern luxurious residences of nowadays.

The itinerary of the trip

- Our tour starts in the morning or in the afternoon at the Istanbul port, at an exact location that we will specify to make it easier for the guest.

- Our well trained highly educated tour guides will be awaiting the arrival of guests to greet them and give them a simple orientation of the itinerary of the day

- After the meet and greet, the guests will ride in our comfortable modern AC Vehicles to start their amazing tour

- We reach our Cruise ship for a wonderful tour of the Bosporus, the strait that divides Istanbul into the Asian section to the East and the European section to the West. A cruise of the Bosporus is one of the most attractive features of any private tour in Turkey

- After the best tour ever, the guests will be transferred to the Istanbul Port at the end of the trip. About the Bosporus Cruise

One of the great pleasures of any Istanbul tour is the cruise up the Bosporus. The trip is relaxing and if offers amazing view of the city's landmarks. A perfectly organized Turkey vacation would take the guest in a marvelous ride around the Bosporus and the historical sites located all around it.

While the traveler is chilling around the cruise, he will have the chance to view the most remarkable highlights of Istanbul. This includes the Fortress of Europe, situated at the North most point of the Bosporus, this structure was built by Mohamed II in 1452 as a prelude of his invasion of Constantinople.

Afterwards, there is the Dolmabache Palace, constructed in the 19th century as a symbol of the grandeur of the Ottomans. Then, the guest will have the chance to view the Beykoz, one of the largest fishing villages in Turkey that was established since 1746.

The cruise will then move to the Fortress of Asia, built by Sultan Beyazit I, the Byzantine Emperor, just before he was unable to defend the city against the Ottoman siege of Constantinople in 1396.

Full day Bosporus Cruise and Asia Tour

Do you wish to spend a marvelous full day tour in Istanbul going on a wonderful Cruise in the Bosporus Strait and visiting remarkable monuments? This tour then is perfectly designed to make your wish come true. This package gives the guest the chance to visit many of the highlights of Asian Istanbul in just a one day trip that is full of excitement for everybody.

This trip is tailored for photography fans. The guests will visit many destinations where they will wish their eyes would transform into a camera not to miss any scene of the trip going to the Bosporus, the Beylerbeyi Palace, and the Camlica hill that offers astonishing views of the city

Istanbul is among the very few cities in the world which is located in the lands of two continents; Europe to the West, Asia to the East, and the Bosporus Strait in the middle dividing the city. Imagine riding in a wonderful boat with Europe to your left and Asia to your right!

The itinerary of the trip

- Our tour starts in the morning or in the afternoon at the Istanbul port, at an exact location that we will specify to make it easier for the guest.

- Our well trained highly educated tour guides will be awaiting the arrival of guests to greet them and give them a simple orientation of the itinerary of the day

- After the meet and greet, the guests will ride in our comfortable modern AC Vehicles to start their amazing tour

- The first stop of the day will be the Spices Bazaar, or the Egyptian Bazaar as many locals love to call it because many of the vendors and tradesmen selling their goods in the market. The Spices Bazaar hosts a large number of shops selling all sorts of fruits, flowers and roses, vegetables, plants, and all sorts of special spices that are cultivated in Turkey and also imported from different regions from all over the world.

- We reach our Cruise ship for a wonderful tour of the Bosporus, the strait that divides Istanbul into the Asian section to the East and the European section to the West. A cruise of the Bosporus is one of the most attractive features of any private tour in Turkey

- Our first stop in the cruise will be at the Beylerbeyi Palace, which is situated in a distinctive location on the Bosporus. This marvelous structure was built between 1861 and 1865 by Sultan Abdel Aziz

- After the best tour ever, the guests will be transferred to the Istanbul Port at the end of the trip.

About the Spices Bazaar

This L shaped market was established in the 17th century as a normal extension of the complex and the area of the New Mosque, which was constructed in 1663. The rent of the shops of the spices Bazaar used to help in funding the education institution of the mosque.

The locals of Istanbul prefer to call this market the “misr Bazaar” or the Egyptian Bazaar. The main reason why the Spices Bazaar was called that way is that it was mainly built with the money paid as duty on Egyptian ports.

The Turkish have known the importance of spices in cooking delicious dishes since medieval times and since then spices have become the major product to be sold in this market.

The Spices market has taken advantage of the significant geographical location of Istanbul, being in the rout of trading between Asia and Europe, to gather all sorts of spices from all over the world and sell them in one market.

