Excursion 2 days private experience package - 2 guests tour at Istanbul

Visit the main highlights of Istanbul with your exclusive guide on this two-day excursion by private vehicle.

Your private tour will involve:

DAY 1: Underground Cistern , Byzantine Hippodrome, St. Sophia Mosque and Topkapi Palace

DAY 2: Dolmabahce Palace, Suleymaniye Mosque, Spice Market and Grand Bazaar

Free time for lunch at your leisure will be included in the itinerary and your guide will be able to make recommendations based on your requirements.

Detailed Itinerary:

DAY 1

Underground Cistern

Depart the pier for a scenic drive toward the Underground Cistern. This amazing underground cavern measures roughly 210 feet wide and 420 feet long, with a capacity of 80,000 cubic meters of water. The 336 beautiful columns that support the cistern were salvaged from pagan temples destroyed during the Roman Empire's conversion to Christianity. Two of the columns are carved with the head and hair of Medusa on the plinth.

The Hippodrome

Continue on to the Hippodrome, where you can picture yourself an other side of ancient life. Here, Byzantine entertainment took place, including violent gladiator fights, chariot races, and other sporting events. With seating for 100,000, this enormous stadium was at the center of Constantinople's entertainment and political life. Leaving the Hippodrome, you will have chance to view the Blue Mosque before head to your next destination. This incredible monument was completed in 1616 and is a triumph of harmony, proportion and elegance.

Hagia Sophia Mosque

Your tour continues with a visit to the St. Sophia Mosque, also known as the 'Church of Divine Wisdom'. First erected by Constantine in 325 A.D. and later rebuilt by the Holy Roman Emperor Justinian, the mosque is considered the Eighth Wonder of the World by many historians. At one time, it may have been the world's largest building, and as a manmade structure ranked only behind the Great Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China. For many centuries, St. Sophia was the world's largest church, and today remains the fourth-largest behind St. Paul's in London, St. Peter's in Rome, and Duomo in Milan. The minarets that tower above the gigantic dome were added after Istanbul's conquest in 1453, when the church was converted into a mosque.

Lunch at Leisure

After completing the visit, free time will be provided to enjoy a local lunch.

Topkapi Palace

The next visit will be Topkapi Palace, which was the seat of the Ottoman Empire for nearly four centuries, and from where the sultans ruled over large portions of the globe. The palace, completed in 1465 and 1478, has some marvelous views both across the Bosphorus to the Sea of Marmara, and across the Golden Horn to the skyline of Galata and greater Istanbul. The Palace was in effect a self-contained city of its own, with a population of around 4,000 people, and covering an area of 70 hectares. 25 Sultans, from Sultan Mehmet II to Abdulmecit, over the course of 400 years, lived here in opulence. In 1924, only one year after Ataturk proclaimed the Turkish Republic, its official functions ceased and it was converted into a museum. Walk the grounds, explore the gardens once trodden over by Sultans, viziers, guards and women of the harem, and you will have a glimpse into a way of life that no longer exists. On your private tour you will see several sections of the Topkapi Museum's collections, including a Porcelain display containing one of the world's richest collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain and also features the famous Harem section, the subject of numerous books and movies.

At the end of the tour, you will return to the pier.

DAY 2

Dolmabahce Palace, Service Buildings, Clock Tower, Rear Garden

Depart the pier for the short drive to the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans after Topkapi Palace. Dolmabahce Palace was built in 1856 by Sultan Abdülmedjid, and, from this point on, served as the official residence of the Ottoman Sultans. The expansive, 151,559-square-yard (about 110,000-square-metre) Dolmabahce Palace consists of 16 separate sections, in addition to the main structure. Those sections are buildings with different functions, such as palace stables, mills, pharmacies, kitchens, aviaries, glass shop, foundry, and a patisserie shop. During the reign of Sultan Abdülhamid II (1876 - 1909), the clock tower and the lodges in the rear garden of the Crown Prince's apartment were added.

Suleymaniye Mosque

Continue on to the Suleymaniye Mosque, it is considered one of Sinan's masterpieces. Situated atop one of the city's seven hills, the massive mosque designed for Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent is Sinan's largest structure. Among its innovative construction features were the use of Juniper trees to absorb the shock of earthquakes; two hundred and fifty-five pots suspended from the central dome to provide better acoustics and thermal insulation; an ingenious system of controlling the air currents inside to collect the large amount of candle soot produced by the over 300 candles used for illumination each day.

Upon completing the visit, free time will be provided for lunch.

The Egyptian Bazaar (Spice Market)

Following lunch it will be time for Egyptian Bazaar, which was built in 1664 as part of the Yeni Cami complex and is so named because the shopkeepers here used to sell spices and herbs brought from or through Egypt. During the Ottoman period, in fact, only spices were sold here. Today it contains a wide variety of shops selling goods including dried fruit, pastries, basketwork, haberdashery, drapery, and of course, spices.

The Grand Bazaar

Finally stop at the Grand Bazaar, a massive, historically important covered bazaar (the largest covered shopping space in the world), that can tempt even the thriftiest of shoppers with its unfathomable collection of precious handmade carpets, jewelry, leather and souvenirs. After completing the visits, drive back to the pier.

Points of interests

points of interest seen on this excursion may include: Underground Cistern, Byzantine Hippodrome, St. Sophia Mosque and Topkapi Palace Dolmabahce Palace, Suleymaniye Mosque, Spice Market and Grand Bazaar

Note

Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to the cruise start date. Actual vehicle type varies depending on availability. Participation is limited to 2 guests per car. The price, exclusive of meals and gratuities, is per vehicle; therefore, when making your reservation, please indicate the number of vehicles, not the number of guests. Only one person in the party needs to reserve this program and the cost of the tour may be split between suites. Entrance fees mentioned in the tour description are included in the selling price for 2 guests. Silversea Cruises does not match groups of guests to form a private group for the vehicle. We suggest wearing light-weight comfortable clothing and flat walking shoes. Shoulders and knees must be covered to enter the mosques and ladies must cover their heads and shoes must be removed at the entrance. Visit to St. Sophia Mosque will take place to the upper gallery floor and access via ramp and few steps. Guides’ commentary will be limited inside the mosque regarding to official rules and headsets devices will be used during the visit. As guests make their way back to the exit, they will encounter 30 steps before reaching the ramp, followed by a few steps and cobblestone road just before exit. The mosque is not wheelchair accessible. This tour involves extensive walking. Meals and beverages are not included; your licensed guide will give you suggestion for lunch stop in case of need. Deviations to duration, venue admissions and additional camera or video fees will be charged to your onboard account. The order of sites visited may vary, depending on sites opening times and operational reasons