Ultimate Istanbul Shorex Tour From Port

Welcome to Istanbul! In a land where east meets west, it is truly unique. The beautiful Bosphorus Strait cuts the city like a knife into two parts, Europe and Asia. Size-wise spread to an area of approximately 5000 km2, this enormous city hosts nearly 17 million residents. Today Istanbul is among the biggest metropolitans in the world and it still keeps expanding its limits. SPECIALLY CREATED FOR THE CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS: In this tour I summed up the most exciting places of Istanbul from the perspective of a first time visitor. This tour includes the top six highlights and is the tour that I'd do if I only had one day in Istanbul. That is why it is also strongly recommended for the cruise ship passengers. So, let's travel in history together and go back to 330 AD when the Roman Emperor Constantin the Great declared Istanbul, "Nea Roma", as the new capital of the Roman Empire. Next, lets visit landmarks of 1453 AD when the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the II captured Constantinople. . .

Start our day by exploring the Hippodrome which was originally the stadium where once chariots ran in front of ten thousands of spectators. We make our ways to the world-famous Blue Mosque. The iconic temple will take your breath away with its six minarets and enchanting 22. 000 pieces of blue hand-made tiles. Afterwards we'll visit Hagia Sophia which had been the biggest Christian church of the world for centuries. It is the only place in the world where you can experience the marvelous Byzantine mosaics along with the mysterious Islamic calligraphy. Next is the Underground Cistern the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city. Next on our agenda is the massive Topkapi Palace which is a very particular place since it was home to the Ottoman Sultans and their harem for centuries. I think we are done with sightseeing. Now it's time to enjoy some local market experience. With its 66 Streets and over 4000 Shops, the Grand Bazaar is the biggest covered market in the world.