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

A scenic 25-minute drive in your motorcoach takes you across the Galata Bridge into the heart of Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire.

The Byzantine Hippodrome presents an opportunity to snap a photo or two as you walk by this imposing arena, once the heart of Constantinople's political and sporting life, and the scene of games through the history of the Byzantine empire.

Your first destination is the Blue Mosque, also known as The Sultan Ahmed Mosque. This 17th-century marvel was built to rival and surpass the grandeur and beauty of nearby Hagia Sophia, and is a true study in color. It displays a multitude of domes and semi-domes and graceful minarets on the exterior, and over 20,000 shimmering blue Iznik tiles in more than 50 different tulip designs, and 216 stained glass windows, on the interior.

A short distance away, you'll enter the awe-inspiring Topkapi Palace Museum, a huge walled complex that hugs the Bosphorus. This former palace of Ottoman sultans is now a museum displaying an extraordinary collection of art, artifacts, and jewels, including the famed Topkapi Diamond. The windows promise breathtaking views of the Bosphorus, the Golden Horn and the Sea of Marmara.

Just inside the palace, the harem offers 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.

A short walk brings you a the luxury, restaurant where you'll enjoy a traditional Ottoman lunch, featuring Turkish specialties and beverages.

Refreshed from lunch, next you'll visit the St. Irene Church. This Byzantine Church dates from 6th Century and has excellent acoustics. The building reputedly stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. It ranks, in fact, as the first church built in Constantinople. Roman emperor Constantine I commissioned the first St. Irene church in the 4th century. From May to July 381 the First Council of Constantinople took place in the church. It was burned down during the Nike revolt in 532. Emperor Justinian I had the church restored in 548. It served as the church of the Patriarchate before St. Sophia was completed in 537.

Your tour continues by land with a drive to the Grand Bazaar, the largest market in the world with over 4.000 shops. Time permitting, 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.

Minutes away, you'll arrive at Hagia Sophia, also known as St. Sophia, the Church of Holy Wisdom. It was originally built by Constantine the Great, and later rebuilt by Emperor Justinian to be a "queen church" of the new empire. Considered one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture, it's rich with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings.

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