6. Istanbul: Topkapı and Dolmabahçe Palace Bus Tour with Lunch
Discover some of the top sights in Istanbul on this airconditioned bus tour. Explore sights like the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Topkapı Palace, the Hagia Irene Church, and the Hagia Sofia with a local guide. Savor local flavors with a visit to the Spice Bazar and mouth-watering Turkish lunch.
Be picked up from the comfort of your hotel in select areas of Istanbul and sit back and relax on the drive in a spacious bus. Stop at Dolmabahçe Palace to see how Turkey westernized during the 19th century. Admire the space used by Sultan Abdulmecid as the headquarters of Ottoman Empire.
Take in views of the Bosphorus at the Dolmabahçe Palace before getting back on the bus and making your way to the Bezmiâlem Vâlide Sultan Mosque. Take in the classy blend of Baroque and Empire architectural styles inside this unique mosque that was commissioned by an Ottoman sultan.
Breathe in the scents and feast your eyes on the colors of the Spice Bazaar. Sit down to a flavorful lunch of authentic Turkish food. Head to the Topkapı Palace, which was once the private residence of Ottoman Sultans.
View exhibits of sacred Islamic relics of Prophet Mohammed, imperial treasures, Chinese porcelain, weapons, and calligraphy works at the Topkapı Palace. Continue to the Byzantine-period Hagia Irene Church which was the first church completed in Constantinople.
Finally, visit the 6th-century Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and learn about how this building has transitioned from a emperor Justinian's Greek Orthodox Church to a mosque, a museum, and back to a mosque.