Byzantium & Ottoman Istanbul17th Mar 2025
From:£3,795
Summary
Founded as Byzantium, famed as Constantinople, the city we know today as Istanbul straddles two continents and has played a pivotal role in world history. It is one of the most delightful and complex cities in the world. We explore the major monuments of the city centre but also take a boat ride on the Bosphorus, which affords views back over the unmistakable skyline of the city broken by hundreds of slender soaring minarets. The bustle, good natured hustle, scents and sounds of this city are unforgettable.
We are based in Sultanahmet, the site of old Constantinople. This historic and compact area is largely pedestrianised and is home to four of the city’s major historic monuments: the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar. Guide Lecturer Terry Richardson, author of the Rough Guide to the city, provides invaluable ‘insider’ knowledge of a city he knows and loves so well and travelling out of season, we enjoy this wonderful city when the summer crowds have departed.
What to Expect
- Explore the vast and rambling Topkapi Palace, a palace like none you will ever have seen
- Enjoy an afternoon on the waters of the Bosphorus to put the city in its geographical context
- Soak up stunning panoramic views from the viewing platform of the Galata Tower
- Discover the history behind the unforgettable skyline of graceful minarets and monuments
Day by Day Itinerary
London - Istanbul
We fly to Istanbul and transfer to our hotel in the historic district of Sultanhamet.
Meals includedDinner
