DAILY TOURS IN ISTANBUL

All the tour prices are valid for the pick-ups/drop-offs from/at hotels in the European side of the city as well as from the pier at Karakoy.

St. Sophia Church

Suleymaniye Mosque

Hippodrome

Covered Bazaar

Topkapi Palace by Night

Blue Mosque

Hippodrome and Blue Mosque

Suleymaniye Mosque

Topkapi Palace

Spice Bazaar

Maiden's Tower

Ortakoy Mosque and Bosphorus Bridge

Rumelian Fortress

Galata

Beylerbeyi Palace

Camlica Hill

PRS 101 - ISTANBUL CLASSICS IN HALF A DAY (09:00-12:00)

A half day tour with St. Sophia (Closed on Mondays), one of the great  architecturural marvels of the ancient world,  constructed as a basilica in 536  AD by Emperor Justinian, turned into a mosque in 1453 and now into a museum, takes the breath away with the sheer size of its interior and its magnificent dome. Facing the church is Blue Mosque, famous for its mosaics with some 20.000 blue Iznik tiles and its six minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet in the 17th century, one of the best examples of classical Turkish art. is Cross through the Hippodrome, the scene of Byzantine chariot races, athletic events, victory celebrations and political activities of the old city where one can also see the “Obelisk of Egypt”, “Serpent Column” from Delphi, the “German Fountain of Wilhelm II” and the “Colossus”. Grand Covered Bazaar (Closed on Sundays), which is the biggest “souk” in the world with nearly 4000 shops of antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets, ceramics and leatherware.

-No minimum person requirement / Maximum 40 persons on regular tours

PRS 102 - OTTOMAN RELICS IN HALF A DAY (14:00-17:00)  

An afternoon tour with Topkapi Palace - Harem section is excluded - (Closed on Tuesdays); built in 1468 on one of the seven hills of Istanbul by Mehmet the Conqueror, the seat of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years and a huge complex  serving as a museum today facing superb views of the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The palace houses the treasures of the Sultans including the extravagant Treasury with its magnificent jewels, and the priceless Chinese porcelain (This section is temporarily closed as being under restoration), one of the best collections in the world, weapons, calligraphy section, and more. A short ride on to Suleymaniye Mosque, masterpiece of Sinan, the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire, built in the name of the Sultan Suleyman, the Magnificent, during the 16th. century, considered as the best amongst the imperial mosques.

-If “Harem” section is added on to the visits (an option only for private tours) at Topkapi Palace an extra $15 p.p. will be surcharged.

-If required, Suleymaniye Mosque can be replaced with Yerebatan Underground Cistern on only private tours in exchange for $15 p.p.

The cistern, with its atmospherically lit rows of 336 columns, was built in 532 with a capacity to store 80.000 cubic metres of water. It has excellent acoustics, and, with its fabulous atmosphere, has been used by famous singers, and for film sets. Please note that the Cisterm is very old and damp, appropriate footwear is advisable as the floor can be slippery

-No minimum person requirement / Maximum 40 persons on regular tours

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 103 - HEART OF HISTORICAL ISTANBUL IN A DAY (09:00-17:00)   

OPTION A:

A full day tour with St. Sophia (Closed on Mondays), one of the great  architecturural marvels of the ancient world,  constructed as a basilica in 536  AD by Emperor Justinian, turned into a mosque in 1453 and now into a museum, takes the breath away with the sheer size of its interior and its magnificent dome. Facing the church is Blue Mosque, famous for its mosaics with some 20.000 blue Iznik tiles and its six minarets, built in the name of Sultan Ahmet in the 17th century, one of the best examples of classical Turkish art. is Cross through the Hippodrome, the scene of Byzantine chariot races, athletic events, victory celebrations and political activities of the old city where one can also see the “Obelisk of Egypt”, “Serpent Column” from Delphi, the “German Fountain of Wilhelm II” and the “Colossus”. Grand Covered Bazaar (Closed on Sundays), which is the biggest “souk” in the world with nearly 4000 shops of antiques, jewellery, gold, carpets, ceramics and leatherware. In the afternoon tour with Topkapi Palace - Harem section is excluded - (Closed on Tuesdays); built in 1468 on one of the seven hills of Istanbul by Mehmet the Conqueror, the seat of the Ottoman sultans for 400 years and a huge complex  serving as a museum today facing superb views of the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. The palace houses the treasures of the Sultans including the extravagant Treasury with its magnificent jewels, and the priceless Chinese porcelain (This section is temporarily closed as being under restoration), one of the best collections in the world, weapons, calligraphy section, and more. A short ride on to Suleymaniye Mosque, masterpiece of Sinan, the chief architect of the Ottoman Empire, built in the name of the Sultan Suleyman, the Magnificent, during the 16th. century, considered as the best amongst the imperial mosques (Lunch is inclusive on only regular/seat-in coach tours).