Nowadays, the many shops in the Spices Bazaar are selling different and various spices, herbs, honey, nuts, sweet meats, vegetables and fruits. However, nowadays, many other products are offered in the market like toys, pets, plants, and household goods. A trip to the Spices Bazaar must be included in any Istanbul tours

About the Bosporus Cruise

One of the great pleasures of any Istanbul tour is the cruise up the Bosporus. The trip is relaxing and if offers amazing view of the city's landmarks. A perfectly organized Turkey vacation would take the guest in a marvelous ride around the Bosporus and the historical sites located all around it.

While the traveler is chilling around the cruise, he will have the chance to view the most remarkable highlights of Istanbul. This includes the Fortress of Europe, situated at the North most point of the Bosporus, this structure was built by Mohamed II in 1452 as a prelude of his invasion of Constantinople.

Afterwards, there is the Dolmabache Palace, constructed in the 19th century as a symbol of the grandeur of the Ottomans. Then, the guest will have the chance to view the Beykoz, one of the largest fishing villages in Turkey that was established since 1746.

The cruise will then move to the Fortress of Asia, built by Sultan Beyazit I, the Byzantine Emperor, just before he was unable to defend the city against the Ottoman siege of Constantinople in 1396.

About the Beylerbeyi Palace

The Beylerbeyi Palace was designed in the Braque of the late ottoman period. The place was constructed between 1861 and 1865 under the orders of Sultan Abdel Aziz.

The Beylerbeyi Palace contains a marvelous garden that already stood here before for the former palaces that was erected here in the Byzantine time. This palace was actually built to entertain the nobles and the royal family of the Ottoman Empire. The Beylerbeyi Palace contains marvelous fountains, baths, colonnades, and many other remarkable features.

The most attractive room in the palace is the reception hall with rich decorations, pools, and fountains.

There are splendid views of the palace from the Bosporus where the "Harem", the residence of the women, and the "Salamlek" the meeting place of the men, can be viewed and admired.

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The history of Turkey is as ancient as the history of the world. The land where modern Turkey is located today was titled with many names in the past. This includes Anatolia and Asia Minor in different periods of time.

Turkey, throughout its long rich history has witnessed the rising and the end of many different dynasties and civilizations including the Hittites, the Persians, the Lydians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines, and at last the Ottomans before the establishment of the modern nation of Turkey we know today.

Most of the establishments of these empires were centered on Istanbul. This is why some Istanbul tours allow the guests to spend some days to explore the most important city in Turkey nowadays.

Each of these great dynasties has left its touch in Turkey to form a marvelous combination of architecture and human heritage. Turkey is nowadays visited by a large number of travelers who come from all over the world for Turkey Vacation .

Many ancient civilization have risen in the fertile valleys of Turkey before the famous empires like the Persians, the Romans, and the Ottomans started recognizing the importance of the country and make use of its resources.

Afterwards, a large number of immigrants have settled in Turkey coming from different regions of the world and founding new communities that have left many signs of its greatness and civilizations. Touristic destinations which welcome many several people coming for Istanbul holidays and other locations weren’t established at the time.

Turkey in ancient times

It was proved through scientific research and planned excavation work that Turkey was inhabited as early as 20,000 BC. Some tools made out of stone, artifacts, animal bones, and fossils that were unearthed near the northern section of Antalya have discovered that Turkey had some communities living on its lands since the Old Stone Age.

Most of the people who used to live in these ancient primitive communities have were nomadic hunters and the changing climate conditions forced them to leave one land and immigrate to the other from time to time according to the recourses available for them in each region. The families belonging to these tribes used to follow the animals on which they depend for clothing, food, tools, and many other substances. This was why they never settled in one area and they were moving around constantly according to the conditions of life.

The first real permanently settled communities in the region were these tribes who stayed in Mesopotamia in the Prehistoric period. The fertile land that was located between Tigris and Euphrates rivers have attracted many groups of people to settle in this area, located in Syria and Iraq nowadays, to make use of the cultivations they can do there.

Afterwards, and around 10,000 BC, a number of tribes settled in Anatolia depending on the crops of wheat and barley they used to cultivate in these lands. Anatolia has become a popular destination nowadays for many Turkey vacation packages.

This early example of primitive community settlement made the best use of animals as they kept sheep, goats, and cattle to benefit from their meat, milk, and furs. They even used some trained dogs to protect their lands and houses.

These tribes were the first people who took the risk of living in an established community that is based only one region; the fertile crescent of the time, the shores of the Red and Mediterranean Seas, and near the Persian Gulf.

