Istanbul is the capital city of Turkey. It is a beautiful captivating city with a lot to explore. Turkey is transforming at a fast speed but still there is place for old tradition and customs.The Old City of Istanbulis the oldest part of Istanbul with several historical sights. The highlights of the old Istanbul tour will offer a taste of authentic Turkish coffee, a Turkish fortune-teller predicting one’s future, and the fish market in the middle of the market. The newIstanbul gives an insight in the history of modern history and modern architecture of the new buildings.
Itinerary
The small urban tours into the old and new Istanbul gives the knowledge of both the old and new sides of the magical city of Istanbul. The historical Istanbul tour starts with a walk through the heart of the city –Taksim. This is an exciting place where the local artists and businessmen are seen together.
The tour starts from Sultanshmet and moves to Beyoglu which is a known as the most authentic part of the town in the Istanbul history. This area is the hub of fashion, art, restaurants and night-clubs. A popular pedestrian boulevard is known as the Paris of the East.
Behind these streets there is a variety of café’s serving traditional Turkish coffee along with a Turkish fortune teller predicting future. The tour now proceeds to the 19th century cinema with European architecture. One gets a peep into the many pasajis that lead to secret courtyards. There are many churches of various faiths in the vicinity. The Galatsaray square and the Cicek Pasaji (flower passage) are worth visiting places in Istanbul.
One gets a chance to stop by the Balik Bazar which is local market selling seafood and mussels. The tour finishes with the ride on Tunel funicular, a walk through Karakay and back to Sultanahmet.
Details of Urban Adventures
Urban Adventures is Global Tour Company working with local teams. The offices of this tour company are found in more than 80 countries in the world. The tour offered by them are small day tours that take the tourists behind the destinations to explore and reveal the hidden gems in the form of art, buildings , monuments and local delicacies of the city.
- Urban Adventures are tour organisers who operate responsible tours in the cities of Portugal and also in cities of other countries.
- The duration of the tour is about 4 hours with local English speaking guide. They manage to arrange for enjoyable trips to travellers and give them an opportunity to interact with the local people.
- Dress standards for the tour are conservative and tourists are expected to wear modest dresses which mean that the clothes should cover the shoulders and knees.
- Children below the age of 6 are not allowed to join the tour.
- Urban Adventures Tour takes small group of 12 persons with an English speaking guide.
Places of Importance in Istanbul
Basilica Cistern is the most romantic attraction that offers an insight into the sixth century cistern that stored water and forgotten for ages , has been fitted with lights and music. It has a fish flitter in the base with 336 columns that support the ceiling. The bottom of the column there is the upside down head of Medusa.
Aya Sofya was the Byzantine masterpiece church that was built in the sixth century. After decades this spacious famous church turned mosque turned museum is remarkable. The upstairs of the building has glittering mosaics whereas the downstairs is empty. There are newly opened tombs of many Ottoman Sultans and their sons. Soon the city’s finest carpets will be displayed.
Topkapi Palace is a residential place of many sultans and their wives. It has a secretive harem where the ladies lived. The tiled rooms are surrounded by a Turkish bath. The palace has lush green courtyards and kiosks. The Topkapi palace is proud of the view of the Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus and Golden horn and a treasury to put the crown jewels in the shade.
Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamam is one of the famous Ottoman bathhouses situated in the middle of the Sultanahmet Square. A few years back this was open for visitors with the sound of running waters, spectacular domes and massage place.
Blue Mosque is a 17th century blue color mosque with six minarets. It has the tomb of Sultan Ahmed I .
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