New Year’s Tour in Istanbul

Departure from Italy and upon arrival in Istanbul at SAW or IST airport, depending on the flight, after customs procedures (baggage claim and passport control), meeting with the assistant and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation in reserved rooms, dinner at own expense, and overnight stay.

Culture

80%

History

70%

Adventure

10%

Food

30%

Breakfast and a free day dedicated to independently exploring the city. You may take advantage of your free time to visit the Suleymaniye Mosque, considered the most beautiful of Istanbul’s imperial mosques, built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the famous architect of the Ottoman Golden Age; and the Aqueduct of Valens, another of Istanbul’s Roman remains. The ancient 12th-century Monastery of Christ Pantocrator, later converted into the Zeyrek Mosque, is also well worth a visit.

You may enjoy your free time admiring the magnificent views over the Golden Horn and the city’s mosques, with the opportunity to have a coffee or tea at the mosque’s café.

Optional excursions (at an additional cost) are available, as well as the possibility of attending a New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner (at an additional cost) in a traditional Turkish venue.

Culture

60%

Nature

20%

History

80%

Food

40%

Breakfast at the hotel. Free day entirely dedicated to discovering Istanbul at your own pace. You may take the opportunity to visit the so-called Golden Horn, starting with the Iron Church of St. Stephen, a Bulgarian Orthodox church located in a Turkish city, closely linked to the struggle for ecclesiastical independence during the 1830s and 1840s. It is also the only Orthodox iron church in the world. Continue to the picturesque and colorful districts of Fener and Balat, protected by UNESCO and considered the first settlements of ancient Constantinople. Then visit the Cathedral of St. George, the fifth church in Constantinople to host the Ecumenical Patriarchate since the 15th century. Originally a convent for Orthodox nuns, it was converted into the patriarchal seat by Patriarch Matthew II (1598–1601).

You may also dedicate part of your free time to visiting the Grand Bazaar, home to more than 4,500 shops organized into specialized sections offering jewelry, clothing, and many other products.

There is also the possibility of joining an optional excursion (at an additional cost).

Dinner at leisure and overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel (subject to departure time). Transfer to the airport in time for check-in and boarding formalities. Departure for Italy.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The itinerary may be subject to changes due to technical reasons, site management issues, monument closures for holidays/events, or requirements from local authorities.