The archeological exploration of these areas proved that some villages were founded in 8000 BC and after one thousand years around 7000 BC many civilizations and communities were well established in the region. The inhabitants of these tribes were able to discover, in the same period, the use of metal objects and how they can produce useful tools like weapons and knives through extracting the iron from the ground.

Scholars have proved the presence of the earliest items that were produced out of copper in 5000 BC in Anatolia, the city that has become a part of many Turkey private tours in our modern times.  

The first town in history

The first real city that was ever established in Turkey and maybe the whole entire world was probably named Catalhoyuk and it was located in Anatolia. The population of the city was mentioned in historical resources to be around five thousand inhabitants, being the largest settled community at this ancient time.

Most of the people of this ancient Turkish town used to work in agriculture and grazing around the fertile lands. On the other hand, some people have worked in producing the different primitive tools of the time that were sometimes decorated by volcanic glass they used to bring from volcanoes nearby. Most of the houses of the city were built as strong structures to remain for the longest period of time using bricks and some woodwork.

Due to the culture of the inhabitants living in Catalhoyuk at the time, their houses were divided into living chambers, cooking rooms, and some store places as well reflecting some primitive civilized concepts. Many travelers who love to spend their Turkey vacation, like to read about the civilizations of these ancient primitive communities

The most important creature in the lives of the inhabitants of Anatolia at the time was the cattle. Scholar and researchers have gathered this fact due to the discoveries of some of the walls of the houses of the city. Most of these walls were decorated with paintings displaying cows and other types of cattle and sheep.

Believing in animistic concepts that state that all objects in we see in our lives have some sort of soul inside them, even rocks and different other solid items, some murals that were discovered in Anatolia must have referred to some religious practices and rituals that were carried out in the city.

From the period starting from 5000 BC and until 3500 BC, most of the communities living in Anatolia have depended mainly on farming as the only major source of life. More agriculture meant that more tools have to be produced or even invented to facilitate the work of the farmers.

This was why the father had to teach his son the methods of unearthing different substances and melting them to produce several tools and gadgets. The Copper Age, as this period is titled, of course had a great significance because during the period humans were able to discover copper and its usage.

Some communities at this period were able even to invent more advanced tools and methods to add pottery to the substances they used to produce their tools. Many potteries were produced at the time to be used as dishes, cleaning plates, and many other things. The clay vessels at the time used to be ornamented with colorful decorations proving that the communities of the time knew the use of colors which they extracted from different substances.

According to the growing needs for new tools and inventions, the inhabitants of Anatolia, during the period starting 3000 BC, have created new methods of tools productions. Around 1700 BC, these communities were able to make products like jewelry, leather belts, vessels to drink in, many rock statues, and a collection of several other items.  Some of these items are on display in museums included in many Turkey trips.

Due to their strong animistic beliefs that remand as a vital influential factor of the communities at the time, the inhabitants of Anatolia produced many statues of gods and goddesses that they used to resort to when they have a problem or when they are facing a natural disaster.

A few numbers of these statues were unearthed after long extensive excavation work and they are displayed in now in museums in Turkey together along many other findings that were discovered dating back to the Copper, Bronze, and prehistoric periods. These museums are being explored with many travelers coming on Escorted Turkey tours.

The best idea to understand and explore the ancient history of the region is to go on a private tour to Turkey. Most of the travelers going on one of the private Turkey tour are escorted with well educated tour guides that offer amazing interpretation of the ancient historic events.

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The old Imperial Palace of China is located in the center of the city of Peking. It used to belong to the royal family during the reign of Ming Dynasty that ruled the country from 1368 to 1644 and the Qing Dynasty that ruled from 1644 till 1917.

This huge remarkable palace was named the Forbidden City as no one except the royal family, princes, high officials, and nobles were allowed to enter inside the palace that welcomes hundreds of tourists nowadays visiting it as part of theirChina tours

The construction work of the Imperial Palace of China has started in 1406 and it was basically finished in 1420 and it is considered to be the largest and best preserved complex of royal palaces in China which is often visited by tourists when they travel to China

This complex of royal palaces is located on an axial line stretching from the North of the old city of Peking till its South with eight kilometers long

The surface area of the Forbidden City is around seven hundred and twenty square kilometers, with the length, from South to North, being 960 meters, and its width, from East to West, being 750 meters. The total surface area of all the structures of the imperial palaces is around 150 square kilometers, with more than 8700 rooms.  This offers the guests coming from different regions for a vacation in China to view the greatness of the Chinese historical architecture.      
 
