Your tour starts as you embark on a deluxe boat to sail on the Bosphorus. Today the views are a delightful mixture of past and present, giant tankers and little fishing boats, unforgettable castles, towering minarets, and world-famous landmarks including the Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque, modern luxury hotels standing next to Ottoman wooden villas, marble palaces and rustic fortresses.
You will be welcomed at an Ottoman Yali on the Asian coast of the Bosphorus where you will be served tea & coffee by the owner. Yali is a Turkish word meaning a waterside mansion. You will visit one of the rarest mansions on the Bosphorus, which still maintains its original architectural style and furniture. The hosts will be happy to share with you their memories and show you their home.
Next, your boat will be ready to get you back to the European side which will be followed by a cocktail with refreshment drinks & local snacks in the Old Byzantine Cistern, which dates back to the 6th century, converted into an art center/exclusive artcrafts shop today. You will enjoy your cocktails in the authentic ambiance of the artcrafts shop. Here you will be given a brief presentation about unique Turkish arts & products with time to shop. Your tour will terminate at the pier after a short drive back.
|