Istanbul: A world center of great value in the past as well as in the present, Istanbul embraces Asia on the one hand and Europe on the other. Istanbul, with its historical peninsula, numerous scenic and historical beauties is a magnificently unique city that has been capital to many civilizations from past to present and still continues to be home to residents from all over the world. This rooted city, with a history dating back to 300 thousand years before, constitutes a mosaic of many civilizations and cultures combined. One may come across legacies and monuments of thousands of years behind any door or around any corner in Istanbul. Whether you take a round tour in Istanbul or visit any of the 39 districts nearby, you will catch hold of various historical and natural wonders any minute. Istanbul bridges Asia and Europe both physically and culturally. Expanding the ancient Roman colony of Byzantium by the order of the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, the imperial city of Constantinople was for nearly a thousand years the last remaining outpost of the Roman (later termed Eastern Roman or Byzantine) Empire. It was finally conquered by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II on 29 May 1453, an event sometimes used to mark the end of the Middle Ages. It was the nerve center for military campaigns that were to enlarge the Ottoman Empire dramatically. By the mid-1500s, Istanbul, with a population of almost half a million, was a major cultural, political and commercial center. Ottoman rule continued until it was defeated in WWI and Istanbul was occupied by the allies. When the Republic of Turkey was born in 1923 after the War of Independence, Kemal Ataturk moved its capital to the city of Ankara. However, Istanbul has continued to expand dramatically, today its population is approximately 14 million and increases at an estimated 400,000 immigrants per year, making it also one of the largest cities in Europe and the world. Industry has expanded even as tourism has grown.

Programme Details
Hagia Sophia The mystical city of Istanbul has hosted many civilisations since centuries, of which Byzantium and Ottoman Empires were both the most famous ones. The city today carries the characteristics of these two different cultures and surely Hagia Sophia is a perfect synthesis where one can observe both Ottoman and Byzantium effects under one great dome. Rebuilt by the orders of Emperor Justinian in 537, for 900 years Hagia Sophia had been the center of Orthodox Christianity until 1453 when the city was concurred by Ottomans. 500 years following the conquest of Muslims, it became a jewel for the Muslim world and as the grand mosque of the sultans. In 1935, Hagia Sophia had been converted into a museum of Turkish Republic by the orders of Ataturk, and became one of the most significant monuments not only in Turkey but on earth with its architecture and its historical richness
Byzantine Hippodrome was the heart of Constantinople's political and sporting life and the scene of games and riots through 500 years of Ottoman history as well. It's now a city park called the At Meydanı (Horse Grounds) because of its function in Ottoman times. The Byzantine Emperors loved nothing more than an afternoon at the chariot races, and this rectangular arena was their venue of choice. The Hippodrome was the center of Byzantium's life for 1000 years and of Ottoman life for another 400 years and has been the scene of countless political dramas. Ottoman sultans also kept an eye on activities in the Hippodrome. If things were going badly in the empire, a surly crowd gathering here could signal the start of a disturbance, then a riot, then a revolution.
The Blue Mosque (Called Sultan Ahmet Camii in Turkish) is an historical mosque in Istanbul. The mosque is known as the Blue Mosque because of blue tiles surrounding the walls of interior design. Mosque was built between 1609 and 1616 years, during the rule of Ahmed I. The mosque (built in 1603-17) is the masterwork of Ottoman architect Sedefkar Mehmet Aga. It's built on the site of the Great Palace of Byzantium, on the southeastern side of the Hippodrome. The mosque is a fascinating structure with its six minarets because it is only six minarets mosque in Turkey. There are many legends about this mosque; one of them is about minarets. Sultan ordered minarets to be made from the gold to create a different style but there was not enough money. Instead of this Sedefkar Mehmet Aga decided to build six minarets to see its uniqueness. Blue Mosque has features like social complex by including madrasa, Turkish bath, fountain, hospital, Mekteb I Sıbyan, Sultan resting Mansion, rental rooms and homes. Within this place there are many tombs including Sultan Ahmet I, his wife Kosem Sultan, and their sons.
The Topkapi Palace is the biggest and one of the most popular sites to visit in Istanbul. It was built in between 1466 and 1478 by the sultan Mehmet II on top of a hill in a small peninsula. The palace was the political center of the Ottoman Empire between the 15th and 19th centuries. Local people called it as "Topkapi" which in Turkish means "Gate of Cannons" because of huge cannons displayed outside of its gates, those which were used during the Conquest. There were originally around 700-800 residents of the Palace at the beginning, but during the centuries it dramatically raised to 5,000 during normal days and 10,000 during festivals, approximately. The palace became the largest palace in the world, a city within a city. Bab-us Saade or the Felicity Gate separates the core and most important parts of the palace from other sections, such as the Treasury for example. The Harem, literally meaning "forbidden" in Arabic, was a complex of apartments in the palace belonging to the wives, concubines and children of the sultan, guarded by the black eunuchs. At some point, its population topped to a record high of 474 ladies, in total over 400 rooms. Today, the Harem is a separate museum within the palace complex and there are escorted tours at certain hours of the day. The palace was opened to the public as a museum in 1924 by the order of Ataturk.