-If “Harem” section is added on to the visits (an option only for private tours) at Topkapi Palace an extra $15 p.p. will be surcharged.

-If required, Suleymaniye Mosque can be replaced with Yerebatan Underground Cistern on only private tours in exchange for $15 p.p.

-No minimum person requirement / Maximum 40 persons

-Regular tours are carried out directly by Parasol Holidays or another tour company as a joint operation

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 104 - MORNING BOSPHORUS CRUISE (09:00-13:00)  

A morning tour to visit the aromatic Spice Bazaar (Closed on Sundays) from 1663 with its domed and vaulted shops selling spices and herbs along with a wide variety of commodities, also known as Egyptian Bazaar as it was once endowed with the Cairo imposts. Then proceed to the pier so as to embark the public boat. Sailing through the waterway separating the two continents - Asia and Europe - with a possibility to take pictures of the marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residentials. During this trip Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges will be visible from the sea. After having disembarked the boat get into the coach to visit the Rumelian Fortress, historical armament built by the Conqueror in 1452 to control and protect Bosphorus (Please note that Rumelian Fortress is not inclusive to our regular tours). Then drive back to the city (No lunch is served in this tour).

-Regular government ferry (on seat-in-coach basis) or a shared boat can be used depending on weather conditions and the number of the participants on both private and regular Bosphorus tours. If required, a private boat can also be assigned. The extra cost for such a service is $425 per boat. It is not possible to name the boat well in advance since the choice/assignment of the boat will depend on the availability.

- No Spice Bazaar visit is available in the afternoon tours

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

Regular Tour Options:

Option A:

$90

-Minimum 2 persons, maximum 20 persons on regular tours

-If required, hotel transfers are available at the end as otherwise the guests are dropped off at the city center

Option B:

$50 

-No minimum person requirement, maximum 40 persons on regular tours

-No hotel transfers are available at the end of the tours and the guests are dropped off at the city center

PRS 105 - BOSPHORUS & ASIA (09:00-17:00)  

A full day tour to visit the aromatic Spice Bazaar from 1663 with its domed and vaulted shops selling spices and herbs along with a wide variety of commodities, also known as Egyptian Bazaar as it was once endowed with the Cairo imposts. Then proceed to the pier so as to embark the public boat. Sailing through the waterway separating the two continents - Asia and Europe - with a possibility to take pictures of the marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides modern residentials. During this trip Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, Bosphorus and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridges as well as Rumelian Fortress, historical armament built by the Conqueror in 1452 to control and protect Bosphorus, will be visible from the sea. Leaving the boat and getting into the coach. In the afternoon, cross to the Asian side to visit the Beylerbeyi Palace (Closed on Mondays and Thursdays), the summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans, with its original furniture and magnificent gardens. Then proceed to Camlica Hill (or Nakkastepe) to observe one of the lovely panoramic views of Istanbul. Time permitting, visit Bedesten. Drive back to the hotel.

-Regular government ferry (on seat-in-coach basis) or a shared boat can be used depending on weather conditions and the number of the participants on both private and regular Bosphorus tours.

-Depending on the availability, Beylerbeyi Palace can be replaced by Dolmabahce Palace without any further notice.

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 106 - DOLMABAHCE & GOLDEN HORN (10:00-17:00)  

Morning visit to the Dolmabahce Palace (Closed on Mondays/Thursdays; replaced with visits to the Yildız Park and Yildiz Porcelain Factory) the last residence of Ottoman Sultans, with its 365 rooms and 22 saloons and famous with the great collection of antiques, furniture and 4.5 ton chandelier (Harem section is included). In the  afternoon, drive along the Golden Horn, tour the Chora Museum (Closed on Wednesdays; replaced with Eyup Mosque), see the impressive city walls, and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee (inclusive) at the Pierre Loti Café unless all the tables are already occupied (No advanced booking is possible).

