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Call us FREE 0800 204 4635
Opening Hours - Office open, we'll close at 8:00pm
The city formerly known as Constantinople has been in existence for a colossal 3,000 years. Istanbul unveils evidence of its rich history at every turn, while its vibrant present is just as much of a draw for its millions of annual visitors.
Itinerary: Southampton - Gibraltar - Tunis, Tunisia - Valletta, Malta - Piraeus (for Athens), Greece - Constanza, Romania - Odessa, Ukraine - Batumi, Georgia - Trabzon, Turkey - Sinop, Turkey…
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Itinerary: Rome (from Civitavecchia), Italy - Salerno - Messina - Valletta - Rhodes, Greece - Ephesus (Kusadasi) - Istanbul - Mytilini (Lesbos) - Athens, Piraeus
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Basilica Cistern
Blue Mosque Exterior
Blue Mosque Interior
City Landscape from the Sea
Hagia Sophia Interior
Hagia Sophia Exterior
Istanbul Sunset
Tulip Festival, Istanbul
Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Turkey
Istanbul, Hagia Sophia
Istanbul
Istanbul Lamps
Umbrella Street, Istanbul
Istanbul is home to the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest covered markets in the world, complete with more than 60 streets and thousands of shops. Amongst its myriad goodies are jewellery, ceramics, leather and spices. It’s also the perfect place for a bite to eat and some people watching – there are between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors every day.
For some quintessentially Turkish architecture, pay a visit to the Blue Mosque, so called because of the ornate blue tiles used in its interior decoration. Built in the early seventeenth century, this active place of worship comprises six minarets and more than 20,000 handmade ceramic tiles, beautifully adorned with over 50 different tulip designs.
While Istanbul is renowned as a hive of activity, you can find an oasis of calm in Emigan Park, nestled beside the Bosphorus Strait. This 100-acre open space, which dates back to the sixteenth century, features the Ataturk Arboretum along with a stunning collection of tulips which bloom in April. There’s even a festival held in honour of these gorgeous flowers.
One of the most notable landmarks in Istanbul is its Hagia Sophia, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. With a name that means ‘holy wisdom’, it was built in the sixth century and is best known for its impressive dome. It was converted into a museum in 1935 by Turkey’s first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
An underground reservoir might not normally be at the top of your itinerary, but when it’s as impressive as Basilica Cistern, it should be right up there. Created in the sixth century, this staggeringly impressive attraction features 336 marble columns, each 9 metres in height. Look out for two striking Medusa heads carved into the column bases amongst the breathtaking architecture.