Start your full-day tour with a pickup from your European-side hotel in Istanbul by luxury Mercedes minivan. Settle back in air-conditioned comfort as your guide talks to you and your small group about Istanbul’s Imperial history on the way to your first stop.
Under its historical name of Constantinople, Istanbul served as the capital city during the Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman empires, and architectural relics from each of the eras can be found around the city’s streets today.
Hop out of your minibus at Istanbul Archaeology Museum, and follow your guide inside to see classical artwork, sarcophagi and other intriguing artifacts ─ some of which date as far back as the 4th century. Your group is small, but Istanbul’s museums are popular with visitors, so slip on some headphones to make sure none of your guide’s commentary is missed.
Continue to Topkapi Palace, a former lavish abode of Constantinople’s 15th-century sultans and their harems. Browse ornamentation from Ottoman days, and hear stories about the colorful characters that once lived there.
After exploring the palace and its harem rooms, visit the prestigious Matbah restaurant in the area for a traditional 4-course lunch with tea or coffee. See the Itinerary for a sample menu. Then, feeling rejuvenated, continue your tour to Chora Church, a spectacular Byzantine monastery that is a museum in its own right. Admire its stunning mosaics that depict the life of Christ and marvel at the frescoes, painted in intricate detail that was way ahead of its time.
Travel onward to Hagia Sophia, your final stop, and head inside the impressive museum to learn all about its Ottoman- and Byzantine-era artifacts. Browse the interior’s architecture and historical exhibits with your guide, and then finish your day with a hotel drop-off on the European side of Istanbul.