ITINERARY DETAILS
DAY 1
Istanbul
Welcome to Istanbul, a city also formerly known as Byzantium and later Constantinople, and a metropolis where East meets West, creating a captivating mosaic of diverse influences. Your driver will meet you at the airport and take you to your selected hotel. Afternoon at leisure, perfect for a relaxing walk or a chance to savor a gourmet dinner at a local restaurant. Ask your Travelive specialist for recommendations.
DAY 2
Full-day Jewels of Istanbul Tour
Accompanied by an English-speaking guide, you will explore the most famous sites of Istanbul. Your adventure starts with a stroll through the famed Hippodrome Square, a famous venue that hosted chariot races from the 5th century BC until the Middle Ages. You will then continue to the Blue Mosque, one of the most iconic masterpieces of Ottoman religious architecture named after its Turquoise colored tiles made from quartz minerals. Your next destination will be the Basilica Cistern or the Underground Cistern, the largest of the many underground cisterns built during the Byzantine Empire to supply the city with water. This cistern is especially fascinating because the Byzantine builders recycled many stone structures—capital heads and columns- including the sculpture of Medusa. Next, you will visit the Grand Bazaar. It is the biggest oriental bazaar in the World with around 4,000 shops, selling everything from antiques, jewelry, gold, and carpets to leather goods. Your exciting tour will end with a cruise on the Bosphorus, the narrow strait of water separating the Asian and European continents and the lifeblood of Istanbul.
DAY 3
Istanbul Food Tour
Discover the delicacies of Istanbul during this unique street food tour. Traverse the stunning, hilly city, sampling the local delicacies along the way through street food stalls and bazaars. Take a stroll through the historic and colorful Kadikoy Market, converse with fishermen on the Galata Bridge, eat some of the best baklavas on this side of the Bosphorus, and then walk it all off by exploring the streets as your guide shares evocative historical details of this eye and tastebud pleasing metropolis.
DAY 4
Travel to Bodrum
After breakfast and the check-out procedure, you will meet your driver and head to Istanbul Airport for your flight to Bodrum Milas Airport. Once in Bodrum, your driver will be waiting to take you to the hotel of your choice. Afternoon at leisure, explore the hotel grounds, relax by the pool, or find your favorite spot on the beach.
DAY 5
Tour of Bodrum and Bodrum Castle
Today’s tour will focus on the picturesque Bordum promenade, its most famous sites, and the magnificent Bordum castle. The Castle of St. Peter the Liberator of the Order of the Knights of the Hospital of St. John of Rhodes - to give it its full, comprehensive title - is Bodrum's acclaimed landmark. It occupies the tip of the wedge-like peninsula at the center of Bodrum and it represents a splendid incarnation of medieval western military architecture, built at a time when the European Middle Ages were over, and castles of this type were fast becoming objects of nostalgia. It has a massive conglomeration of courtyards, turrets, galleries, and sunken gardens. Over six centuries it has served as a military garrison, a compound enclosing a tiny village, and even as a fortress prison. Today it houses one of the world's finest museums of nautical archaeology.
DAY 6
Sunset Cruise
Discover the beauty of the Aegean Sea and explore the hidden gems, in the privacy and comfort of a traditional gullet. After meeting your driver, you will be transferred to a marina where you will meet your captain and board the gullet. During your cruise, you will visit some of the most beautiful coves along the Mediterranean, including Tavsanburnu Bay and Black Island, where you will have an opportunity to swim, relax, and soak up the stunning colors of the sunset.
DAY 7
Departure
After breakfast and the check-out procedure, your private driver will be waiting to take you to Bodrum Airport for your departure flight.
