ISTANBUL TOUR!

With Azerbaijan Airlines!

08.05.2024, 3 nights 4 days:

Hotel Megaron 3* - 318 USD;

Hotel City Center Istanbul Taksim 4* - 355 USD;

Sogut Hotel & Spa Old Town 4* - 371 USD;

Hotel Kraton 4* - 412 USD;

Millennium Istanbul Golden Horn 5* - 423 USD.

Air tickets, baggage, hotel, breakfast, group transfer, insurance included.

❗The price is for 1 person in DBL.

❗Prices are dynamic and may change depending on the flight.

BRIEF INFORMATION. Istanbul is the only city in the world located on two continents (Europe and Asia). It is a place rich in history and culture that has seen every aspect of history as the capital of 3 great empires throughout its 2000 year history. There are cities and museums full of rich cultural monuments. To get to know Istanbul, it is not enough to read about it and listen to what they say about it. To do this, you need to walk step by step through the streets smelling of history, see the legacy of the largest empires in the world - the Byzantine and Ottoman ones, and make discoveries for yourself at every corner. The more you discover this wonderful city, the more you will get to know it, and the more you get to know it, the more you will love it. The first impression that arises when you step into the largest city of the brotherly country:

Napoleon Bonaparte was not mistaken in anything: a city known as open, beloved, as famous.

Istanbul, which is the fifth largest city in the world and has 8500 years of history, is also the cultural, economic and financial center of Turkey. The Sea of Marmara, islands visible in the sea, the famous port of the Persian Gulf, the bridge connecting Istanbul with Europe and Asia, the Bosphorus Strait give this city a special beauty, and against the backdrop of this beauty, it becomes an unsurpassed city in the world.

Istanbul, reminding people of history at every step, combining ancient and modern, east and west, was chosen as the European Capital of Culture in 2010 by the decision of the Council of Ministers of Culture of the European Union.

Many historical monuments of Istanbul are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The largest historical monuments in the city are located on Sultan Ahmed Square. The famous Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Topkapı Palace and Hagia Sophia are located on the square, which has traces of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

The unique mosque of Sultan Ahmed

The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, one of the most majestic monuments of the Turkic and Islamic world, also functions as a museum. Tourists are not allowed to enter here during prayers. Built in 1609-1616 and an example of classical Turkish art, this monument is the only mosque with 6 minarets.

The most beautiful view of Istanbul opens from the sea. The silhouette of the mosque occupies a special place in this majestic landscape.

As you enter through a large hallway, you feel like you are in a mysterious place and encounter rich and colorful decorations. The walls of the corridors surrounding the mosque on three sides are decorated with more than 20,000 royal Iznik tiles. Their top and the inside of the dome are painted. As in all mosques, the floor is covered with carpets. The mysteriously carved marble pulpit next to the mihrab in front of the main entrance is quite attractive.

The light seeping through the colored glass of 260 windows surrounding the mosque in five rows creates a mysterious effect. One of the real features of the Sultan Ahmed Mosque is that it has a lot of light. You can stop and watch this beauty for hours.

Magnificent palace of a great empire

The foundation of the first Ottoman palace in Istanbul was laid by Fateh Sultan Mehmet in the Beyazid district. In the years 1454-1458 there were harem and salami parts of the old palace, built of wood. The construction of the new palace (Topkapı Palace) began in 1466 and was completed in 1478. Since its construction, the residence has undergone many changes and additions made by the sultans. The palace, surrounded by high walls and gates, retains its splendor even today. This historical monument, the most visited in terms of Istanbul, is not a single building, but a complex consisting of various buildings, pavilions and circles. Until the Dolmabagcha Palace was built, the palace was the administrative center of the Ottoman state and the official residence of the Ottoman sultans for 380 years. In 1853, as a result of the transfer of the residence to the Dolmabagcha Palace on the orders of the Ottoman Sultan Abdulmajid, the status of the palace was officially deprived. 

As a result of restoration work carried out during the time of the Republic, Topkapi Palace was able to return to its former glory. Since 1924 it has been working as a museum. The palace, which has a very simple appearance, is decorated with a high architectural style from the inside. It was the official residence of the Sultan, as well as the center of official state affairs, the meeting place of ministers, the state treasury, the office and the place where purchases were made. High school, university, etc. in the empire. was in this palace. You enter the palace courtyard through the imperial gate known as the Bab-i Humayun. Many of the museum exhibits exhibited in the palace are masterpieces that have no equal in the world.

Chinili Castle and the Archaeological Museum, which are part of the palace complex, are also located in this courtyard. In the palace, the greatest attention of tourists is attracted by the museum, which consists of 4 rooms where sacred treasures are stored. Along with valuable personal belongings that belonged to the sultans, this museum contains valuable gifts that were presented to the Ottoman sultans from time to time. You can stand for hours in front of exhibits that are in private collections and are under heavy guard. For example, the things that belonged to the Prophet, the golden thrones, ornaments, etc., brought from Mecca to Istanbul to avoid destruction during the First World War, give a rich impression of the medieval period. This section also contains weapons that belonged to the Rashidi caliphs and souvenirs that belonged to the prophets.

