You’ll begin your day with a drive to the Asian Side of Istanbul on a customized vehicle specially fitted for wheelchairs. Enjoy your drive through the coast road of Dolmabahce viewing the gate of famous Dolmabahce Palace as you cross to the Asian Side, via Bosphorus Bridge. After a short orientation tour on the Asian side, you will have a short stop where you will have the best photo opportunity of old town. The tour then continues to St. Sophia Museum. St. Sophia Museum is across from the Blue Mosque and originated in 326 under Constantine the Great. It became Hagia Sophia and was rebuilt on a larger scale during the reign of Emperor Justinian. His intention was that the new building should surpass in splendor all others in antiquity. It is said that 10,000 workers were employed in its construction and marble columns were brought in from temples in minor Asia, Lebanon, Greece and Italy. In 1934, St. Sophia was converted into a museum and is now the most important Byzantine Monument in Istanbul, famous for its immense dome and beautiful frescoes and mosaics.
And finally you will visit one of the most colorful sites of Istanbul; the Grand Bazaar. The Bazaar is composed of two sections; the covered part and the modern part. The covered part is a whole quarter on its own and is surrounded by a wall which can be entered through eleven gates. The maze of streets and lanes are one of the greatest sights in the city, where various trades such as carpets, jewelry, leather goods, silver; varieties of souvenirs, textile, antiques, and home textile are segregated into particular sections of the bazaar. You will have the chance to explore the exotic atmosphere of the covered part for a brief period of time. You will also have the opportunity to visit the open and modern section of the Grand Bazaar which offers the best artworks and most reliable shopping. During your time in the Grand Bazaar, you will be taken for a presentation on the unique art of Turkish carpets and given additional time to shop.
|