Welcome to Turkey (Istanbul Airport). You will be transferred to your hotel, where you will check in with the TSG team. The rest of the day is yours to explore Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

TSG advises: An optional half-day Dolmabahce Palace Tour or an Aquarium Tour can be inspiring alternatives for those who do not want to wait until tomorrow to explore the city.

(Open buffet breakfast included)

After breakfast, at 08.30 a.m., the tour will depart for a gorgeous Istanbul City Tour. The first stop is the Topkapi Palace; the great palace of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries. At the same time, it houses an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the imperial treasury, miniatures, and the holy mantle, enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.

The second stop of the tour is Sultanahmet Square, where the Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque salutes the Hagia Sophia and the German Fountain. The Sultanahmet Imperial Mosque, which was built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is also known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Next, the tour will explore the Hippodrome; the site of ancient chariot races, and the home of three ancient monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. When you reach the other end of the Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia Mosque will meet you with all its grandeur.

After a delectable lunch break, TSG will then take you to the bazaar, where you can find authentic goods. The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme, and various herbs and spices. Dinner and overnight in Istanbul.

Optional Turkish Bath Tour: A Turkish bath is a place, where physical and spiritual cleaning takes place and is hundreds of years old. Natural lighting and iconic colored tiles create a relaxing atmosphere. When entering a Turkish bath, you leave all the hastiness of daily life outside, exchange your clothes for a waistcloth, and adorn it with traditional clogs. The inside temperature reaches up to 50 degrees under the central dome of the building. This heat and humidity open the pores of the body and prepare you to scrub and massage. Visitors leave the Turkish bath renewed, and refreshed. Transfer back to your hotel.  

Optional Dinner Cruise On The Bosphorus Tour: Tonight between 19:30 and 23:30, we have an optional, entertaining dinner cruise program on the Bosphorus, where Europe and Asia are connected. You will spend an unforgettable night on the Bosphorus with dinner, unlimited local alcoholic and non-alcoholic & soft drinks, belly dance show, a Turkish folklore show, a DJ performance, and great entertainment on the Bosphorus Dinner Cruise. Transfer to your hotel after the entertainment concludes around midnight. Overnight in Istanbul.

Please note: Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays, the Bascilica Cistern can be an alternative. Please contact your consultant for details. Plus, like most of the travelers, you can book an optional Dinner Cruise tour for the night. Remember to bring a headscarf when visiting religious sites such as the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Mosque.

(Breakfast included)

One of TSG's adventures comes to an end after breakfast. However, you can sign up to take advantage of TSG credits, and this is the best way to snag credits and use them for your next trips as a discount, as well as to hear about the hot deals according to your interests.