I S T A N B U L Daily Tour Programs prepared for BOHP Fundraising Event
by Buket Sahin Researcher / Travel Writer
TOUR 1
Pera, ‘Old City’ and
Galata
Istiklal
Avenue is the liveliest and most colorful area of Istanbul. It has been pedestrianized
since 1988.
During
daylight Istiklal is home to many historical embassy buildings, fancy hotels,
apartment buildings, streets, theatres, restaurants, shops. For over 150 years
it has been the center of the city’s nightlife. Hundreds of taverns and clubs shake
this downtown area in the evenings.
Our tour begins
in the heart of Istanbul - Taksim Square
– where you meet Buket, your Tour Guide. You will stroll on the exciting
alleys, little side streets of Istiklal Avenue, sit in one of the intriguing coffee
shops and talk with Buket, see the amazing Embassy buildings and gardens,
experience the booming art scene and visit the galleries, Armenian and Romaic churches,
ancient districts, impressive alleys, a hamam and the Pera Palace Hotel where
Orient Express passengers stayed and then you will head to Galata…
In the Byzantine
period, the hillside - where Galata is located – was covered with orchards and was
named Sykai (The Fig Orchard), or Peran en Sykais (The Fig Field on the Other
Side), referring to the "other side" of the Golden Horn. It was in
the Byzantine period that the area began to be called Galata and a fortress was
built by Emperor Theodosius II. Galata was a Genoese colony from the 6th to15th
centuries. This walk circles around the famous
Galata Tower and covers the area, where we see churches, synagogues, hospitals,
bank buildings, ancient walls, schools; and a multitude of stories, myths. We will
also follow the traces of legendary historical figures such as Hemingway, Lizst,
Trotsky and Agatha Christie…
Notes: Appx an 8 hour walk and tram ride being the
sole mode of transportation of this
area.
Available any day of the week
TOUR 2
Seven Highlights of
Istanbul, The City on Seven Hills
- HAGIA SOPHIA
- GERMAN FOUNTAIN
- HIPPODROME
- BLUE MOSQUE
- HAGIA IRENE CHURCH
- 1001 COLUMNS CISTERN
- GRAND BAZAAR and its hidden `Hans` and alleys…
This tour is a must in Istanbul. You will
begin the day with Hagia Sophia – The Church of Divine Wisdom.
Next, you
will visit the German Fountain by Kaiser Wilhelm II. The Hippodrome, where chariot
races were organized by the Romans and Byzantines, and The Blue Mosque- the only
mosque with six minarets and their surrounding area will be the next stop.
We will
stroll around Topkapi Palace Museum, the residence of the Ottoman sultans for
600 years and visit Archeology Museum, Sogukcesme Street of Ottoman Pavillions and
Cafer Aga Medresesi built by Mimar Sinan to see workshops of traditional
Turkish Arts, the best commentary on Ottoman history, art and its culture.
After seeing these magical monuments documenting Byzantine and Ottoman
architecture, you will never be quite the same again.
Following
this tour, Buket will take you to the Grand Bazaar where you will find yourself in a sea of
Turkish treasures, colors, jewelry, handcrafts, rugs, and many other amazing
items of historical and cultural significance.
Notes: Appx an 8 Hour
Available except Mondays
TOUR 3
Villages on the Bosphorus
A magical
boat ride on the Bosphorus. A relaxing escape from the city madness…
Buket
will meet you at Eminonu port to hop on `bogaz vapuru` organized for tourists. While
enjoying the wooden seaside mansions on the shores of the villages that adorn
the Bosphorus, with Buket’s insider information,
you will sip delicious turkish tea and
taste simit, and later the famous Kanlıca yogurt on board and a fish luncheon
at Anadolu Hisarı. Thereafter you will walk
up the Byzantine fortress to see Black Sea, and to enjoy watching fish boats
entering the Bosphorus strait.
This is
the only cruise that gives you the chance of visiting the peaceful fishing villages
on the banks of the Bosphorus. You will also have a chance to visit
Rumelihisarı built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453 and Kuzguncuk, a
virtual artists’ colony on the Anatolian side on the way back.
Notes: Total
8 Hours with 3 hours boat ride around the
Bosphorus with small excursions at each stop.
Available any day of the week
TOUR 4
Tasting ISTANBUL, best `STREET FOOD` in
the world!
When
the best cuisines in the world are judged it comes as a surprise to most people
that Turkish cuisine has been rated as one of the three great cuisines of the
world, along with French and Chinese. However, if you take a look back in time,
the explanation for the extraordinary Turkish food is more understandable. It was during the 500 years of Ottoman rule
that Turkish culinary skills were developed.
Access to fresh ingredients was easy and infinite varieties of fish,
poultry, fruit and vegetables and a countless number of spices were used. At
the same time many people from different cultures settled in the country and
this brought further inspiration to the cooking. Among the Turks, food is like
a symbol, establishing social order, with a long history reflected in rich
culinary culture. This wealth is evident in the rich variety of street foods.
In addition, patterns of behavior have developed in relation to all foods and
drinks.
Whether
it's the giant bagel-style sesame bread (simit) while you sip “çay”, Turks’
traditional drink or turkish delight
while sipping turkish coffee in a 600
year-old otoman house, or large baked potatoes (kumpir) covered in a multitude
of toppings in Ortakoy while sipping
yoghurt drink, a traditional döner kebap served in pita bread, or balik
ekmek (fish sandwich) or wet hamburger with beetle juice, or delicious baklava
treats…
Istanbul's
ubiquitous street stalls are a welcome sight and smell to hungry visitors. Buket,
a street food passionate, will take you on a walking route in both Asian and
European street food rich towns of Kadıköy, Karaköy, Beşiktaş , Ortakoy. Then
finalize the tour in Istiklal Street in the Taksim neighborhood, a
pedestrian-only street with plenty of food vendors and full of nightlife
taverns while enjoying sunset and drinks over Golden Horn at the terrace of
Great London Hotel in Pera…
(Buket
Sahin was the local producer for “Street Food” documentary for Travel Channel.)
Total “8” Hours with “2” 20 minute long
boat ride
Available except Sundays
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