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 107 - ORIENTAL NIGHT SHOW (20:00-23:30)
 

After being picked up from the hotel a short drive or walk to get to the place where there will be a lot of fun and enjoyment. Dinner at a restaurant to taste various kinds of Turkish cuisine and local drinks while watching the spectacular oriental show performed by famous belly dancers, folk groups from different regions of Anatolia and Turkish singers. Late night back to the hotel (First local drinks are included within the price) (D).

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 108 - HALF DAY JEWISH HERITAGE TOUR (08:45-13:00)

Pick up from the hotel at 08.45 and visit the most prestigious synagogues of the city; Ashkenazi at 09.00 and thereafter Neve Shalom. Then drive along the Golden Horn and through Balat, Istanbul's first Jewish settlement. Visit the Ahrida Synagogue, built in the 15th century, then the Jewish Cemetery at Ulus district, and the Ortakoy Etz-Ahayim Synagogue, before returning to the hotel (No lunch is served in this program).

-All synagogue visits require advance permission from the officials and therefore the guests are required to advise their full names and passport numbers at the time of booking and carry their passports during visits

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 109 - PALACES AND PAVILIONS (09:00-17:00)

In the morning visit Maslak Pavilion, built during the reign of Sultan Mahmut II, but completed by Sultan Abdulaziz and used for hunting and resting place by Sultan Abdulhamid. Then proceed to Yildiz Park to visit Sale (Chalet) Kiosk, which resembles a hunting lodge and where a collection of exquisite carpets and furnishings can be seen, and Malta Kiosk, which dates from 1870 and once served as a prison: Imperial Porcelain Factory, opened in 1895 to meet the demand of the high quailty European style ceramics; Yildiz Palace (Closed on Tuesdays), used to be Sultan Abdulhamid’s carpentry workshop,  with the Theatre and Opera House. In the afternoon visit to Ihlamur Pavilion where Ottoman Sultan Abdulmecit entertained special guests including the French poet Lamartine. Then cross to the Asian side to tour Kucuksu (Goksu) Pavilion, built in 1956 as a resting place for the sultans and thereafter Hıdiv Pavillion, where Bosphorus can be viewed in its all beauty. Drive back to the hotel.

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 110 - FULL DAY TOUR TO BURSA (08:30-19:00)

Departure by ferry-boat (If the high-speed ferry is prefered there would be a suercharge of $30 per person) to Yalova and drive onto Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century, and a major spa center. Wander through the covered market with its local cotton goods, and Koza Han, the silk cocoon caravanserai, with shops selling beautiful silks and brocades. Visit the Ottoman complex to see the Grand Mosque, the Green Mosque, considered to be one of the finest examples of early Ottoman architecture, and the Green Mausoleum, the tomb of Sultan Mehmet I. This is Bursa's loveliest building with its spectacular tile work. Drive to Yalova to board a ferry which will take you back to Istanbul.

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 111 - FULL DAY GALLIPOLI TOUR (07:00-20:00)

Early departure from the hotel to visit Gallipoli, historically famous as the site of many battles - particularly involving the Allied Forces including Australians and New Zealanders during World War I. Visit Anzac Cove where the Allied Forces landed on the 25th of April 1915 along with the other sites like War Cemeteries (Beach Cemetery, Quinn's Post) and Anzac Memorials (Lone Pine-Australian Memorial, Chunuk Bair-New Zealand Memorial, Hellespont-English Memorial). Drive back to Istanbul late evening

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

PRS 112 - FULL DAY EPHESUS (07:00-20:00)

Pick up from the hotel and transfer to the airport for the flight to Izmir. On arrival meeting and proceed to Selcuk town to visit Ephesus Antique City (Hillside Houses are excluded), one of the most popular ancient sites of Turkey with many acres of carefully excavated ruins; House of Virgin Mary where she is supposed to spend her last years together with St. John; Ephesus Archaeological Museum; St. John’s Basilica and Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Transfer back to the Izmir airport.

* The first column refers to the REGULAR (SEAT-IN-COACH) tour rates while the rest pertains to the PRIVATE tours

* All the rates are in American Dollar

* Our tour rates exclude the airfares for Istanbul-Izmir and Izmir-Istanbul

ALL OF OUR TOURS AT A GLANCE

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