• Hippodrome - The Hippodrome of Constantinople was a circus that served as the sporting and social hub of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Today, it is a square known as Sultanahmet Meydanı in Istanbul, Turkey, with a few remnants of the original structure still visible.
• German Fountain - The German Fountain is a gazebo-style fountain located at the northern end of the old hippodrome in Istanbul, Turkey, opposite the Mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I. It was built to mark the second anniversary of German Emperor Wilhelm II’s visit to Istanbul in 1898.
• Walled Obelisk - The Walled Obelisk, also known as the Constantine Obelisk or Masonry Obelisk, is positioned near the Serpentine Column on the southern side of the Hippodrome of Constantinople in Istanbul, Turkey. Its original construction date is unknown, but it was named after Constantine VII, who restored it in the tenth century.
• Obelisk of Theodosius - The Obelisk of Theodosius is an ancient Egyptian obelisk of Pharaoh Thutmose III, re-erected in the Hippodrome of Constantinople by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I in the 4th century AD.
• Blue Mosque - The Sultan Ahmed Mosque is a historic mosque located in Istanbul, Turkey. It continues to function as a mosque while also drawing a large number of tourists. It was built between 1609 and 1616 during the reign of Ahmed I. Its Külliye includes Ahmed’s tomb, a madrasah, and a hospice.
• Hagia Sophia Mosque - Hagia Sophia is a former Greek Orthodox Christian patriarchal cathedral, later an Ottoman imperial mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. Constructed in AD 360 at the start of the Middle Ages, it is renowned for its massive dome.
• Topkapi Palace - The Topkapı Palace, also known as the Seraglio, is a large museum in Istanbul, Turkey. In the 15th century, it served as the primary residence and administrative headquarters of the Ottoman sultans. Construction began in 1459, commissioned by Mehmed the Conqueror, six years after the conquest of Constantinople.
• Dolmabahce Palace - Dolmabahce Palace is located on the European shore of the Bosphorus, forming a small town with its various dependencies, and its gardens stretch for a mile or more along the water’s edge.
• Grand Bazaar - The Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı), established in the 15th century, is the oldest covered market in the world. Spanning an area of 54,653 square meters, it remains one of the largest covered markets globally. In other words, continue reading to be prepared before entering this maze of 56 interconnecting vaulted passages, housing over 4,000 shops with persistent shopkeepers eager to employ their relentless sales tactics.
• Bosphorus Strait - Istanbul serves as a bridge between Europe and Asia, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean, giving it one of the most unique and beautiful settings in the world. Between the hills on the European and Asiatic shores flows the Bosphorus, the brightest gem in nature’s diadem.

“This beautiful strait, sometimes spelled Bosporus and sometimes Bosphorus, was named by the ancients from the earliest ages; from the mythology of Io, the mistress of Jupiter, having crossed it in the form of a cow. It resembles the Dardanelles in length, breadth, and current, and like it, is a narrow separation dividing Europe from Asia; but it has many unique features. Instead of being a solitary stream running between deserted shores, it is a lively body of water, winding its way through banks adorned with palaces and villages, shaded by magnificent forest trees, presenting a new scene of bustling life at every mile.”

• Rumeli Fortress - At the narrowest point of the Bosphorus stands the Rumelihisarr Fortress, constructed by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror on the European shore. The Sultan himself laid the foundation stone of the Fortress on March 26, 1452, with the intention of controlling the passage of ships through the Bosphorus and using it as a base for his attack on the city.
• Ortakoy - Ortaköy Mosque, officially known as the Büyük Mecidiye Camii in Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey, is located at the waterside of the Ortaköy pier square, one of the most popular spots on the Bosphorus.
• Bosphorus Bridge - Inaugurated on October 29, 1973, on the fiftieth anniversary of the Turkish Republic, it has the longest span in Europe and the fourth in the world. This suspension bridge has a total length of 1,560 meters (1,706 yards) and a width of 33.4 meters (110 feet).
• Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge - The Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, also known as the Second Bosphorus Bridge, is a bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, spanning the Bosphorus Strait. When completed in 1988, it was the 5th-longest suspension bridge span in the world; today, it ranks as the 24th.
• Beylerbeyi Palace - Located on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus between the villages of Kuzguncuk and Cengelköy, the palace was built by Sultan Abdülaziz in 1865. Beylerbeyi Palace, seen from the Bosphorus, appears like a white vision from a fairy tale. It is the most extravagant royal house of the 19th century, on which millions were spent.
• KIz Kulesi - About 180 meters from the shores of Üsküdar stands this tower, known by two different names. Europeans named it the Leander’s Tower, believing it was here that Leander drowned while attempting to swim the Bosphorus to reach his beloved Hero, the priestess of Aphrodite. However, Leander never crossed here, even in the legend, which refers to the Hellespont, Dardanelles.
• Kucuksu Pavilion - The summer palace of Kucuksu, sometimes called the Palace of Göksu, is situated between the villages of Anadoluhisan and Kandilli on the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus.
• Anadolu Hisari Fort - On the opposite bank stands the Anadoluhisari Fortress by the Göksu stream.

