Unusual Istanbul Tour

Departure from Italy with Pegasus Airlines flights. Upon arrival in Istanbul, meet with the local assistant and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation in reserved rooms, free dinner, and overnight stay.

Culture

50%

Nature

50%

History

50%

Adventure

20%

Food

30%

Breakfast and morning departure to discover Byzantine Istanbul (half-day tour): we begin with a visit to the Süleymaniye Mosque, considered the most beautiful Imperial Mosque in all of Istanbul. Built by Sinan, the most important architect of the golden age of the Ottoman Empire.

We will continue the tour with a visit to the Ancient Walls of Constantinople, now known as the Mevlana Gate. Built by Emperor Theodosius II in the year 413, these ancient and solid walls, several stories high and between three and six meters thick, protected the city from attacks by Goths, Bulgarians, Russians, Arabs, and Turks. The walls were breached only twice: by the Crusaders in 1204 and by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453.

Next, we will visit the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae (Vlacherna), a site not far from Constantinople, dating back to the second half of the 9th century and located in a place that, for centuries, was considered one of the main sanctuaries of Christianity. Built near a spring of water believed to be sacred, St. Mary of Blachernae was gradually expanded by the emperors, eventually becoming a complex of three buildings: the Church of St. Mary, which housed the icon of the Virgin Blachernitissa; the Hagia Soros, which kept the Virgin’s veil and the Mandylion, a cloth bearing a miraculous image of Jesus’ face; and the Hagion Lousma, a pool where the Byzantine emperor would immerse himself three times in the holy waters every August 15.

The day ends with a visit to the Eminönü district, once the main gateway to the city, now a popular area as it hosts the Egyptian Market, also known as the Spice Bazaar.
Free lunch and afternoon at leisure to explore the city. Independent return to the hotel, free dinner and overnight stay.

Optional excursion “Bosphorus” (available at extra cost).

Culture

50%

Nature

50%

History

50%

Relax

50%

Adventure

30%

Breakfast and departure for the discovery of the Golden Horn: we will head towards the picturesque and colorful neighborhoods of Fener and Balat, protected by UNESCO and considered the first settlements of ancient Constantinople.

Next, we will follow the shore of the Golden Horn and visit the Iron Church of St. Stephen, a Bulgarian Orthodox church located in a Turkish city. It is tied to the struggle for ecclesiastical independence during the 1830s and 1840s and is the only iron Orthodox church in the world.

The tour continues with a visit to the Grand Bazaar, home to over 4,500 shops organized into areas specializing in various products such as jewelry, clothing, and more. The excursion ends here. Free time for lunch and the afternoon at your leisure.

Optional “Classic” excursion available for an extra fee.

Culture

30%

Nature

30%

Relax

50%

Food

30%

Breakfast (subject to the departure time) and free time until the transfer to the airport, ensuring ample time to complete boarding formalities. Departure for Italy.