Turkey
4 nights 4 Departures Available
View All Dates & BookExplore the Christian and Ottoman heritage of Istanbul (formerly Byzantium and Constantinople) including a Bosphorus cruise and visits to palaces, mosques, churches and bazaars, staying in historic hotels
Straddling Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait, where the Rumeli and Anatolian fortresses guard the narrowest points of the 30km waterway, Istanbul wears its history like a string of pearls, each intriguing palace, castle, or place of worship leading to another; every century of its chequered past on display in its architecture; and all interlinked by the museums and galleries, tea gardens, tavernas, and Turkish coffeehouses of this heaving, hospitable, cosmopolitan city. Byzantine churches beg to be explored, for grandeur, fine frescoes, and mosaics. A multitude of magnificent mosques mark the sky with minarets and supply the city’s soundtrack of muezzin calls.
UNESCO World Heritage sites include the Roman Hippodrome, 6th-century Hagia Sophia, 16th-century Süleymaniye Mosque, the astonishing Basilica Cistern, and Topkapi Palace, now a museum, the former residence of Ottoman Sultans bringing opulence to a level rarely seen and holding holy relics of the Prophet Muhammad. Our daily guided tours visit all of these, along with the formidable Yedicule Fortress, enormous Dolmabahçe Palace, and Istanbul’s inimitable bazaars; and a Bosphorus cruise and rooftop dinner each offer a special experience.
Fly from your chosen airport to Istanbul and transfer to your chosen accommodation for a four-night stay.
A fabulous full day of city sightseeing includes visits to the Hagia (Saint) Sophia Mosque, a Byzantine church boasting spectacular mosaics; the Hippodrome, centred by the Egyptian Obelisk of Theodosius; the mystical subterranean structures of the Basilica Cistern; and the lively, colourful, and aromatically scented Egyptian (Spice) Bazaar; later embarking on a classic Bosphorus cruise, passing palaces, mosques, and villas.
(B)
Filled with visits to Istanbul’s most iconic sights, a city tour today visits the huge Süleymaniye Mosque, with its monumental arches and 47m-high dome; the Ottoman, multi-minareted Blue Mosque, magnificently adorned with Iznik tiles; the jewel in the crown of Sultanahmet Square, the lavish Topkapi Palace, including its gardens, Harem, and famed Imperial Treasury, where the crystal-encrusted dagger of Selim I and the 86 carat ‘Spoonmaker’s Diamond’ are among the precious and priceless 13th to 19th -century objects; and concluding amid the buzz of the Grand Bazaar.
(B)
Today’s tour takes in Turkey’s largest, most grandiose palace, the Dolmabahçe, its 19th-century façade dominating the waterside; the bustling Beyoglu district, on the European side of Istanbul; the Eyup Sultan Mosque, close to the Golden Horn, built atop the 7th-century tomb of a revered holy man of the city; and to the 15th-century Yedicule Fortress, ‘The Castle of Seven Towers’, its square twin towers forming the city’s Golden Gate, its dungeons steeped in gruesome legends. Enjoy a drink at the Orient Express Bar of heritage hotel Pera Palace, and a Rooftop Dinner overlooking the cityscape.
(B, D)
Transfer to Istanbul airport for the return flight, or extend your stay for extra days of independent discovery.
(B)
Some visits are on foot with some uneven surfaces and inclines.
Enjoy a welcome drink in Istanbul at the famous ‘Orient-Express’ bar of the historic Pera Palas Hotel built in 1892. To round off the tour, enjoy a farewell rooftop dinner in the popular Sultanahmet area of Istanbul, with spectacular panoramic views.
Here is a list of the accommodation you can stay in for this tour. Occasionally we use alternative hotels, or have a choice of hotels to choose from which will be detailed when booking.
A ‘Special-Category’ Ottoman mansion with period furnishings, restaurant and Turkish bath. Bar, restaurant, air-conditioned rooms with WiFi, hairdryer, safe, mini-bar and satellite TV.
A boutique-class hotel located in the historical centre of Istanbul, a few minutes’ walk from the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Basilica Cistern. Restaurants, bar, and WiFi (free). 64 air-conditioned rooms with hairdryer, safe, mini-bar, tea/coffee making facilities and satellite TV.
Add extra nights to your tour at the starting or ending hotel.
You can find out more about the county on the travel guide.
Grand Tour of Turkey
15 Mar 25,5 Apr 25 and 12 more
A journey through the cities and the centuries, via coasts, peaks and plateaus, enjoy a comprehensive circling of significant sights, from Istanbul, at ‘the bridge of continents’, to ancient sites, intriguing culture and ethereal landscapes
From £2595 pp
incl Flight
Highlights of Turkey
10 May 25,13 Sep 25 and 1 more
Exceptional value for a journey of discovery from Istanbul to Ephesus via Troy, Pergamon and Bursa through ancient, Ottoman and Byzantine Turkey
From £1725 pp
incl FlightWe need to check availability for this departure date. Please proceed with the reservation, and we will get in touch within 72 hours to confirm and take payment.
The below departures are available - please click into the booking process for a quote and to book.
Private Groups Available
Air travel, UK departure taxes, overseas airport taxes, transfers, 4 nights’ accommodation, breakfast daily, 1 dinner, itinerary as described, services of guides and local representatives. If our specially negotiated airfares are unavailable at the time of booking, a supplement may apply.
Travel insurance, visa procurement, optional excursions, tipping, porterage, any government taxes or compulsory charges introduced after publication.
The following extensions are available to book with this tour. Please click through to the booking process to check your preferred departure date and to make a reservation.
Extra nights are priced per person, per night.
Please contact us to check availability and book alongside your tour.
Extra nights are on request, please call to discuss your requirements
Hotel Arena
(per night) £54
Single supplement £43
Eresin Hotels Topkapi
(per night) £112
Single supplement £112