This romantic castle, which adorns the Asiatic shore of the Bosphorus, was built in 1395 by Sultan Bayazit, the Thunderbolt, and named “Güzelcehisar.” Later, it was expanded by Mehmet the Conqueror. Today, as the first possession of Turks on the Bosphorus, it serves as a landmark of Turkish rule.

• Halic - GOLDEN HORN
  The Golden Horn, also known by its modern Turkish name, Haliç, is a major urban waterway and the primary inlet of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey.
• Bosphorus Strait - The Bosphorus has an inlet, a natural harbor that is an arm of the Sea of Marmara, called the Golden Horn. It is a deeply submerged valley about 7 km long. Two streams, Ali Bey and Kagithane, flow into the Golden Horn, which was named because early inhabitants saw it as shaped like the horns of a stag or water buffalo. Turks call it the Haliç, meaning the Gulf.

The Bosphorus itself has two pleasant rivulets on its Asiatic shore, called Göksu and Kucuksu, which empty into the Bosphorus between the villages of Anadoluhisari and Kandilli.

The two streams flowing into the Golden Horn were named by foreigners as the Sweet Waters of Europe, while Göksu and Kucuksu were known as the Sweet Waters of Asia.

• Halic - Golden Horn, Istanbul, Turkey
  As the sun sets in Istanbul, its golden light reflects on the waters of the Golden Horn, giving this freshwater estuary its romantic name…we think. (The name in English is a direct translation of the Byzantine name Chrysokeras.)

“Golden Horn” is its Western name. Its Turkish name, Haliç, (hah-LEECH, from Arabic) has no connection to gold or horns. Haliç, short for Haliç-i Dersaadet, means “The Bay of Istanbul.”

• Galata Tower - The Galata Tower, known as Christea Turris by the Genoese, is a medieval stone tower in the Galata/Karaköy quarter of Istanbul, Turkey, just north of the Golden Horn’s junction with the Bosphorus.

• 2.5-Hours Bosphorus Cruise on Luxury Yacht
• Professional tour guide in English
• Lunch
• Snacks
• Fresh Season Fruits Served during the sunset cruise on the Bosphorus
• Cookies including baklava Served during the sunset cruise on the Bosphorus

• Museum Tickets (Topkapi Palace Entrance Ticket is 1.700 TL for main entrance and Harem Section)
• Entrance ticket fee for Hagia Sophia (25 euro per person)

ISTANBUL HERITAGE EXPEDITION ACCOMPANIED BY A SUNSET VOYAGE ON THE BOSPHORUS
Experience a comprehensive journey through Istanbul’s most prominent landmarks such as the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, paired with an opulent Bosphorus yacht cruise, all in a single day. Enjoy exclusive, rapid access at Topkapi Palace and expedited entry to the majestic Ottoman Palace during this day-long expedition.

Explore the rich historic and cultural sites Istanbul has to offer during your full-day tour. Behold architectural marvels, be captivated by the stunning Byzantine tile art, and view the royal artifacts of Ottoman rulers. Alongside, immerse yourself in the vibrant traditions of an energetic bazaar.

After unravelling the mysteries of Istanbul’s old city, embark on a magical sunset cruise on the Bosphorus. Float down the Bosphorus as it unfolds views of the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace, iconic Bosphorus Bridges, and elegantly constructed waterfront villas dotted on both sides of the Bosphorus.

• Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, we visit Dolmabahce Palace on Tuesdays.
• The old city, Sultanahmet is closed for car traffic, travelers visit the sights by walking. There is quite a lot of walkings, so please wear comfortable shoes and get ready for a long walking day right before a very enjoyable luxury yacht cruise.
• The sunset cruise ends at 21.00 from 01st May to end of July.
• The tour guide will contact you one day before to coordinate the hotels pick services (if your hotel is in the city center) or the meeting point.
• The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays and it may be replaced with Spice Bazaar or Arasta Bazaar
• Ladies are recommended to bring scarfs to use while visiting the Blue Mosque
• Museum tickets are not included, the tour guide can provide fast-track musem entry tickets on the tour.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.