The Forbidden City is surrounded all over with walls that are around 10 meters high. An artificial river runs outside the walls of the city and it is 52 meters wide. This river has the name of "Ho Chang" meaning the river constructed to defend the city.

A wonderful custom tour to China would include the Imperial Palace, The Great Walls of China, and many other remarkable monuments as well.

On the four corners of this great historical complex of palaces, there are four amazingly decorated compartments. The design of these structures was rather very complicated as it used to consist of 8 main pillars, 18 columns, and 72 sub pillars.

The Imperial Palace of Peking was added to the UNESCO list of cultural heritage in 1978. Nowadays, the palace complex exhibits around one million displays and it was transformed into a comprehensive museum with a mixture of ancient architectural arts, imperial antiquities, and several types of other ancient art. The Imperial Palace is usually included China packages and it is a part of many affordable tours to Chinaas well.

The gates of the Palace

The main gate of the Imperial Palace is the Meridian Gate located at the Southern section of the walls.  This gate with the name "Wumen" was where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties use to enter and exit from the palaces complex when they visited the temples located near the Forbidden City. Today these gates serve as the entrance point for many tourists who travel to China

During the period of the Ming Dynasty, the Wumen Gate, consisting of five doors, had strict regulations for passing through its doors. The Emperor only was allowed to enter and exit from the middle door. This is besides the wife of the emperor, who was only allowed to enter through the middle door in the day of her marriage.

Moreover, the winners of the first three positions of the national examination to choose imperial employees were granted with the honor of exiting the complex from the middle door as a reflection of the emperor respect and admiration.

The two doors to the left and the right of the middle door were specified for the entrances and exits of the princes, royal relatives, ministers, and governmental officers; either civilian or military employees.

The last two doors located at the end of the left side and the right side of the Wumen Gate were usually closed most of the time and they were not opened except during the general assembly of the Empire or on the day of the national examination to choose the governmental employees.     

 The platform of the Wumen Gate looks similar to the wings of a wild goose and it has the same name in the Chinese language. This was where the two structures hosting the bells and the drums of the palace were located. 

The bells were rang and the drums were played in certain occasions that include the freeing of prisoners, the return of the Emperor military forces after achieving a great victory, the declaration of a new year that holds the name of the emperor, and on the 15th day of the first month of Chinese calendar when the Emperor used to prepare a luxurious banquet for the people as a celebration of the festival    

The gate situated in the Northern section of the walls of the Imperial Palace has the name of "the gate of Divine Might" and was where the Emperor of China used to meet with his high governmental officers every day to discuss the matters of the country and this was where the throne of the emperor was positioned.

On both sides of the gate of Divine power, there are two copper statues of lions that were the symbol of the Empire's prestige and power. The ancient Chinese believed that the lion is a sacred animal symbolizing dignity and solemnity and this was why a statue of a lion was put in front of any major gate in ancient China.

The royal garden of the palace

The royal garden of the palace is around 12 square kilometers in surface area. The garden has many types and species of trees like pine trees and many other kinds. This is besides many rare roses, bizarre looking rocks, and artificial rivers and mountains.

The royal garden, hosting more some trees that back to 300 years, is one of the major attractions of the Imperial Palace of China.

A strange tree, located in the center of the royal garden, is actually notable because it is in fact a combination of two types of trees. The branches of this tree overlap each others in harmony. This was why this tree, which was planted in the 18th century, is the symbol of marital bliss for many Chinese.

The museum of the Forbidden City

The museum of the Forbidden City is among the most remarkable museums in China as it contains rare priceless displays. The museum offers an enjoyable experience to its guests enjoying their groups'tours in Chinawith plenty of information and historical facts.

The Forbidden City is the largest complex of historical palaces in China. More than 24 emperors have governed China from the Imperial Palace for a period that exceeds five centuries.

After the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949, the Chinese government has paid great attention to the museum of the Imperial palace and every year an amount of money is specified for its restoration and reformation.

The museum of the Forbidden City opens from 8 30 in the morning till 4 30 in the afternoon and it usually welcomes hundreds of tourists everyday visiting the Forbidden City as part of theirholidays in China.

The entrance tickets cost from 40m to 60 Chinese Yuan (equivalent to 5 to 8 American dollars). However, usually the tickets to monuments and historical sites are included in the price of anyChina tours.  

A review of the half and one day tours from Istanbul

Half and one day tours have been quite popular among tourists in the past few years. The tourist would often go on a trip or a cruise that is organized by a travel agent to his proffered destination.

