Worldwide 2024-25

EUROPE • TURKEY
Istanbul:
Byzantines & Ottomans
Duration • 7 days & 6 nights
Category • Specialist-led
Small-group tour • From £1,795 (incl. flights)
History • Archaeology • Art • Architecture
Tour overview
Accompanied by your specialist lecturer,
explore the cultural capital that is
Istanbul. Known as Constantinople
until the early 20th century, the city
has been the seat of Roman, Byzantine
and Ottoman emperors, with each
leaving their distinctive legacy. Whether
admiring the engineering marvel of
Hagia Sophia, or the opulence of the
Topkapi Palace, your lecturer and guide
will be on hand to bring millennia of
history to life. Staying in the heart of
the historic city, you are able to easily
explore at leisure during your free time.
For those wishing to discover more of
Turkey, pre-and post-extensions are
available on request.
Signature Experiences
Visit Topkapi Palace, the primary
residence of the Ottoman sultans for
more than 400 years
Enjoy a ferry ride to the Princes’
Islands, famed for their beautiful
gardens and villas
Stay at a premium hotel in Istanbul’s
historic centre for the duration of
the tour
Specialist lecturers
Dr William Taylor, an
expert in Ottoman and
Orthodox studies, is
also an Anglican priest
and Chairman of the
Anglican and Eastern
Churches. His personal
contacts guarantee special access to many
monasteries and churches. He has worked
in Jordan, Cairo and Turkey, and travelled
in the Middle East and Central Asia.
Rowena Loverance is a
Byzantine art historian,
specialising in sculpture,
mosaics and icons. She
worked for more than
20 years at the British
Museum and is a visiting
research fellow at King’s College, London.
Day 1: Fly from London to Istanbul
Fly from London Heathrow to Istanbul with
British Airways. Transfer to the Levni Hotel for
6 nights. (D)
Day 2: Istanbul
Morning visit to the Church of Theotokos
Kyriotissa (Kalenderhane Camii), Zoodochos
Pigi (Silivri Kapi cemetery), Suleymaniye
mosque complex, and Basilica of St John of
Studius (Imrahor Camii) – the oldest church in
Istanbul, erected in 454AD. In the afternoon,
see the magnificent mosaics and frescoes
of St Saviour in Chora (Kariye Camii) (subject
to confirmation), Theotokos Pammakaristos
(Fethiye Camii), the Porphyrogenitus Palace
ruins, and the Theodocian city walls at
Edirne Kapi. (B)
Day 3: The Princes’ Islands
Take the early morning public ferry to the
Princes’ Islands, a nine-island archipelago in
the Sea of Marmara, passing Leander’s Tower,
ancient Chalcedon and Antigone. Stop at Chalki
to visit the Church of St Nikolaos and the Greek
Orthodox seminary. Continue to the isle of
Prinkipo to visit the Monastery of St George.
The final visit of the day is to the Crimea
Memorial Church, built in the mid-19th century
in memory of fallen British soldiers, where a
special drinks reception has been arranged
(subject to confirmation). (B)
Day 4: Istanbul
Take a morning walking tour of Sultanahmet,
including Topkapi Palace and the superb
Basilica Cistern, Istanbul
collections of the archaeological museum.
In the afternoon, view the remains of the
Hippodrome, the Hagia Sophia, the Blue
Mosque, the Mosaics Museum and the Church
of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (Kucuk Hagia
Sofia). (B)
Day 5: Edirne (Adrianople)
Full day sightseeing in Edirne, once known as
Adrianople and the Ottoman capital prior to
1453. Visit the Selimiye Mosque, a UNESCO
World Heritage Site; the nearby Old Mosque;
Sultan Bayezid II Complex; Ali Pasha Bazaar;
and the Macedonian Tower. (B)
Day 6: Istanbul
Morning visit to the Church of Theotokos
Panaghiotissa (known as Mouchliotissa), the
only Byzantine church in the city still belonging
to the Greek Orthodox patriarchate. Continue
around the old Greek district of Fener,
including the Cathedral of St George. This
afternoon, visit the Basilica Cistern and the
lively Grand Bazaar, then conclude with a stop
at the garden of the sacred shrine and spring,
Ayazma Blachernae, dating back to 451AD.
Evening farewell dinner in the historic Eminönü
district. (B, D)
Day 7: Fly to London
Morning walking tour of Beyazit, the Third Hill
and the old city centre. Fly from Istanbul to
London Heathrow with British Airways. (B)
Meal basis: As per itinerary – B: Breakfast,
L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meals.
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