ITINERARY

• See Istanbul’s ancient streets and palaces all lit up at night, and get as close as you can to the city where the continents meet...
• The Bosphorus Bridge is one of 2 suspension bridges connecting Europe to Asia. Let's meet where the continents meet!
• One of the most fascinating buildings in Istanbul. Dolmabahce Palace was built by famous architect Armenian Garbert Amira Balya, at sultan Abdulmecid's request in between (1848-1856). The world leader ATAATURK died in the palace on 10th of November 1938, later on, it was converted into a museum in 1952.
• Besiktas is one of the oldest districts and neighborhoods of Istanbul, located on the European side of the city. It's also considered as one of the city centers, both residential and commercial especially for small businesses. At the same time, besides having a major public bus and dolmus terminal, Besiktas is also one of the sea hubs on the Bosphorus from which boats depart for various neighborhoods on the shores of the Asian side.
• Ortakoy is one of the nicest neighborhoods of Besiktas districts in the European side of Istanbul on the Bosphorus Strait, right under the first Bosphorus bridge. In Turkish, it means "middle village" because it was in the middle of the strait, and during the Ottoman period it was just a small fishing village and a resort for the Ottoman dignitaries because of its attractive location. After many years, the district is still a popular spot for local people and foreign visitors. Ortakoy has many cafeterias and tea houses around a square near the water or in the alleys, moderate or expensive restaurants, bars, small shops and a market that gets very lively during the weekends. In the summertime, there are even small size concerts or street shows etc. Many world-class night clubs are also in this area, on the Bosphorus.
• Rumeli Castle (Rumeli Hisarı) is an Ottoman fortress dating to 1452. It was built by Ottoman sultan Mehmed II (Mehmed the Conqueror) in preparation of the conquest of Constantinople. The castle is situated on the shore of the Bosphorus Strait at its narrowest point with approximately 660 meters. It is just opposite of Anadolu Castle (Anadolu Hisarı) that is another Ottoman castle built in 1394 by Bayezid I. Both Anadolu Castle and Rumeli Castle were built by Ottoman sultans in order to prevent military and economic aid to the Byzantine Empire coming from the north, Black Sea. Thus, the Bosphorus strait connects the Black Sea with the Marmara Sea. Rumeli Castle consists of three large towers, one small tower, and thirteen smaller towers, which all are in very good condition. The architect of the castle was architect Müslihiddin and by the time it was built, its name was Boğazkesen (Strait Cutter). Rumeli Castle after the conquest of Constantinople After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the castle lost its military importance and served as a customs checkpoint until the seventeenth century and then as a prison until the nineteenth century. In the nineteenth century, a neighborhood was formed inside the castle with its houses, mosques, shops, and so on. However, this neighborhood was destroyed in the 1950s. Since 1960 the Rumeli Castle functions as a museum and this magnificent castle is open to the public as an open-air museum.
• Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer residence of the sultans, is located at Beylerbeyi neighborhood on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus. It was ordered by the sultan Abdulaziz and built between 1861-1865 by head architects Sarkis Balyan and Agop Balyan, imperial architects of Armenian origins, in French neo-baroque style with a traditional Ottoman house plan. Important foreign guests visiting the Ottoman Empire were accommodated in this palace during the summer months; Prince of Serbia, King Nicholas of Montenegro, Emperor Joseph of Austro-Hungary, Shah Nasireddin of Iran, Prince Oscar of Sweden, and Empress Eugenie of France were some of them. Sultan Abdulhamid II spent the last 6 years of his life and died here in 1918, meanwhile, other sultans ruled in the Dolmabahce Palace during winter months and came here only for the summer for a nice climate. The palace has a rectangular plan with the long side facing the Bosphorus. There are 6 large halls and 24 rooms on two floors raised on a service basement which was originally used as a kitchen and storage. The palace is divided into the men's' section (Selamlik) and the women' section (Harem) having separate entrances for both. The Selamlik was used for State functions, therefore, it was very ornate, meanwhile, the Harem was reserved only to the ladies and with a simple decoration.
• Kız Kulesi (Maiden's Tower or Leander's Tower) One of the most iconic images of Istanbul surely has to be the Kız Kulesi Üsküdar, known in English as Maiden’s Tower, Tower of Leandros, Leander’s Tower or Bosphorus Tower. It is found on a small natural islet in the Bosphorus, just off the shore of Asian Istanbul. What is the history of Maiden’s Tower Istanbul? The first tower here was built by an Athenian commander during the 5th century as a way of controlling ships passing the Bosphorus, and collecting taxes, a function that continued into Byzantine times when a chain was stretched from it to the historic peninsula. In Ottoman times, it started to be used as a lighthouse.