| Private
Four Day Istanbul Sightseeing
City of the
Sultans
- Four days
Combine With your Crystal Cruise or other Mediterranean cruises
If
you have only a short time, this is the perfect getaway. Your four
days are filled with enough exotic sights, sounds, scenes and scents
to make it seem like weeks. We'll even provide you with the Lonely Planet
guide to Istanbul so that you can explore the city on your own, as you
like, in your free time!
Arrive
ANY DAY! This is the perfect add on to your Crystal Cruises or other
Mediterranean cruise.
Extensions are available to Cappadocia for 3 nights /4 days disembarking
. Land tour start in Istanbul then we bring you back to Kusadasi to
board your cruise .Kusadasi
Cruise Shore Excursion
DAY
1 - ISTANBUL (L)
Need arrival transfer from the airport or seaport? please
click here
Our
staff meets your flight , or
cruise line ( Oceania Cruises , Princess Cruises , Crystal Cruises or
other Mediterranean cruises ), and escorts you to your hotel.
The center of ancient Constantinople and Istanbul was on Seraglio Point,
framed by the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus and the Sea of Marmara. We
visit the Blue Mosque, built by Sultan Ahmet III to challenge
the architectural primacy of neighboring Sancta Sophia. We then
walk next door to compare achievements in Justinian's great Sancta Sophia.
Right behind Sancta Sophia is our next stop, sumptuous Topkapi Palace,
the sultans seraglio for centuries, filled with breathtaking exhibits
of priceless jewels, golden thrones, delicate colored tiles, and lavish
court costumes. After lunch in a local restaurant ,we finish up in the
bustling Grand Bazaar, where you can find jewelry, carpets, goat-hair
rugs, hand-painted ceramics, copper and brass in labyrinthine streets
holding nearly 4000 shops.
Lunch is included at a charming local restaurant .
DAY
3 - BOSPHORUS- Meet the locals (L)
Istanbul's history was formed by the Bosphorus, the winding strait
that separates Europe and Asia, connecting the Black Sea with the Sea
of Marmara. Now, as in ancient times, it is a maritime vital link between
the countries bordering the Black Sea and those in the rest of the world.
Today we take a leisurely cruise northward along this historic waterway.
Along its shores are ranged palaces great and small-Topkapi, Dolmabahçe,
Beylerbeyi, Küçüksu, Hünkar Iskelesi. Four
great fortresses rise on the hills, reminding us that to control the
Bosphorus was to control the destinies of nations. Our afternoon cruise
(morning cruise fro Oct-Apr season) of two continents, crossing from
Europe to Asia and back, includes visits to the Navy's Museum (showing
some magnificent boats used by the Ottoman Sultans), the Bosphorus Bridge,
Çamlica Hill lookout, and stupendous Dolmabahçe Palace.
Lunch
is included at a local home to meet the locals,
you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (
T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town).
Day
4 - "Imperial Constantinople in the Belle Epoque"
(late 19th century), the exotic romance of the "Paris of the
East:" Saturday (L)
Morning walking tour : We start with our guide in Karaköy where
the foreign bankers and shipping companies had their headquarters, then
take the Tünel up to istiklal Caddesi; stop in the whirling dervish
tekke, and walk past the various old embassy buildings (now consulates),
and point out the architecture. Stop for tea (included) at the
famous Pera Palace Hotel.
Walk at least as far as Galatasaray Square, and have lunch is
included at the Çicek Pasaji (Flower Passage); then walk up to Taksim
Square and be picked up for the afternoon tour. In the afternoon the
tour visit Yildiz Palace Park and the Ihlamur Kasri, a mini-palace south
of Yildiz, and finish up with a visit to the Military History Museum
in Harbiye in time to hear the "Mehter," or Ottoman military band (mid-afternoon).
RATES per
person in USD $
| Minimum
|
Private
Touring |
| One guest |
US$
740 |
| Two Guests (
Rate is per person) |
US$
470 |
| Three Guests
( Rate is per person) |
US$
420 |
Starts
every day in Istanbul . Rates
are per person and do not include: Hotels, Transfers, airfare.
For
private tours and transfers , we use the best sedans
We
will provide Mercedes E 200 car for our valued VIP guests
Rate
includes :
- Private
Guided sightseeing including entrance fees.
- Meals
as listed : L : Preset menu , lunch, dinner .
Rate
doesn't include :
- International
air fare.
- Visa
Fee : $20 in cash upon arrival,
for US citizens, or $45 for Canadians,
or from any of the Turkish Consulates
- Trip/travel
insurance, please ask us for the flyer .
Private Cruise ship Shore excursions in Greece & Turkey
The
cruise regular shore excursion are generally a good introduction to
the city, most of the seasoned cruise travelers prefer to go sightseeing
with a private guide.
The
difference between ship organized and private tours is best described
as "package versus tailor-made." Some people may feel all
right joining a large tour group whereas sometimes it is difficult
to hear the guide and the group moves only as fast as its slowest
participant.
Others
may not get their questions answered at all as there may be twenty
other people in the group trying to do the same.
In
contrast, a small tour group with tailor-made program is way more
enjoyable and ensures personal attention for everyone. You will spend
as much time as you want.
Therefore,
if you want to maximize your limited time, the private escorted tour
tailored to your unique wishes and interests is an ideal solution.
All
our private shore excursions tours are carefully designed to give
you the best possible experience. Our knowledgeable, friendly and
qualified tour guide and driver will ensure that your visit ashore
is truly memorable. When you tour with us in Turkey as part of a private
shore excursion , your tour guide will get you into sites without
waiting in lines that is especially valuable given the limited time
you have to spend in Turkey.
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