ITINERARY

• In the heart of the Old City of Istanbul there is the Byzantine Church of Divine Wisdom, Hagia Sophia. Originally built as an Orthodox basilica, it later was used as a mosque, and now is a museum. Built in 537 on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople and was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years. Upon the conquering of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, it became a mosque and was used as such until 1931. It was opened as a museum in 1935.
• The Blue Mosque was commissioned by Sultan Ahmet I when he was only 19 years old. The interior of the mosque is lined with more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles in more than fifty different tulip designs. The tiles at lower levels are traditional in design, while in the galleries they become flamboyant with representations of flowers, fruit and trees.
• Topkapi Palace – the seat of Ottoman sultans between the 15th and 19th centuries, and stuffed with imperial treasures and artifacts. (At your own expense, you may visit the palace's Harem and discover the quarters of the sultan’s many wives, princes, and eunuchs. )
• The Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. This beautiful walled marketplace contains over 3,000 shops across 61 covered streets. PLEASE NOTE: The covered area of the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sunday; a visit to the Spice Market will be substituted.