ISTANBUL - where east meets west


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 22 - 26, see details below:

AN EXAMPLE SHORT ITINERARY

Day 1	Transfer to your hotel with 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.