Welcome to Turkey. Arrive at Istanbul Airport, get picked up and transfer to your hotel. Check-in,

Free day,

First overnight stay at your hotel in Istanbul,

Breakfast,

Full day tour of Iconic Istanbul - pick up by 08:30, drop off by 18:00;

You can take in some of the most iconic sights of Istanbul in this morning tour that commences with a visit to the Blue Mosque.  This magnificent mosque which was designed by Sinan and completed in 1616 is known for its majesty and superb iznik ceramic tiling.

Continue outside to stroll along the Hippodrome.  This vast public space was built by the Romans in the 3^rd and 4^th centuries AD to accommodate events such as chariot races and gladiator fights.  It is also home to the Column of Constantine, an Egyptian obelisk and the Serpentine Column.

Next to the Hippodrome we will visit the Hagia Sophia (only from outside view, no interior visit). Originally built in 537AD as a Greek Orthodox church, this breath-taking building was converted to a mosque by the Ottomans and is now a museum.  Inside there are two floors built around a central nave.  It is adorned with superb decorations and has an enormous dome that soars overhead.

Finish the morning with a walk through the Grand Bazaar for some shopping or just to absorb the sights, sounds and historic architectural beauty of this bustling market.

Lunch,

Come on a tour to the famous Topkapi Palace and skip the queues that flock to see this magnificent and historically significant site. Built in the middle of the 15th century, the walled complex comprised of the palace and its buildings dominate a small raised peninsula. The buildings are nestled within beautiful grounds that sweep down to the sea. For centuries, the palace was the political centre of the highly influential Ottoman Empire and although it is now purely a museum, as you visit its parts including courtyards, the Treasury, various pavilions, the holy relics, weapons and the Harem you will see how great it was.

Originally meaning “sacred peace”, the Hagia Irene is located in the outer courtyard of Topkapi Palace and it is the oldest church of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine). The building reputedly stands on the site of a pre-Christian temple. It ranks as the first church completed in Constantinople, before Hagia Sophia, during its transfiguration from a Greek trading colony to the Eastern capital of the Roman Empire. It was also the second largest church in Istanbul after Hagia Sophia.

Second overnight stay at your hotel in Istanbul,

Breakfast,

Full day Princess Islands of Istanbul - pick up by 08:30, drop off by 18:00;

Enjoy a full day’s tour to the scenic islands of Heybeliada and Buyukada, the largest of the Princess Islands in the Marmara Sea. This is a really relaxing day - enjoy the views of Istanbul on the ferry ride to and from the islands, a delicious lunch, free time to wander, and a swim if the weather is nice.

Third overnight stay at your hotel in Istanbul,

Breakfast,

Full day Green Bursa Tour - pick up by 08:30, drop off by 22:00;

Across the Marmara Sea from Istanbul and nestled on the slopes of Mt Uludag is the beautiful city of Bursa known as the birthplace of the Ottoman Empire.  Join us for a long day tour to visit the city’s many UNESCO world heritage listed sites, magnificent mosques, the covered bazaar and the silk market. The day’s tour also takes you to Mt Uludag where you are free to wander on your own or you may prefer to go on a quad bike safari or snow ski during the winter.

Fourth overnight stay at your hotel in Istanbul,

Breakfast,

Free day,

Transfer to Istanbul Airport 4 hours before your flight. End of our services here. Thank you for choosing us for your travel in Turkey.