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%

In the morning, after breakfast, we will depart for a half-day visit to the so-called “BYZANTINE” Istanbul: we will start by visiting the Suleymaniye Mosque, considered the most beautiful among Istanbul’s imperial mosques, built between 1550 and 1557 by Sinan, the famous architect of the Ottoman golden age. We will then proceed to the Valens Aqueduct, another of Istanbul’s Roman remains. Completed around 378 AD, it supplied water to the imperial palace and, although damaged by several earthquakes, was always rebuilt by the Ottoman sultans.

The visit will continue with the ancient 12th-century Monastery of Christ Pantocrator, later transformed into the Zeyrek Mosque. Empress Irene Comnena commissioned the construction of this complex dedicated to Christ Pantocrator, later expanded by her husband, Emperor John II Comnenus. The building originally consisted of two churches and a chapel built as a mausoleum for the Comnenus and Palaiologos dynasties. Free time to enjoy the magnificent views over the Golden Horn and the mosques, with the possibility to have a coffee or tea at the mosque’s café. Next, we will visit the small closed cistern of the Monastery of Christ Pantocrator, notable for its monumental external walls along Atatürk Avenue.

We will end the visit at the Spice Bazaar or Egyptian Bazaar, where spices from Egypt were once sold during the Ottoman era. Today it is Istanbul’s largest market for typical products such as spices, sweets, and dried fruits. Here the excursion ends.

Afternoon free to explore the city or the option to join the “BOSPHORUS” optional excursion offered by our guide. Return independently to the hotel, overnight stay.

Culture

60%

Nature

20%

History

80%

Food

40%

After breakfast, we will depart for a half-day visit of the “GOLDEN HORN”: we will begin with the visit to the Iron Church of St. Stephen, a Bulgarian Orthodox church located in a Turkish city, linked to the struggle for ecclesiastical independence in the 1830s and 1840s. It is the only Orthodox church in the world made of iron.
We will then continue to the picturesque and colorful neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, protected by UNESCO and considered among the first settlements of ancient Constantinople.
Next, we will visit the Cathedral of St. George, the fifth church in Constantinople to host the Ecumenical Patriarchate since the 15th century. Previously a convent for Orthodox nuns, it was transformed into the patriarchal seat by Patriarch Matthew II (1598–1601).

We will end the visit at the Grand Bazaar, with over 4,500 shops organized into areas specialized in various products such as jewelry, clothing, and more. The excursion ends here.

Free afternoon to explore the city or the possibility to join the optional “CLASSIC” excursion proposed by our guide. Return to the hotel on your own 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.