ISTANBUL - where east meets west
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Bosphorus Waterfront |
St. Sophia |
A few days staying in this wonderful old city at one of the recently restored Ottoman houses (now private hotels) will enable you to visit some for the world's greatest museums and buildings. It is just a few minutes walk from some of these hotels to the Topkapi museum, once home to the Ottoman Sultans and housing a magnificent collection of jewels, artefacts and Chinese porcelain; the 5th century cathedral St Sophia; the Blue Mosque with its six minarets and blue Iznik tiles, the Byzantine cistern, numerous museums and, of course, the Grand Bazaar with its myriad streets of endless shops. Foodies will find a diverse and fantastic range of restaurants throughout the old and new city. Lastly and not to be missed is a trip up the Bosphorus on a ferry or private motor boat for a marvellous view of the Istanbul skyline.
You can combine three or four days with a boat charter, schooner party, or add to a tailor-made tour of other regions of Turkey. You could also join our Autumn break Nov 12 - 16, see details below:
AN EXAMPLE SHORT ITINERARY
| Day 1 | Transfer to your hotel time to explore in the vicinity of the hotel before dinner at a local restaurant. |
| Day 2 | Guided tour of the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, St Sophia, The Yerebatin Byzantine cistern followed by the Suleymaniye Mosque Egyptian Spice Market and a bit of shopping. Dinner at a local restaurant. |
| Day 3 | Guided tour of Topkapi Palace, the Treasury and Harem. Afternoon free for shopping at the Grand Bazaar. Dinner at a local restaurant or you might want to book an evening concert. |
| Day 4 | A cruise up the Bosphorus to Tarabya by private motor launch. Visit the Sadberk Hanim museum of Turkish artefacts, costumes and archaeology. Lunch at a local fish restaurant. |
| Day 5 | Transfer to airport for return flight or extended holiday. |
The Arena Hotel, Istanbul is one of our favourite Istanbul hotels, located close to the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque and St Sophia Cathedral. A privately owned Ottoman stone house, it has been sympathetically restored by the owner. www.arenahotel.com
There are numerous other hotels to choose from restored old houses to 5* de-luxe hotels.
FOR A QUOTATION and recommendations e-mail jennyday@daydreams-travel.com
We can provide excellent English speaking guides, transport and ideas for out of the way places to visit plus the important list of good restaurants.
AUTUMN BREAK - ISTANBUL - 25-29 NOVEMBER 2010
A house party weekend based at the Arena Hotel (www.arenahotel.com)
Most people have heard of Istanbul, particularly as the city where 'east meets west', with its marvellous museums and mosques, Ottoman architecture, the beautiful Bosphorus and excellent restaurants. Jenny Day has led many successful groups on her house party weekends there over the last 16 years. Whether or not you have visited this exciting city before, there are always new things to see and restaurants to sample in good company.
OUTLINE ITINERARY
| Nov 25 | Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul LHR or Manchester to Istanbul 1145-1730. Transfer to our hotel. After settling in, we will share welcome drinks at the hotel and then dinner at a local restaurant. |
| Nov 26 | After breakfast, a walking tour of old Istanbul - the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, St Sophia, Yerebatin Underground Cistern. Following a lunch break, we will drive to the 11th century Church of St Chora with its marvellous Byzantine mosaics, then the Suleymaniye Mosque and the Egyptian Spice Market. Dinner will be at a fish restaurant in the fashionable Galatasaray district. |
| Nov 27 | After breakfast we will visit Topkapi Palace, home to four centuries of Ottoman sultans, with its royal kitchens, treasury with fabulous jewels and costumes, ceremonial halls and, of course, harem quarters. The afternoon will be free for shopping in the Grand Bazaar or exploring one of the many museums in the area. (Before leaving Topkapi you might want to sample lunch at the famous restaurant Konyali which overlooks the Marmara Sea). The evening is being kept flexible as there are many restaurants, events and concerts to choose from. You will be free to make your own arrangements or we can organise something if you prefer. |
| Nov 28 | After breakfast, we will drive by bus through the city and over the first Bosphorus bridge to Uskudar and the Beylerbeyi Palace. Coffee break here before driving on to Sariyer and the Sadberk Hanim museum of Turkish artefacts. After a fish lunch, we will board a private boat for a cruise along the Bosphorus, stopping first at Ortakoy for a wander around the Sunday afternoon street market and finishing close to the Golden Horne. This is a long day so the evening will be free. Jenny Day will be on hand to organise a restaurant/bar for those people who would like a late supper. |
| Nov 29 | Transfer to Istanbul airport for return flight to London 1900-2100 Istanbul-Manchester 1150-1405. |
| PRICE | £585. per person in shared bedrooms.(4 nights/5 days) Single room supplement £110. (There are a limited number of single rooms.) Group size: minimum 10 - maximum 20. |
The price includes hotel accommodation on bed and breakfast basis, welcome drinks, lunch on the 28 November, dinners as detailed, air conditioned midi-bus, admission to historic buildings, local taxes, service charges, English-speaking guide and tour manager.
Not included - tips to guide and driver, personal expenses, additional lunches, dinners and snacks, drinks with meals, any costs involved in additional events or concerts.
FOR A QUOTATION and recommendations e-mail jennyday@daydreams-travel.com