Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Your tour begins with a 25-minute drive in your motorcoach that takes you across the Galata Bridge into the heart of Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Your first stop is the awe-inspiring Topkapi Palace Museum, a huge walled complex that hugs the Bosphorus and offers breathtaking views of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara. This former palace of Ottoman sultans is now a museum displaying an extraordinary collection of art, artifacts, and jewels.

Just inside is the Topkapi Treasury, home of the famed Topkapi Diamond, the "Spoonmakers Diamond" and the jewel-encrusted Topkapi dagger. Steps away is the harem, offering a revealing look into how the sultans of the Ottoman Empire lived. These private apartments were carefully situated so as not to be seen from the state apartments or courtyards where public affairs were conducted.

Your tour continues by land with a walk to the Grand Bazaar, the largest market in the world with over 4.000 shops. You'll view a carpet demonstration and explore the shops filled with jewelry, carpets, leather ware, and copper goods. Bargaining is expected and half the fun.

Your tour concludes with a walk back to your motorcoach, and a relaxing, scenic drive back to the port. With Istanbul behind you, you leave with a myriad of unforgettable memories of a lifetime.