A place of inexhaustible impressions - Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is a monument that proves the possibility of coexistence between Christians and those who worship Islam. Although this historical architectural monument, which includes a beautiful example of architecture and art from the Byzantine period, was used as a church for 916 years, in the period after 1453 - after the conquest of Istanbul by Sultan Mehmed - it was turned into a mosque. After the proclamation of the Turkish Republic - in 1935, by order of Ataturk, it was used as a museum. Hagia Sophia is the only monument in the world that combines both a mosque and a church. As you enter inside the monument, you can't help but be surprised to see signboards referring to both Christianity and Islam. After the conquest of Istanbul by the Turks, despite the fact that Islamic laws prevailed in public administration, the preservation of such a Christian temple testifies to the atmosphere of religious tolerance that existed in the Ottoman Empire.

After the conquest of Istanbul, the monument was turned into a mosque, but the paintings in the church were not destroyed. It was just plastered over. As a result, these works have survived to this day as a relic of the Byzantine era. This is an indicator of how the Turks have great respect for the culture and religion of other peoples. Hagia Sophia, whose history goes back 15 centuries, is currently one of the oldest monuments and buildings in the world. It is the fourth largest church in the world. Along with the architectural style of Hagia Sophia, its mosaics also play an important role. Mosaics, which include various motifs corresponding to geometric, plant forms, were made in the 9th-12th centuries. They can be found on the imperial gate, in the part thought to be the apse, on the exit gate, and in the gallery on the top floor. These rich mosaics and details in Hagia Sophia, as well as Islamic and Christian elements, leave a lasting impression on a person.
 

1500 year old water tale

The Basilica Cistern is considered the most legendary and fabulous place. You seem to suddenly fall from the ground into a twilight space. The walls, through which the water seeps, glisten. The endless rows of columns are like tree trunks in a cut forest. Fish swim in 1-2 meters of water under their feet. You want to go ahead with concrete platforms on the water and understand this legend a little, bring it to life for yourself. Yerabatan sarnichi, which foreigners call "Basilica", is the largest indoor and underground reservoir in the city. The Yerabatan reservoir, located on Sultan Ahmed Square, was built in 542 by the Byzantine emperor Justinian to meet the needs of the palace in water. Istanbul's biggest disadvantage is the lack of water sources in the city. But the passengers prevented this problem. The largest of them is Yerabatan Sarnichi, located opposite the Hagia Sophia and providing the city with water resources during the Byzantine period. It was also called the Yerabatan Palace. When you get inside, you can see that the analogy is not wrong.
 

In 1980, the pier was completely devastated and restored, and concrete platforms were built for walks on all sides. In 1985-1988, the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality carried out works to clean the bottom of the reservoir. It should be noted that the deck is 145 meters long and 65 meters wide. It has 12 rows and 336 columns. During the last restoration work, the water was again lowered into a dry cistern. Now the water there is 1-2 meters deep. The Istanbul Municipality uses the sarnik during cultural events. The most striking feature of Sarnik are the two jellyfish heads located under two pillars in the northwest corner. They are considered masterpieces of Roman sculpture. Platforms set on the water, in which fish swim, lead to the most interesting part of the cruise - to these jellyfish heads, which are believed to turn those who look into their eyes into stone. As you descend the stairs and observe them carefully, you will also have the opportunity to get to know the piece of Roman architecture preserved in this ancient Turkish city.

It is said that the heads of jellyfish were brought here to scare away evil. One of the details that made Sarney legendary is Crying Milk. The peculiarity of the column with tears and images of eyes is that, unlike the others, it is wet. When you touch, you feel drops of water.

Bazaars, a gift from the Germans and Tikilidash

Every tourist who comes to Istanbul goes to the markets of the city. The Egyptian Bazaar, which is one of the oldest bazaars in Istanbul selling natural medicines, spices, flower seeds and roots of rare plants, was built in 1660 by Turhan Sultan. The real big bazaar in Istanbul is the Covered Bazaar built by Sultan Suleiman Kanuni. Both monuments have been restored and preserved, but also function as markets. The next monument on Sultan Ahmed Square is the German fountain in front of the mosque. The fountain was donated by the German government in 1901 during the visit of the German Emperor Wilhelm to Istanbul. All of its parts are machined in Germany, which is why it is called a German spring. The inside of the high dome above the fountain is entirely made of gold.
 

You know, in Istanbul there is also a monument of Ancient Egypt. This monument, which is located next to the Hagia Sophia and is called Tikilidas, was brought from Egypt. Since hieroglyphs were read on it only in the 18th century, it was believed that these signs drove away evil spirits in both Byzantine and Ottoman times.