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        About the Tour 

Photos & Highlights

      Tour Description

Istanbul is the Marvel of Türkiye with no doubt. So, travelers visiting Istanbul for the first time must put the Sultanahmet district on their bucket list as it was the seat for the Roman Empire, Eastern Roman Empire, and Ottomans relatively. So, they spare no expense to show off the empire's power with churches, palaces, streets, common places…

Here we scheduled a full-day experience with the highlights of the district.

Early in the morning you meet with your tour guide at the hotel lobby and start your adventure with Hippodrome. Served as social and political centers, situated in the hub of the city center. It was used to entertain the public with chariot races and other sports activities as well as it was a spot where the emperors’ victories were celebrated and that was a place for imperial celebration. So, this was the only place in the time of the Roman and Eastern Roman Empire to gather people and have the only chance to see the emperor. Today, the remnants of the hippodrome can be still seen in the spina (Imagine a race track inside a big stadium. There's a low wall called a spina that runs almost the whole way down the middle of the track, splitting it into two sides.) The Egyptian Obelisk, The Serpent Column, The Walled Obelisk, The German Fountain. After completing your visit here, you will walk to see The Blue Mosque (The Sultanahmet Mosque). Completed in 1617 during the rule of Ahmet the First, took its name as the Magnificent.21043 tiles. The architect Sedefkar Mehmet Aga, was the apprentice of Sinan the Architect. The Ottomans were living their most glorious time, so Ahmet ordered to build a spectacular edifice to commemorate his name. Here besides the history of the building, you will also learn details about Islam Religion. Now you will head to Hagia Sophia. The edifice that was served as an imperial church in 916 and then turned into a mosque in 1453 by Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. And was used as a mosque till 1934 for 481 years. And with the order of Ataturk, it served as a museum till 2020. In 2020 Hagia Sophia again converted into a mosque. Today, you will explore the upper gallery of the building with your tour guide. Next, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a delightful and sumptuous lunch, featuring the vibrant flavors of authentic Turkish cuisine. The meal will include a variety of traditional dishes that highlight the unique spices and culinary techniques of Turkish cuisine.

After lunch, you will explore The Topkapi Palace, the official residence and then it also became the house for the Sultans and their harems during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent. It was used till the 19th century and then the imperial seat and the residence moved to the new palace called as ‘Dolmabahce Palace’. This edifice had grown in time according to the needs of the Sultan. Today, the museum has four courtyards and each courtyard functions as a museum where you can see a big collection of the Ottoman dynasty art and artifacts as well as gardens, courtyards, and pavilions.

The last stop before returning to your hotel is the authentic Grand Bazaar with more than 4000 shops and alley-like streets. You can wander around. Enjoy the experience of discovering the place leisurely.

At the end of the day, your guide will drop you off at your hotel.

      Notes:

• Topkapı Palace is closed on Tuesdays. (replaced with Underground Cistern)
• Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays.

"It was a great experience! We saw alot of great sceneries and the tour guide was very knowledgable. We recommend Oxxo Travel :)"

   ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Sara

27. July. 2021