The Grand Bazaar (Kapalıcarsı) in Istanbul is one of the largest covered markets in the world with 60 streets and 5,000 shops, and attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily. It is well known for its jewellery, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, embroideries, spices and antique shops. Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by type of goods, with special areas for leather and gold jewellery. The bazaar has been an important trading center since 1461 and its labyrinthine vaults feature two bedestens (domed buildings), the first of which was constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. The bazaar was vastly enlarged in the 16th century, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, and in 1894 underwent a major restoration following an earthquake. The complex houses two mosques, four fountains, two hamams, and several cafes and restaurants. In the center is the high domed hall of the Cevahir Bedesten, where the most valuable items and antiques were to be found in the past, and still are today, including furniture, copperware, amber prayer beads, inlaid weapons, mother-of-pearl mirrors, water pipes, watches and clocks, candlesticks, old coins, and silver and gold jewellery set with coral and turquoise. A leisurely afternoon spent exploring the bazaar, sitting in one of the cafes and watching the crowds pass by and bargaining for purchases is one of the best ways to recapture the romantic atmosphere of old Istanbul.
Bosphorus cruise For a few hours give yourself the luxury to feel like a Sultan who is travelling around his city, watching from a distance all the fascinating sights. Here are the sights you'll see (including six Ottoman palaces) on a Bosphorus cruise in Istanbul. Divided into two parts, the Southern Bosphorus (from the Golden Horn and Istanbul city center north to the Bosphorus Bridge), and the Northern Bosphorus, (from the Bosphorus Bridge north to the Black Sea) Southern Bosphorus The most impressive sights are along the southern shores of the Bosphorus, nearest to the city: Topkapı Palace, the mid-Bosphorus Maiden's Tower (Kız Kulesi), the Selimiye Barracks (where Florence Nightingale worked), Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Yıldız Park & Palace, the chic art-boutique-and-cafe scene in the village of Ortakoy, the pretty Ottoman baroque Mecidiye Mosque, and the Bosphorus Bridge and many more. Northern Bosphorus Beyond the Bosphorus Bridge there's plenty more to see: Beylerbeyi Palace, the village of Cengelkoy, Kuleli Naval Academy, Arnavutkoy with its photogenic Ottoman yalıs (wooden Bosphorus seaside mansions), Rumeli Hisarı (the mighty Fortress of Europe), the town of Bebek with its pretty bay, and Bosphorus University. North of the Faith Bridge, second to be built across the Bosphorus, is Anadolu Hisarı (the Fortress of Anatolia), Kucuksu Kasrı (a fine little rococo palace), the Hıdiv Kasrı (fine Art Nouveau villa built in 1900 for the Khedive of Egypt), the pretty restaurant village of Tarabya, the town of Buyukdere (with its excellent Sadberk Hanım Museum), and Sarıyer (with a fish market and several seafood restaurants on the shore). Rumeli Kavagı (the farthest northern dock on the European shore of the Bosphorus), and Anadolu Kavagı (the final dock on the Bosphorus cruise-tour) are about 10 km south of the Black Sea.
Spice Bazar vividly coloured spices are displayed alongside jewel-like lokum (Turkish delight) at this Ottoman era marketplace, providing eye candy for the thousands of tourists and locals who make their way here every day. As well as spices, stalls sell caviar, dried herbs, nuts and dried fruits. Spice Bazar The number of stalls selling tourist trinkets increases annually, yet this remains a great place to stock up on edible souvenirs, share a few jokes with the vendors and marvel at the well preserved building. The market was constructed in the 1660s as part of the New Mosque; rent from the shops supported the upkeep of the mosque as well as its charitable activities, which included a school, hamam and hospital. The market's Turkish name, the Mısır Carsısı (Egyptian Market), references the fact that the building was initially endowed with taxes levied on goods imported from Egypt. In its heyday, the bazaar was the last stop for the camel caravans that travelled the Silk Routes from China, India and Persia. On the west side of the market there are outdoor produce stalls selling fresh foodstuff from all over Anatolia, including a wonderful selection of cheeses. Also here is the most famous coffee supplier in Istanbul, Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi, established over 100 years ago. This is located on the corner of Hasırcılar Caddesi, which is full of shops selling food and kitchenware.
Marmara Sea Cruise the Princes’ Islands (Kızıl Adalar or just Adalar) are a chain of nine rather small islands in the Sea of Marmara. They evolved from a place of retreat for the Byzantine princes, to a popular destination for tourists and Istanbulites alike to escape the hectic city life for a day. Of those nine islands, only four of them are open to the public, Buyukada, the biggest and most popular, Burgazada, Heybeliada and Kınalıada. The main feature of any of the Princes’ Islands is the sound of … silence. All motorised vehicles are banned, making the islands an oasis of peace and quiet. The only sounds you will get to hear are bicycle bells and the typical sounds of horse hoofs. Horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the main transportation means on the islands. But that’s not the only feature that makes the Princes’ Islands unique. Find yourself walking or riding through narrow streets flanked by either untouched pine-forests or fine, wooden Victorian cottages. Lots of free time for wandering around the islands. Don’t miss the famous water pipe/hookah, which is the Turkish nargile while drinking a very tasteful Turkish coffee. That is for a unique fin-de-siecle flash back.