ISTANBUL HISTORICAL TOUR (Full Day)

A full day tour at the Old City where the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires were ruled. St. Sophia, one of the greatest marvels of architecture constructed as a basilica in 536 by Emperor Justinian (Closed on Mondays; replaced with a visit to the St. Chora Museum); Blue Mosque, facing St. Sophia, famous with its more than 20.000 blue Iznik tiles and unique with its 6 minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet in the 17th century, one of the best examples of classical Turkish art; Hippodrome, the scene of Byzantine chariot races, athletic events, victory celebrations, and political activities of the old city where one can also see today the Obelisk from Egypt, Serpentine Column from Delphi, the Fountain of Wilhelm II and the Colossus; the marvelous Underground Cistern;

After lunch proceed to Topkapi Palace - Harem section is excluded - (Closed on Tuesdays; replaced with a visit to the Archaeological Museum), built in 1468 by Mehmet the Conqueror, the imperial residence of Ottoman sultans housing the souvenirs of 600 years and exhibiting imperial treasury, Chinese porcelains, weapons, calligraphy section, etc.; Grand Covered Bazaar (Closed on Sundays), the most attractive shopping center in the world with nearly 4000 shops. Suleymaniye Mosque, the imperial mosque that dominates the skyline of Istanbul, built by the famous architect Sinan the Great during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent in the 16th century.