Day
1: Arrival in Istanbul
Upon arrival to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, you will be met by an ZenTurkey representative and transferred
to your hotel. You have the afternoon and evening free to relax and check out the city. Overnight in
Istanbul.
Day
2: Guided tour of Old Pera
Meeting tour guide at hotel lobby. We then continue to Taksim Square and walk to Istiklal
Caddesi (Independence
Avenue), the heart of Beyoglu. Built during the 19th century, this is the more modern district of Istanbul.
The city's most popular strolling, shopping and snacking street, now reserved for pedestrians, is lined
with boutiques, cafes, consulates, restaurants, galleries, cinemas, banks, and more, with residential
apartments above.
When 19th-century travellers spoke of Constantinople (Istanbul) as the Paris of the East, they were thinking
of the Grande Rue de Pera (Istiklal Caddesi) and its half-European, half-Asian culture. Halfway along
the avenue toward the southwest is Galatasaray Square, easily recognizable by the grand gates to Galatasaray
Lisesi, the first European-style lycce (high school) erected by the Ottoman government.
See the Church of St. Anthony, established in 1725 to serve transient foreigners and the many families
who stayed on in the Sultan's dominions. Afterwards, walk to the historic Pera Palas
Hotel, built to
accommodate the pampered travellers arriving aboard the Orient Express including Agatha Christie. Next
is Galata Mevlevihane, the monastery of Whirling Dervishes, founded by a descendant of Rumi in the 1490s.
Afterwards walk to the Galata district and see the Galata Tower, which has dominated Beyoglu's skyline
since 1348 and still offers stunning panoramic views of the city. From the 1500s onward, Galata was mostly
Jewish. As recently as the late 20th century, Galata rang with the songs and street-games of Jewish children
speaking Ladino (Judeo-Spanish). Today most of Istanbul's Jews live in more desirable residential quarters,
though Galata's synagogues are still in use. We then take the tram built in 1875, which is Europe's 2nd
oldest and perhaps the world's shortest subway Tunel, 573 meters, the trip takes 1.5 minutes rather than
a 20 minute walk down the steepest streets of Istanbul. From there we walk a few minutes to Galata
Bridge to enjoy lunch under the bridge almost on the waters of Golden Horn.
We highly recommend seafood here.
Before driving back to the hotel we stop shortly to see the last stop
of the once most luxurious train from Europe "The Orient Express", Sirkeci Train Station is literally
where the railway from Europe physically ends. You may ask your guide for the best Turkish
Bath for a
relaxing evening after a long but splendid day sightseeing the Oriental Istanbul.
Overnight in Istanbul.
Day 3: Day at leisure
in Istanbul
Free day ay leisure. Or you may ask our office for other options while enjoying perhaps a Turkish Coffee
this time with us.