The first advantage of half and one day tours is that it enables the guest to explore a city, a region, or a historical site that he wishes to visit and which is not included in his travel package.

You can never cover all the remarkable monuments and interesting highlights of a certain destination only in one trip. If the travel checks up his travel guidebook he will surely find a place, not included in his travel itinerary, that he thinks it's interesting enough and that he should pay this place a visit. This is why travel agents give free time to their guests to enable them to discover more sites which they choose.

Now let's think of the other option which is going on a perfectly organized half or one day tour. The guest will find the finest most comfortable vehicle waiting for him in the spot that he prefers. His long experienced high educated tour guide will greet him.

Afterwards, the guest will be transferred to his desired destination and spend a marvelous time with his tour guide telling him valuable information, explanation, and historical facts. At the end of the tour, the guest will be transferred once again to his preferred location. The guest will not have to look for best prices or the most convenient transportation means. We will provide out guests with best services, transportation, and finest competitive prices.

Half and one day tours in Turkey

We present our guests with wonderful half and full day tours while they are on their cruise arriving in Istanbul. Usually the cruise ship spends one or two days in landing in the port.

This would a marvelous chance for travelers to explore some of the magical sites and regions located in Istanbul. Our one half and one day tours in Istanbul are comfortable, convenient, secured, exciting, and we offer them with the best competitive prices in the market.

Half Day Istanbul Classical Tour 1  

 This is truly the "Classical Tour" of Istanbul as it consists of exploring the most popular and remarkable highlights of the city. Many travelers would love to go on this tour every day. 

This half day trip magically mingles the Christian and Islamic history of Istanbul plus a marvelous shopping opportunity in one of the most famous touristic markets in the world.

The trip consists of visiting the famous Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia Museum, and the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul.

The itinerary of the trip

1. Our tour starts in the morning or in the afternoon at the Istanbul port, at an exact location that we will specify to make it easier for the guest.
2. Our well trained highly educated tour guides will be awaiting the arrival of guests to greet them and give them a simple orientation of the itinerary of the day
3. After the meet and greet, the guests will ride in our comfortable modern AC Vehicles to start their amazing tour
4. The first stop of the day will be to the famous Blue Mosque, which was built in 1616 and since that year, it became a unique landmark of Istanbul. Popular for its marvelous interior design, multiple domes, and distinctive Ottoman style minarets
5. The second visit will be to the Hagia Sophia Museum, one of the most splendid and largest remarkable Christian monuments in the world. This wonderful domed Basilica with its wonderful decoration has served as an important Christian center until the year 1453
6. At the end of this amazing tour, its time for more shopping and more excitement in the Grand Bazaar, of Istanbul. The Grand Bazaar, founded by first Ottoman leader to rule over Turkey, Mohamed the conqueror, in 1453, is considered to be the largest touristic market in the world. The Bazaar offers a huge variety of gifts and products that any traveler might think of.
7. After the best tour ever, the guests will be transferred to the Istanbul Port at the end of the trip.  

About the Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque was built in the period between 1609 and 1616 by Sultan Ahmed who was buried in the mosque after his death.

The mosque is located in the most ancient section of Istanbul, which is Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. It is situated near the Hippodrome, in front of the Hagia Sophia Church, and a walking distance from the Top Kapi Palace.

The position of the mosque was chosen to face the Hagia Sophia Church as Sultan Ahmed wanted to compete with the great architecture of the Hagia Sophia. He wanted to erect a larger dome and higher minaret. However, he didn't succeed in this but he was able to construct a splendid structure.

The Blue Mosque got this name from the West who gave the Sultan Ahmed this description because of the remarkable blue interior design of the Mosque.  The Blue Mosque is one of the most notable monuments in Istanbul that is included in all Turkey tours.  

About Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is the finest example of Byzantine in the whole world. The structure was constructed by Emperor Justinian I in the period between 532 and 537 AD in Istanbul or Constantinople, the Byzantine capital at the time.

In the period between 558 and 563, the dome was rebuilt because the original dome was destroyed due to an earth quake. After around 1000 years, when the Ottomans conquered the city, Hagia Sophia was transformed to become a mosque by adding a Minbar, some Islamic decorations, and a number of minarets.

At the end of its long history, the structure was opened as a public museum in 1935 and nowadays Hagia Sophia is part of any Istanbul tours.   

The word Hagia Sophia refers to the goddess of wisdom in ancient Greek civilization.

Hagia Sophia was beautifully decorated from inside with the best types of marbles and mosaics that were used to ornamented the walls and the great dome. These features were long covered by the Turks when they used the structure as a mosque and it was then revealed preserving its beauty. 

About the Grand Bazaar

This market that consists mainly of busy streets covered with thousands of shops and stores selling all sorts gifts and products. This market was established by Mohamed the conqueror in 1453 after he opened the city as the leader of the Ottoman armies.

The grand bazaar hosts numerous shops selling leather, traditional Turkish costumes, Turkish sweets and delights, ceramics, rugs and carpets, jewelry, and different types of gifts and souvenirs.

There are many landmarks inside the market like the marble fountain that once provided the bazaar with fresh water 300 years in the past. Many traditional cafes are spread all over the bazaar and they are the best resort for travelers after a remarkable walk in the market.  Many Istanbul holiday package include a marvelous tour of the market.

Half Day Istanbul Classical Tour 2  

This is one of the most remarkable half day tours we offer in Istanbul as it give the chance to our valuable guests to view two of the most famous highlights of the city.

This one day trip in Turkey would be a marvelous chance for travelers from all ages to view the greatness of the remarkable city of Istanbul.   

Istanbul, being the seat of the government of many empires and dynasties, host a large number of various monuments dating back to different periods of time.

This trip consists of visiting the Byzantine Hippodrome and the Topkapi Palace in one of the most wonderful and perfectly organized escorted Turkey tours. 

The itinerary of the trip

1. Our tour starts in the morning or in the afternoon at the Istanbul port, at an exact location that we will specify to make it easier for the guest.
2. Our well trained highly educated tour guides will be awaiting the arrival of guests to greet them and give them a simple orientation of the itinerary of the day
3. After the meet and greet, the guests will ride in our comfortable modern AC Vehicles to start their amazing tour
4. The first stop of the day will be to the Hippodrome of the Byzantine Empire was where most of the political activities used to take place. This was beside it was the most important avenue of sports for all the peoples of the time.
5. The second visit will be to the Topkapi Palace, one of the most remarkable royal residences of Istanbul. Located near the Bosporus strait, this marvelous piece of architectural art was the home of many Ottoman kings
6. After the best tour ever, the guests will be transferred to the Istanbul Port at the end of the trip.  

About the Hippodrome

Little is actually left of this gigantic stadium which once stood at the center of the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. This Hippodrome was originally constructed by Emperor Septimus Severus when he was rebuilding the city during the 3rd century AD.

Afterwards, Emperor Constantine I, the great builder of the Byzantine Empire, enlarged the structure as part of his renovation of the whole city.

The Hippodrome is thought that it used to hold up to 10000 viewers. Nowadays, the Hippodrome has been transformed into a public garden that hosts many remains of the original structure.  There are some remarkable arches of the curved end of the Hippodrome. There are also some Egyptian obelisks and Greek columns decorating this historical site nowadays.

The Egyptian Obelisk standing in the Garden of the Hippodrome now was built around 1500 BC and it was standing in front of the Luxor Temple in Egypt for ages until Constantine I brought it from Egypt to ornament his city.

There is also the Serpentine Column that was constructed around 479 BC and it was brought from Delphi to decorate Constantinople during the Ottoman period. The Hippodrome is one of the most remarkable historical sites of Istanbul that is added to many Turkey Private Tours.      

About the Topkapi Palace

Topkapi is located in the heart of old Istanbul situated in a classical atmosphere with large trees and different types of plants surrounding it. The Topkapi Palace contains a unique collection of antiquities that were gathered from different regions of the Ottoman Empire in various eras of time.

This palace was used as the center and the residence of the Ottoman Sultans for more than 380 years. The Topkapi Palace is one of the most important Ottoman royal residences in Istanbul and in the reign of Abdel Hamid I (1823 - 1861) and Sultan Abdel Aziz (1830 – 1876) have opened parts of this amazing palace for visitors to view. T
Topkapi Palace, one of the most wonderful and most ancient royal palaces in the world, was officially opened for public as a museum starting the year 1924.

The Topkapi Palace used to have thirteen gates but only a few of them remained until today. The most important gate that is still present until today is the "Humayum Gate" or the imperial gate that is situated near the Sultan Ahmed Sabil near Hagia Sophia facing the sea.

This is the major gate of the palace and it was constructed in the reign of the Mohamed the conqueror and it was restored and renovated many times afterwards in different regions of time.  Many Turkey Vacation packages include a visit to the Topkapi Palace.

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